Gabriel Bortoleto’s rookie F1 season with Sauber has not yet yielded any championship points, a situation shared only with two other drivers, Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto, who have not competed in full seasons. While Sauber teammate Nico Hulkenberg has accumulated 20 points, reflecting more immediate success, Sauber remains committed to supporting Bortoleto’s long-term growth and development within the team.
Bortoleto openly admires Hulkenberg’s experience and the way the seasoned German driver extracts performance from the car, emphasizing his respect despite the current points gap.
He’s taking out of the car more than he actually should be,
said Bortoleto after the Canadian Grand Prix.
I think he’s an excellent driver. And I really admire everything he’s doing – because I think it’s impressive.
—Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Driver
Sauber’s strategy focuses on growth as Audi factory commitment approaches
Unlike teams that frequently consider driver replacements during difficult runs, Sauber is taking a methodical approach as it resolves internal challenges and prepares for a major transformation into Audi’s factory team next year. With past boardroom instability behind them, Sauber is confident it has identified many of the technical and operational obstacles hindering performance and is executing measured solutions.
This long-term planning translates into patience toward Bortoleto, encouraging him to develop racecraft and consistency gradually rather than rushing immediate points results.
Technical struggles limit car performance and race pace for Sauber
After Hulkenberg’s points finish in the season opener in Australia, largely due to a timely switch to intermediate tires, subsequent races revealed deeper issues with Sauber’s C45 car. The vehicle suffers from airflow separation problems when trailing other cars in ‘dirty air,’ which reduces downforce and hinders following and overtaking.
Bortoleto described these challenges vividly during the Chinese Grand Prix, adding the problem extends to severe head and neck buffeting that affects his ability to maintain control on track.
One of the easiest tracks to overtake of the season and it’s just so tough,
he said.
I cannot be too close to the car ahead. I lose downforce. I just cannot follow very close, and then it’s impossible to overtake.
—Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Driver
Sauber introduces significant upgrades aimed at improving drivability
To counter these setbacks, Sauber developed a comprehensive upgrade package that debuted at the Spanish Grand Prix. This included a new floor design, a fresh front wing, modifications to the engine cover, and reshaped bodywork around the ‘Coke bottle’ zone near the rear wheels. Sporting director Inaki Rueda was clear the focus was on enhancing the car’s drivability rather than simply adding peak downforce.
It’s very common that as you put downforce on, you get a more peaky profile,
Rueda explained.
So you usually get to a point that you get a car that is decent, let’s say, but is undriveable in tricky conditions. It is a point that was highlighted at the start of the season, on our first test with this car. And this is hopefully the fix for that.
—Inaki Rueda, Sauber Sporting Director
Despite these updates, race-day execution remained a concern, with Hulkenberg maintaining an edge during grands prix, displaying a steadier ability to convert qualifying speed into race performances.
F2 champion’s qualifying promise tempered by race-day learning curve
When Mattia Binotto selected Bortoleto over more established drivers like Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, the expectation was that the new recruit’s speed would provide an upgrade, particularly evident in qualifying sessions. Bortoleto has outpaced Hulkenberg on several occasions, showcasing strong raw pace and potential.
However, translating qualifying performance into race success has proved more difficult. Bortoleto’s race incidents include spinning in the rain during Australia, poor race starts in Japan, and losing positions after safety car restarts, such as being overtaken by Fernando Alonso in Spain. Such mistakes highlight the experience gap between a rookie and a seasoned campaigner like Hulkenberg.
This has not gone unnoticed by Bortoleto, who has demonstrated a proactive attitude toward improvement, notably returning to Sauber’s factory for debriefs to enhance his skill set between events.
Experience advantage highlights need for patience and learning
Bortoleto’s relative inexperience was evident in contrasting race management approaches. In Canada, Hulkenberg’s extensive knowledge allowed him to anticipate and exploit on-track incidents early in the race, gaining positions by positioning himself advantageously when Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto battled ahead.
In contrast, Bortoleto’s strategic race moves and timing have not yet matured to this level; his one-stop strategy in Spain faltered due to safety car timing and full-course yellows, factors beyond his direct control but impactful nonetheless.
You see the race in a different way – that I’m not able yet to see,
reflected Bortoleto.
I think he’s very good at doing this. So I think I’m learning from him. Hopefully I can do the same steps he’s doing right now and start scoring some points for the team.
—Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber Driver
Sauber’s calm, supportive environment key to Bortoleto’s growth
Sauber is prioritizing a patient development path for the rookie driver amid a demanding rookie F1 season, understanding that deep-seated confidence and consistent racecraft take time to cultivate. The team recognizes the significance of steady progress over immediate returns as it prepares for its transition into a factory Audi outfit next year, emphasizing long-term success.
With steady technical improvements and ongoing learning in race situations, Bortoleto’s opportunities to begin scoring points will likely grow as he gains experience and matures as a driver under the guidance of Mattia Binotto and the Sauber team.
