| Car Number | #5 |
| Team | Audi |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Born | October 14, 2004 - Sao Paulo, Brazil |
| Age | 21 |
2026 Season Stats
Career Stats
Biography
Gabriel Bortoleto is a Brazilian Formula 1 rookie who carries the hopes of a motorsport-mad nation that has been waiting for a competitive Brazilian driver since the days of Felipe Massa. Born on October 14, 2004 in Sao Paulo, Bortoleto grew up surrounded by racing culture in the city that hosts the Brazilian Grand Prix, dreaming of following in the footsteps of Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time.
Bortoleto's rise through the junior categories was impressive. He won the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2023 in his rookie year - a remarkable achievement that immediately drew attention from F1 teams. He followed that up with a strong Formula 2 campaign in 2024, winning the championship and securing his promotion to Formula 1 with Audi for 2026. His back-to-back junior titles echoed the paths of champions like Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri before him.
As part of the McLaren driver development programme before his Audi signing, Bortoleto received top-tier coaching and simulator time that prepared him for the demands of F1. His 2 points from three races in 2026 represent a solid start for a rookie at a team that is still finding its feet as it transitions to the Audi brand. Bortoleto has shown flashes of the speed that won him two junior championships, and his ability to outpace experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg on occasion has not gone unnoticed.
At 21, Bortoleto is part of the exciting new generation of F1 drivers. Brazilian fans have embraced him with characteristic passion, and the pressure of representing South America's largest country in F1 has not appeared to faze him. With Audi's long-term investment in F1, Bortoleto could be the driver who brings Brazilian success back to the sport.
Interesting Facts
- Won the FIA Formula 3 Championship in his rookie year in 2023
- Won the Formula 2 Championship in 2024 - back-to-back junior titles
- First Brazilian F1 rookie since Pietro Fittipaldi
- From Sao Paulo - the city that hosts the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos
- Was part of the McLaren driver development programme before joining Audi
- Follows in the tradition of great Brazilian F1 drivers - Senna, Piquet, Fittipaldi, and Barrichello