Bortoleto takes the long view as Antonelli and Hadjar reach F1 podiums

Gabriel Bortoleto says he has to be patient as former junior rivals Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar celebrate their first Formula 1 podiums. He says he knows what he is capable of and accepts that each driver is on a different path: “Everyone has their own path,” he told Motorsport.com.

Bortoleto raced against both through the junior categories and says he performed well against them there. He acknowledges that Antonelli and Hadjar are currently closer to the world-title goal, but says everything could change within a year.

The Audi project is what keeps Bortoleto going, he says. He describes the team as improving each year with a clear long-term plan, and wants to be part of its climb rather than treat Audi as a stepping stone to another team.

Bortoleto says he finds the move from winning in the junior categories to knowing he cannot fight at the front in Formula 1 difficult. His immediate target, he says, is to score points.

Bortoleto, 22, won the Formula 3 title in 2023 and the Formula 2 championship in 2024. When the interview appeared, he was 15th in the drivers’ standings and Audi eighth in the constructors’ championship.

He sees the expectation that he will play a major role in Audi’s future as a source of pride rather than pressure. Bortoleto believes Audi will eventually give him a winning car and engine; he says he must be ready when the opportunity comes.