McLaren crew principal Andrea Stella says the crew gained’t stand in protege Gabriel Bortoleto’s manner if Sauber desires to supply him a System 1 race seat, however would relatively sanction a mortgage transfer than let the teen go definitively.
Bortoleto just lately emerged as one of many important contenders to associate Nico Hulkenberg on the future Audi crew, alongside incumbent Valtteri Bottas and reserve driver Theo Pourchaire, whereas Franco Colapinto additionally can’t be dominated out after the Argentine’s spectacular outing on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix final weekend.
After having reasonable success at System 4 and System Regional ranges, Bortoleto has been making a robust case for himself by successful the System 3 championship as a rookie final yr and taking the lead of the System 2 standings in Baku – once more as a debutant.
With Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris each having fun with long-term contracts with McLaren, there must be no emptiness on the Woking-based crew till 2027 on the earliest. As a consequence, Stella is open to talks about Bortoleto’s future.
“If [Sauber chief operating officer Mattia] Binotto got here to me… when you might have such a expertise, positively you are not going to cease him having an opportunity in System 1,” the Italian insisted.
“On the similar time, we might be positively fascinated with discovering a strategy to preserve him within the McLaren household, as a result of I believe he is a expertise that sooner or later may very well be vital for McLaren.
“We’re secure for the long run with our two drivers. We could not be any happier. However positively, we want to preserve him within the McLaren household. However I am positive we might discover a answer.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, Invicta Racing
Photograph by: System Motorsport Ltd
Stella has been impressed not solely along with his junior driver’s efficiency and consistency – the 19-year-old Brazilian having completed 17 of the most recent 18 F2 races within the high 10 – but in addition along with his angle.
“I inform Gabriel the identical factor I inform the crew: do not have a look at the classification, simply take into consideration the chequered flag on a regular basis and race one race at a time, with the ft on the bottom,” he explains. “And he has it.
“For me, much like Oscar, it is not solely the power and the execution when he’s within the automobile. From a driving standpoint, he is additionally – you know the way humble these guys are, how obtainable they’re to simply get the educational working with the crew. At no level they’re smug.
“And while you mix expertise with onerous work and this sort of values and angle, I believe it is the place you possibly can develop as a driver. And Gabriel is one other instance of rising so quickly.
“If we consider the beginning of his F2 marketing campaign, he had some hiccups at occasions – not essentially solely on account of his driving, he had some automobile issues – however he did not hand over. He stayed on the case, and now he’s constructing step-by-step.”
Bortoleto has scored 169.5 factors to date this F2 season whereas his important rivals Isack Hadjar, Zane Maloney and Paul Aron have accrued 165, 135 and 133 on their tallies respectively, with 4 races but to happen throughout the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds.
Additional down the order, Jak Crawford, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Victor Martins stay in mathematical rivalry for the title.
