Gabriel Bortoleto compares early F1 races with George Russell’s time at Williams
Gabriel Bortoleto has to contend with the slowest car on the grid on his graduation to F1.
Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto has likened his first few races in Formula 1 to George Russell’s early years at Williams, stressing he needs to be “patient” about achieving better results.
Former McLaren junior Bortoleto has stepped up to F1 this year with Sauber, with the Brazilian signing a multi-year contract that will see him remain at the team through its transition into the factory Audi squad in 2026.
But with the C46 proving to be the slowest car on the grid, the 20-year-old has found the going tough in F1, finishing no higher than 14th in the opening four rounds of 2025.
These results are in massive contrast to his form in junior formulae, having won back-to-back championships in F3 and F2 in the last two years on his way up to grand prix racing.
Asked how he is coping with his new reality in F1, having been so accustomed to fighting for podiums and victories on a regular basis in lower categories, Bortoleto said he had mentally prepared himself for a tough season in 2025.
He cited the example of current Mercedes star Russell, who spent three years toiling at the tail end of the grid in Williams before finally getting a shot at Silver Arrows in 2022.
“If I'm not honest it's not easy,” he admitted. “You come from two championships where you used to be in this [press conference] room, but after the race because you won or you were on the podium. And now for us, it's already a mega job if you are into Q2 or fighting for Q3.
“But there is always going to be always someone paying this price at the beginning. If you see George Russell at the beginning of his Formula 1 career, I don't think he scored a point in his first season and now he is one of the best drivers on the grid and doing such a great job.
“I wouldn't say [he is] fighting for the championship right now but he is constantly on the podium or fighting for wins, so it's all about having patience.”
In 2024, Sauber appeared set to finish the year without any points, but a late update allowed Zhou Guanyu to snatch eighth position in the penultimate round in Qatar.
Bortoleto said it is important for him to work together with the team to develop its 2025 challenger, with the current package not quick enough to secure points in a dry-weather race.
Sauber’s only top 10 result of the year came so far in Australia, when Nico Hulkenberg took advantage of changing conditions to finish in seventh place.
“There is nothing much I can do right now, just learn, try to grow as a driver in these tough moments and do a better job every race weekend and get better because I'm not fighting for points right now, that is the realistic situation for me and Nico,” he said.
“Nico did a very good job in Australia, in a messy race, and managed to score points but realistically in the last three-four rounds we haven't been there by pure pace.
“All we need to do now is try to point the team in the right direction with the development of the car because we saw last year with Sauber as well, they were last the whole year and [after] one upgrade or two upgrades they brought, they were back fighting for Q3.
“In this world, I've learned something, that everything can happen so we cannot give up.”
