McLaren crew principal Andrea Stella says the crew received’t stand in protege Gabriel Bortoleto’s approach if Sauber desires to supply him a System 1 race seat, however would somewhat sanction a mortgage transfer than let the teenager go definitively.
Bortoleto just lately emerged as one of many essential contenders to accomplice 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 12 months 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 may have such a expertise, undoubtedly you are not going to cease him having an opportunity in System 1,” the Italian insisted.
“On the similar time, we will likely be undoubtedly considering discovering a strategy to maintain him within the McLaren household, as a result of I feel he is a expertise that sooner or later could possibly be vital for McLaren.
“We’re secure for the long run with our two drivers. We could not be any happier. However undoubtedly, we wish to maintain him within the McLaren household. However I am certain we might discover a answer.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, Invicta Racing
Picture 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 additionally along with his perspective.
“I inform Gabriel the identical factor I inform the crew: do not take 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 isn’t solely the power and the execution when he’s within the automobile. From a driving viewpoint, he is additionally – you understand how humble these guys are, how out there they’re to only get the training working with the crew. At no level they’re conceited.
“And if you mix expertise with exhausting work and this type of values and perspective, I feel 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 instances – not essentially solely because 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 thus far this F2 season whereas his essential 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 competition for the title.
