After winning the FIA F3 title, the 19-year-old Brazilian covered nearly 1000 km in three days

The FIA Formula 2 preseason was concluded on Tuesday (13th). The 22 drivers who will compete in the 2024 championship to access F1 gathered at the Bahrain International Circuit for the only three days of tests aboard the new Dallara models.

Making his debut in the Championship’s official activities, Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto, who was last year’s F3 champion, faced significant challenges. Firstly, there was the substantial difference in power and grip between the two models. Additionally, there was the debut with a new team, the adaptation to new tire compounds, and understanding their wear.

After an intense personal preparation, with countless hours in the simulator and dedicated days of physical training, the driver arrived excited for the start of his work. Continuing with the driving consultancy of former pilot and engineer Roberto Streit, Bortoleto completed a rigorous schedule set by the team. They worked on various aspects such as performance in qualifying simulations, race simulations, and aerodynamic tests, among others.

On the 5.412-meter track in the Middle East, Bortoleto and the other drivers encountered the unusual situation of rain for almost the entire first day of activities, during which he completed only 4 laps in total. On the second and third days, Gabriel finally managed to accomplish everything the team expected of him, completing 168 laps and covering a total of 909 kilometers of testing. Whenever he had permission to push to the maximum, the driver demonstrated his speed and was consistently featured in the Top 10.

BRAZILIAN COMPANIES SUPPORT BORTOLETO

Before the start of on-track activities, F2 drivers and teams had a day entirely dedicated to media and content production. On this day, the teams also revealed the cars they will use during the season, and the drivers presented their suits and helmets.

As announced since the end of 2023, Bortoleto is part of the McLaren F-1 young driver program, and he remains under the care of Fernando Alonso’s company, A14 Management.

Additionally, what stood out prominently for Gabriel was the participation of major brands on his equipment. In 2024, Bortoleto will have sponsorship from Banco BRB, Porto, Snapdragon, Ebury, and Barthelemy. The driver also continues to be a member of KTF Sports through its Brazilian talent development program.

“I am happy and fulfilled with the work we managed to develop here in Bahrain. We conducted several race tests, qualifying simulations, and I believe it was very positive. It was my first training in the new car, and it was all very interesting. I think we are heading in the right direction with the team, and I am getting along better with all the members. I thank the team for the reception and all the work they did in these days, my sponsors, and the fans who followed through social media. We will return to the team headquarters, analyze all the data, and I am sure we will arrive strong and competitive for the first race”, commented the 19-year-old Brazilian.

The FIA F2 season will begin on March 1st and 2nd at the same Bahrain circuit. The Championship will be the longest in history, with 28 races over 14 weekends of competition.

Pictures: James Gasperotti – Disclosure