The Formula 1 World Championship pre-season concluded on Friday afternoon (28). The 20 drivers forming the grid of the world’s top motorsport category gathered at the Bahrain International Circuit, in the capital Manama, for three days of testing. Making his debut in the world championship, Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto was on track for all three days and expressed his satisfaction with the work done.

The sessions began on Wednesday, with each team allowed to field only one car. Stake F1 Team Kick | Sauber structured a schedule in which Bortoleto and his teammate, Nico Hülkenberg, alternated behind the wheel of the brand-new C45 chassis. Gabriel took part in the afternoon sessions on Wednesday and Thursday and hit the track on Friday morning.

Under the watchful eye of his new team principal, Mattia Binotto, the 20-year-old Brazilian completed 174 laps on the Middle Eastern circuit—59 on the first day, 80 on the second, and 35 on the final day. On Friday, the car suffered a hydraulic leak, causing significant downtime in the garage. Later, a floor issue led to further delays for repairs. In total, Bortoleto covered 941 kilometers of testing.

One of the standout aspects was the car’s absolute top speed when driven by Bortoleto. Across the three days, Gabriel consistently ranked among the Top 3 in maximum speed on the track. Considering all sessions, he was the second-fastest driver, reaching a top speed of 322 km/h on Thursday afternoon.

“I’m very happy with the work we’ve done here in Bahrain, as well as with what’s ahead in the coming weeks. These were three very productive days, with extensive testing, various track conditions, different tire compounds, and thousands of data points to analyze. The days went by with only minor issues—nothing unexpected when running a brand-new car. I believe the work has been positive, and I’m adapting very well to the car. Now we’ll return to the factory, gather all the information we collected, and in two weeks, we’ll be in Australia for the first race of the championship,” said the young driver.

James Key, technical director of Stake F1 Team Kick | Sauber, assessed the team’s performance. “It was a productive test that allowed us to gather useful data, forming the foundation for the season’s first race in two weeks. We managed to complete everything planned over these three days. The C45 delivered solid performance, running over 350 laps in total—a testament to the team’s hard work over the winter. Although we lost some time in Gabriel’s final session today due to a hydraulic leak, the team quickly investigated and resolved the issue. As always in testing, lap times were not our main focus, as each team followed its own priorities. Now, we’ll return home, analyze the data, and wait for Melbourne to get a clearer picture of the competition. It’s safe to say we showed consistent performance and will aim to keep progressing as the season unfolds.”

The opening round of the Formula 1 World Championship will take place in two weeks in Melbourne, Australia. The race weekend kicks off on Friday (March 14) with free practice sessions and concludes on Sunday (March 16) with the race, which will be broadcasted in Brasil by Band.

Gabriel Bortoleto is personally sponsored by Banco BRB, Kit Kat, and Porto.

Pictures: José Maria Rubio | Disclosure

Press office of Gabriel Bortoleto
Responsible journalist: Flávio Quick