KTF Sports’ driver competed in the last stage of FRECA in Mugello, Italy

It ended this weekend, between October 21 and 23, the 2022 season of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine – FRECA. No less than 36 cars were lined up on the grid at the Mugello Circuit in Italy for the 19th and 20th stages of the year.

In a mood of farewell to the championship and also to the French team R-Ace GP, the Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto arrived at the track excited coming from a victory in the previous week. He worked closely with his team of technicians and engineers in search of an ideal setup for the qualifying and races. As it happened during all rounds, the Friday was dedicated to training sessions. In the first of them the car #85 went to the track with a qualifying adjustment and, with that, he was the seventh fastest with the mark of 1m43s036. In the second practice, then with race setup, the 18-year-old Brazilian completed his best lap with a time of 1:43.763, which earned him only the 22nd place of the session.

Knowing all the potential of the equipment that had in hands Gabriel left for the qualifying of Saturday’s race. With the time of 1m43s017, he scored the eighth time and thus secured a position in the fourth row of the grid. The race took place hours later and Bortoleto, as always, got an excellent start. He won two positions in the first lap and continued searching recovery. Even with the natural difficulty of overtaking experienced by FRECA drivers, the Brazilian managed to evolve until, at the end of the 11th lap, he was hit hard by another competitor and, therefore, had to abandon the race after being thrown to the tire barrier.

SUNDAY STARTED IN A PERFECT WAY

With the car completely recovered, Gabriel Bortoleto returned to the racetrack on Sunday morning willing to turn the key of the previous day and finish the year with a golden key. Thus, in a practically perfect lap in the qualifying session he set the time of 1m42s874 getting the pole position by a difference greater than one tenth of the second place.

In the race, after a perfect start, he managed to open just over a second to the other competitors in the first two laps. However, with the natural heating and wear of the tires, his car did not show the same good performance and, with this, he ended up being overtaken in the tenth lap. Without being dejected, the driver followed his race pace to finish the last race of the year in a celebrated second place. The victory was with the Italian Gabriele Mini.

“I certainly wanted to end the year with a win. However, we closed the season in a very cool way, with pole position, podium and victory in the penultimate round. We had a difficult year in the first part of the season, but I was still very regular and scored points in almost every race. After we changed the engine, in the Austrian race, naturally, the results began to appear and, with that, we finished the season in sixth place. In the face of everything that happened, I say it was very useful, I learned a lot and I thank the mechanics and the entire team of R-Ace GP. I also thank Americanet, KTF Sports, my family and friends for all the support. Let’s go together for another great season in 2023”, concluded the driver who will compete in the FIA F3 Championship next year for the Italian team Trident.

Pictures: Dutch Photo Agency

Press office of Gabriel Bortoleto
Responsible journalist: Flávio Quick