The Suzuka Circuit in Japan hosted the third round of the Formula 1 World Championship this past weekend. The 5.807 meters track was a new challenge for Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto, who competed at the iconic venue for the first time in his career.

Highly motivated, Bortoleto completed over a thousand laps in the simulator to prepare for the race weekend. Official activities began on Friday with two free practice sessions. Following the plan outlined by the Stake F1 Team | Kick Sauber, Bortoleto focused on setup and aerodynamic tests in the first session, finishing 20th. In the second session, he was able to extract more performance from his car and secured 13th place with a time of 1:29.335.

On Saturday, after the third and final practice, he headed into the qualifying session. Despite putting in solid laps in Q1, he was eliminated by just one-tenth of a second, recording a time of 1:28.622 and securing 17th on the starting grid.

“I missed Q2 by just a tenth. All my laps were clean and without mistakes. I ended up very close to my teammate, which is a good sign considering how fast and experienced he is. Now we can compare data and see where we can improve as a team. We could have taken a small step forward to improve the car for the final set of tires, but we chose to play it safe and not make major changes. To be fair, I’m happy with my laps and with what we brought home today. I’m pleased with the team’s work and ready for tomorrow’s race,” explained the driver.

Overtaking proved challenging during the race

At exactly 2 AM on Sunday, the race got underway. Starting on hard compound tires, Gabriel struggled with grip off the line and dropped to 20th place. Relentless, he delivered a consistent performance. Considering his tire strategy, he maintained a steady pace until lap 31, when the team called him in for a pit stop. After switching to medium compound tires, the Brazilian rejoined the race in 19th. With improved pace, he began posting quicker lap times, setting his personal best at 1:32.034. Running in a group of drivers from 15th to 19th, Bortoleto appeared to have a better rhythm than his rivals but was ultimately unable to overtake due to the track’s characteristics, finishing the race in 19th position.

“Of course, I was hoping for a better result than 19th, but I’m leaving Suzuka satisfied with how the weekend unfolded. I’ve learned a lot – it’s been a continuous learning curve since Melbourne, and I feel more in control with every session. I want to thank the team, both trackside and back at the base in Hinwil. They’re always supporting me. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best start today and ended up at the back of the field. Climbing up the pack was impossible, especially at a circuit like Suzuka where overtaking is very difficult. I’m taking all the experience and learning with me to Bahrain next week,” Bortoleto concluded.

The F1 World Championship resumes next weekend with the fourth round of the season, taking place in Manama, Bahrain, from April 11 to 13.

Pictures: Stake F1 Team | Kick Sauber

Press office of Gabriel Bortoleto
Responsible journalist: Flávio Quick