Gabriel Bortoleto returns to the stage of the most important race of his career

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Gabriel Bortoleto returns to the stage of the most important race of his career

Official Schedule (Brasília time):

Just one week after the challenges in the Netherlands, Formula 1 drivers and teams are back on track for another round of the championship. The 15th race of the season will be held at the historic Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy. Coming off a turbulent race in Zandvoort, Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto hopes to recover the strong performances he delivered before the European summer break and finish within the points once again.

A motivational memory

Exactly one year ago, on this very track, Gabriel Bortoleto experienced what he himself describes as the most important race of his career. At the time, while competing in the Formula 2 Championship, the Brazilian went off track during qualifying and was forced to start from the very back of the grid. On Sunday, however, in a display of grit, resilience, and seizing opportunities, he overtook his rivals one by one to secure a much-celebrated victory. Many experts believe that performance was decisive in earning him a spot in Formula 1.

“It was an incredibly intense weekend, one I will never forget. It was about facing the problem head-on and not giving up for a single second. It was the most important race of my career so far and certainly brought a lot of attention from Formula 1 to me,” said the 20-year-old.

A tribute to Italy

Bortoleto shares a deep connection with Italy. At just 11 years old, when he left Brazil to pursue his Formula 1 dream, he moved to Italy, settling in Desenzano del Garda, one of the world’s karting capitals. He lived in the country up until last year.

To honor the nation that welcomed him from the beginning and where he achieved one of his most remarkable victories, Bortoleto will race this weekend with a special helmet. Designed by artists Yan Barbosa in collaboration with Luciano Cipulo of ArtInfinity, the custom piece maintains Gabriel’s original graphics while incorporating references to the Italian flag.

The Autodromo Nazionale di Monza

One of the most traditional venues on the Formula 1 calendar, Monza has hosted the World Championship since its very first edition in 1950. Known as the fastest track of the season, the circuit measures 5.793 kilometers and features just 11 corners. This Sunday’s race will cover a total distance of 306.7 km, completed over 53 laps. Another interesting fact about Monza is that it still holds the longest-standing lap record in modern F1: Rubens Barrichello’s 1m21.046, set in 2004 while driving for Ferrari.
The final round of the European leg of the championship will follow its traditional schedule, with two practice sessions on Friday, another practice and qualifying on Saturday, and the race on Sunday.

“I am really motivated for this weekend’s competition. Given the characteristics of a high-speed track, I believe our package can perform very well here. We started the year in a tough position, but through hard work we’ve climbed step by step. Our performance in Zandvoort does not reflect the special moment we are living in this championship, and I am confident we will show consistency and speed again here in Monza,” concluded the driver, who is sponsored by Banco BRB, KitKat, Porto, and Motorola by Snapdragon.

Friday (Sept 5)
08:30 – 09:30 | Free Practice 1 (BandSports)
12:00 – 13:00 | Free Practice 2 (BandSports)

Saturday (Sept 6)
07:30 – 08:30 | Free Practice 3 (BandSports)
11:00 – 12:00 | Qualifying (Band)

Sunday (Sept 7)
10:00 – 12:00 | Race (Band)

Pictures: Stake F1 Team | Kick Sauber
Press office of Gabriel Bortoleto
Responsible journalist: Flávio Quick