Gabriel Bortoleto experienced a historic Saturday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló, securing his best starting position of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Brazilian driver for Stake F1 Team | Kick Sauber qualified 12th on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix, the ninth round of the World Championship.

The result marks an important milestone in the 20-year-old driver’s campaign, once again demonstrating his steady progress by advancing to Q2. This was Bortoleto’s third consecutive appearance in the second qualifying session, further establishing him as one of the season’s standout rookies.

SOLID PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Bortoleto’s strong day began during the third free practice session, where he posted the 11th fastest time with a 1:13.722 after completing 19 laps, showing the consistency that would carry into qualifying.
In Q1, the Brazilian delivered a confident performance, setting a time of 1:13.045 in just 6 laps, comfortably securing 10th place and moving on to Q2. There, Bortoleto confirmed his excellent form with a 1:12.756, also achieved in 6 laps, earning him the 12th place on the starting grid.

The performance was even more impressive considering he once again out qualified his experienced teammate, Nico Hulkenberg (16th), underlining his rapid adaptation to the highest level of world motorsport. The Brazilian is backed by sponsors Banco BRB, KitKat, Porto, and Motorola by Snapdragon.

DRIVER’S COMMENTS

“I am very happy with today’s qualifying — this was my best result so far this season and, overall, a very solid day,” said Bortoleto after the session. “The upgrades we brought this weekend seem to be working, which is definitely encouraging — the team really deserves this result because everyone has been working incredibly hard.”

The Brazilian also showed maturity when reflecting on the challenges ahead in Sunday’s race: “I am happy that we are moving in the right direction and that we were able to show our potential today, but I am also aware that it is only Saturday — the real job is tomorrow.”

CONSISTENT RESULT

On Sunday, Bortoleto confirmed his strong form by finishing the Spanish Grand Prix in 12th place after 66 laps — a result that reflects the team’s consistent work and the technical improvements introduced over the weekend.

During the highly competitive race, Gabriel even reached as high as ninth place. With a two-stop strategy, he managed to deliver a solid performance in the #5 car.

After the race, the Brazilian driver provided a detailed technical assessment: “We can definitely say the updates the team brought — on the car’s floor, engine cover, and front wing — proved extremely effective and helped both Nico and me throughout the weekend.”

Bortoleto also acknowledged the strategic challenges he faced: “Unfortunately, starting on used medium tires wasn’t the best choice. The drivers who started on brand-new soft compounds had a significant advantage in the opening laps.”

Despite the obstacles, the young driver showed maturity in evaluating the outcome: “I am happy because we managed to have a decent race, and for sure, we extracted the maximum possible given how the race unfolded. The safety car at the end certainly did not help us, but that is racing.”

He also praised the team spirit, celebrating his teammate’s performance: “I am also happy for Nico’s result — once again he managed to score good points, and that is really important to keep the whole team motivated.”

NEXT ROUND

Formula 1 resumes in two weeks in Montreal, Canada, for the tenth round of the World Championship. The circuit, another new venue for Bortoleto, is located on Notre Dame Island and is named in honor of the legendary driver Gilles Villeneuve.

Pictures: Stake F1 Team | Kick Sauber

Press office of Gabriel Bortoleto
Responsible journalist: Flávio Quick