Brazilian motorsport talent secures his spot to compete in Formula 2 in 2024; with this support, Porto establishes itself as a supporter of 7 Brazilian motorsport talents.

São Paulo, October 2023 – This week, Porto announces its new partnership with Gabriel Bortoleto by signing a sponsorship contract with the driver who will compete in Formula 2 starting next year. With this support, the company takes the lead in believing in and encouraging seven talents in Brazilian motorsport.

“With this exciting news, we are increasingly moving toward Porto’s purpose of encouraging Brazilian motorsport, bringing together some of the greatest talents we have. It is part of our essence to be more and more a safe harbor in people’s lives and their dreams. We are closely following Bortoleto’s achievements and potential, a true promise who is increasingly making his mark,” comments Luiz Arruda, VP of Commercial, Marketing, Customers and Data at Porto.

In early September, Bortoleto took another important step in his career aiming for the elite of Brazilian motorsport: Formula 1. The driver secured the title in the Formula 3 stage held in Italy, after leading the competition throughout all the rounds. This recent achievement guaranteed the driver’s entry into Formula 2 in 2024, a category that brings Bortoleto closer to the elite of his career goal. Right after the victory, Bortoleto also joined McLaren’s Driver Development Program.

“I am extremely happy to announce that I will be sponsored by Porto, one of the biggest Brazilian companies with the purpose of putting a Brazilian driver in F1. It has been my dream since I was a child, and with Porto and other brands supporting me, I feel closer and closer to this goal. Thank you very much to the whole team for the trust. I promise to dedicate 100% to fulfill not only my dream but also the dream of many Brazilians,” says Gabriel Bortoleto.

Engines roaring and the economic impact
The economic boost provided by all Formula 1 stages in cities worldwide is also noteworthy. In 2022, the year that marked the 50th anniversary of Formula 1 Grand Prix races held in São Paulo, an economic impact of R$1.37 billion was observed for the city, according to a survey conducted by Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). The research also highlighted other record figures, such as the media exposure value, which reached $448.6 million.

Job creation and income generation are also among the legacies left by the competition in the cities it visits. In its last edition in Brazil, the competition created 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in São Paulo alone, registering a significant increase compared to the previous year, which offered 8,500 jobs.

The audience at last year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix saw an increase of almost 30%, reaching the mark of 235,617 attendees over the three-day event. According to the FGV survey, the female audience increased by 75.8% compared to the previous year’s edition.
In 2022, the majority of the audience at Interlagos Circuit was in the 30 to 39 years age group, representing 28.3% of the total. Spectators aged 25 to 29 represented 22.8% in last year’s GP, and the audience aged 18 to 24 increased from 14.3% to 21.3% in the 12-month comparative basis.
Press office of Gabriel Bortoleto
Responsible journalist: Flávio Quick