F1 News: Audi contender Bortoleto could be ‘third’ driver (2nd Update)

(GMM) Audi is planning to integrate a much younger driver into its works Formula 1 plans for 2026, and it could be Gabriel Bortoleto.

That is the new revelation from veteran Blick journalist Roger Benoit, who similarly confidently declared that 34-year-old Valtteri Bottas will be retained on a one-year deal for 2025.

The Finnish driver called it “fake news”, but he also couldn’t help smiling when asked if he is feeling some relief that it appears he will still be an F1 driver in 2025.

“Hopefully we will get some news soon,” Bottas told Viaplay.

“Christmas is about to start knocking on the door. Let’s try to get things together.”

Like Benoit, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher admitted that retaining Bottas is a safe and perhaps uninspiring move for the Audi-owned Sauber team.

“I cannot understand it,” said the German. “I really hope that doesn’t happen. It has become quite clear that they should be looking at some of these young drivers.”

Benoit thinks Audi’s plan is to put Bottas next to the already-signed Nico Hulkenberg next year, whilst steadily integrating a young driver like the McLaren-contracted rookie Gabriel Bortoleto.

Williams boss James Vowles admitted on Sunday that Audi’s “interest” in Franco Colapinto is “rather low”.

Benoit thinks that when Audi-Sauber eventually announces the Bottas news, Bortoleto will also be unveiled as the third driver.

(GMM) McLaren has reportedly cleared the path for Gabriel Bortoleto to make his Formula 1 race debut in 2025.

Audi officials specifically named the 19-year-old Formula 2 front-runner as featuring prominently on their short-list to join Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber next year.

However, the young Brazilian joined McLaren’s driver development program just at the end of last year – meaning an Audi deal would have to be struck with the agreement of the Woking based team.

According to authoritative Brazilian source Grande Premio, McLaren has now told Bortoleto’s management and Audi that they would conditionally agree to release him on loan.

“The agreement provides for a loan for at least two years and aims to prepare him for a return (to McLaren) at an opportune time,” the report explained.

Grande Premio believes Audi would prefer to sign Bortoleto over incumbent Valtteri Bottas next year, as the team needs to save money once Guanyu Zhou’s millions in Chinese backing disappears.

Another reported contender for the second Audi-Sauber seat is Mick Schumacher. However, multiple teams have turned down the opportunity to sign Michael Schumacher’s son for a return to the F1 grid.

German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck blames former Haas boss Gunther Steiner for Schumacher’s shattered reputation.

“He kept criticizing him for mistakes that were completely normal,” Stuck told Eurosport. “He (Steiner) has that on his conscience.”

Stuck, 73, admits that Audi could be Schumacher’s last-ever shot at returning to the grid.

“Mick is not getting any younger,” he said. “But in my view, Mick has every right to get a place again.”

(GMM) Gabriel Bortoleto, a named contender to complete Audi-owned Sauber’s 2025 driver lineup, got his Formula 1 career up and running last week.

“No decision has been made yet,” boss Mattia Binotto said at Monza, “but it won’t take too long.”

The Italian admitted that Audi is undecided about signing a young driver like Bortoleto or Theo Pourchaire, or whether to stick with experience, such as incumbent Valtteri Bottas.

“We are working on a long-term project,” said Binotto, “but now we have to decide what is the best choice in the short term.”

If Audi does target Bortoleto, a 19-year-old Brazilian and front-runner in Formula 2 this year, McLaren would have to agree to release him.

Related Article: F1: McLaren adds Bortoleto to Driver Development Program

That’s because he was signed by McLaren’s young driver program at the end of last year. And now, it’s notable that he got his first taste of a F1 cockpit at speed with a test in a two-year-old McLaren at the Red Bull Ring last week.

“I saw it as something that could happen at any moment since they have been preparing me since the end of last year to perform exactly this kind of function for them,” Bortoleto commented.

“From the information I received from the team, they were very satisfied with the feedback I reported about the car, my behavior on the track, and the performance improvement we accumulated throughout the day.”

According to Auto Motor und Sport, Bortoleto’s career is being handled by Fernando Alonso’s management group, “who do not deny contact with Audi”.

Indeed, Binotto openly mentioned Bortoleto’s name when meeting with journalists at Monza, and the former Ferrari boss even chatted with the teenager on the Formula 2 grid.