As discussions about who will fill Sauber’s vacant seat for 2025 continue, it is claimed that Gabriel Bortoleto has surpassed Valtteri Bottas in this race.
Gabriel Bortoleto and Valtteri Bottas are emerging as the strongest candidates to fill Sauber’s remaining seat. However, it appears that Bortoleto holds an advantage over the Finnish driver in contract negotiations. The 19-year-old driver has received the green light from McLaren to move to the Swiss team. As reported in previous weeks, Sauber is close to completing its 2025 driver lineup. After months of speculation and indecision, the time to reach an agreement has arrived.
For a while now, Bortoleto and Bottas have been the leading candidates for signing a contract. Currently, Bortoleto is emerging as the clear favorite to race alongside Nico Hulkenberg next year.
The Brazilian driver, who is currently part of the McLaren Academy, does not seem to have a chance to race with the papaya team in the near future. Therefore, an agreement must be reached with McLaren to facilitate a possible move to Sauber.
As reported by Grandepremio.com.br, Zak Brown’s team has apparently given Bortoleto permission to join the Swiss team.
The key detail is that the 19-year-old driver will maintain his ties with McLaren, meaning a return in the future could still be possible.
Given that a two-year contract is expected, this suggests McLaren wants to keep its options open beyond 2026. Considering Bortoleto’s obvious talent and potential, this is not surprising.
Nonetheless, the most important development is that a major obstacle to his move to Sauber has been removed, paving a clear path for Bortoleto to join the grid next season.
Although nothing has been confirmed at this stage, several factors seem to give the Brazilian driver an edge over Bottas. The most obvious difference between the two drivers is age. At 19, Bortoleto is still a driver with room for growth.
Additionally, Bortoleto appears to be a more cost-effective option compared to Bottas. His salary demands are almost certainly expected to be lower than Bottas’. Furthermore, signing a Brazilian driver could bring significant commercial benefits.
The recent promotion of Franco Colapinto to Williams has provided James Vowles’ team with benefits both on and off the track.
Sauber could have renewed Bottas’ contract at any point this year. Although this hesitation does not mean the 35-year-old driver is out of the race, it does suggest the team has reservations about making him part of its long-term projects.
The remaining days and weeks will provide further clarity on this matter. However, the momentum is increasingly shifting in Gabriel Bortoleto’s favor.
