Gabriel Bortoleto reignites the legend of the Boys from Brazil
F1 NewsSunday, 05 January 2025 at 07:30
When Gabriel Bortoleto takes to the grid in his Sauber at the 2025 season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 16, he will become the first Brazilian to start in Formula 1 since Pietro Fittipaldi in the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 32nd to do so from his homeland.
The land of Pele has a rich history in Formula 1 going back to Monza Autodromo in 1951 when Brazil's Chico Landi made his F1 debut driving a Ferrari.
In 1970, it was Emerson Fittipaldi who put Brazil among the F1 winning nations by taking his maiden win with Lotus in only his fourth F1 start at Watkins Glen. Two years later he became the first and then youngest world champion from his country.
Since then, we have seen one samba sensation after another. Fellow Paulista Carlos Pace was the second Brazilian Grand Prix winner when he triumphed at his home track in 1975. The track is now named in his memory.
Rio de Janeiro's wildcat Nelson Piquet was the second of Brazil's world champion, winning twice with Brabham in 1981 and ’83 and once with Williams in 1987. Then came Ayrton Senna, one of the true GOATs of our sport.
Racing is in his Blood
Two decades after Senna's passing, Bortoleto was born on October 14, 2014, in São Paulo. Racing is in the family bloodline; his father, Lincoln Oliveira, a successful telecom businessman, is also a senior player in Brazilian motorsports. The family supported their talented kid and allowed him to embark on his European expedition when he was only 11 years old.
The highlight of his karting experience was third place in both the 2018 European and world championships and second place in the prestigious Andrea Margutti Trophy.
Today, the Italian Formula 4 championship is regarded as the most competitive entry-level single-seater racing series in the world. It was in this championship in the 2020 season that Bortoleto made his mark. His first victory came in the fourth round at the Ferrari-owned Mugello circuit. He was fifth in the championship.
The following two seasons he raced in the Formula Regional Europe by Alpine series. In 2021, his only podium of the season came at the Red Bull Ring, and at the end of the season, he was 15th in the standings.
The Alonso Factor
In 2022, a pair of wins and five podium appearances helped him to sixth in the standings. In September that year, an important inspiration came into his life when he signed with Fernando Alonso’s A14 Management.
“The biggest thing I've learnt from him is to never give up and always give your best in everything that you do. Whether it's motorsport or even just playing football or paddle, you should give your best,” Bortoleto is quoted on the official F3 website.
The plan for the 2023 season called for taking on the incredibly challenging European Formula 3 championship with the Italian Trident team. The newest boy from Brazil delivered, taking two wins and six podium finishes to take the title in his rookie season in the championship. This landed him in the final frontier before the Formula Uno Paradiso.
Teaming up with Invicta Racing, he had a difficult start to the 2024 season. After finishing sixth and fifth in the Sprint and Feature races, respectively, in the opening round in Bahrain, he failed to score a point in the next four races.
Bortoleto 2024 Formula 2 Champion
Bortoleto’s first F2 podium was achieved in the feature race at Imola, which was followed by another second-place finish in the Monaco Sprint race. His long-awaited maiden victory came in the feature race of Round 7 at the Red Bull Ring. His second and final victory was an impressive last-to-first performance in the feature race at Monza.
The final round at Yas Marina became a two-horse race for the championship between Bortoleto and Red Bull Junior Isack Hadjar. Second, in both races of the final round, Bortoleto made him the second Brazilian to win the Formula 2 Championship in three years. In 2022, it was his best friend Felipe Drugovich who took the title.
Bortoleto now joins an elite group of drivers on the grid who won the F2/GP2 championship in their rookie season, Lewis Hamilton. Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, and Nico Hulkenberg, his new teammate at Sauber this season, are at the top echelon of motor racing.
Hence the Brazilian becomes part of an elite 'club' of 32 Brazilians who have raced in F1. Barring their World Champions and F1 legends Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayrton Senna, and Nelson Piquet, as well as GP winner Felipe Massa—whose success Bortoleto will no doubt want to emulate—over two dozen have started a Grand Prix or more. Here's a look back on the lesser-known Boys from Brazil.
The Boys from Brazil - Pedro Diniz
Now a look at six Brazilian drivers who raced in the Grand Prix arena. Some had talent, some had money, and one courted controversy. They all did their best, but, unfortunately, were unable to achieve success when the chequered flag was waved.
Pedro Diniz from Sao Paulo took part in 98 Formula 1 races. His career is typical of modern-day motor racing—powered more by pesos than performance.
Diniz was a late starter in racing, beginning in karting at the age of 18. After competing in Brazilian Formula Ford and South American Formula 3, he arrived in England to take part in the 1991 British Formula 3 championship with West Surrey Racing, the same team that had taken his fellow Paulista with the yellow helmet to championship success in 1983.
He finished 12th at the end of the season and moved to the Edenbridge Racing team for the 1992 season. He again finished 12th in the standings and remained winless after two years in the British Formula 3. Two years in Formula 3000 also did not produce any race wins.
With family funding, Diniz arrived in Formula 1 in 1995 with the small Italian team Forti Corse. He did not score any points, and his best finish was seventh in the season finale in Australia, four laps behind race winner Damon Hill. Change of teams from Forti to Ligier produced two points in the 1996 Championship, from sixth-place finishes in Barcelona and Monza.
The third season in Formula 1 saw Diniz at the Tom Walkinshaw-run Arrows team in 1997. He retired in the first ten of the thirteen races of the season. The two points he scored came from fifth place in the Luxembourg Grand Prix. In 1998, he finished 14th in the championship with three points.
His final two years in Formula 1, 1999 and 2000, were with the Sauber team. In 1999, he again finished 14th in the championship with three points. He did not score any points in his final Formula 1 season.
Mauricio Gugelmin
He came from Joinville in the state of Santa Catarina. His father was a timber merchant, like Jackie Stewart’s team owner, Ken Tyrrell. After winning karting and Formula Fiat championships in Brazil, Mauricio moved to England in 1982. He shared an apartment with Senna.
His championship successes include the 1982 British Formula Ford 1600, the 1984 European Formula Ford, and the 1985 British Formula 3. He also won the prestigious Macau Grand Prix from pole position and set the fastest lap.
He made his Grand Prix debut in his home race in Rio in 1988. In 74 Formula 1 races, his best finish was third place in 1989 at the same track. The same year he was involved in a spectacular crash at the start of the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard. He would restart the red-flagged race and amazingly set the fastest lap.
In life after Formula 1, Gugelmin raced in the United States. He was sixth in the 1995 Indy 500 and won the 1997 Vancouver IndyCar race. He retired from racing at the end of the 2001 season following the death of his young son Giuliano.
Roberto Moreno
The Super Sub Moreno. His nickname is Pupo. He is from Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil. As a young boy he went to a local motorbike shop and met a teenager who was working there. His name was Nelson Piquet. The two became and remain to this day good friends.
Moreno's claim to fame before reaching Formula 1 included winning the 1980 British Formula Ford Championship and the famous Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. The 1982 Macau Grand Prix and the 1988 Formula 3000 Championship.
He made his Formula 1 debut in the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix. In 42 F1 races, Moreno’s day of days came in the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka when he shared the podium in second place with his race-winning Benetton teammate and friend Piquet. This was his only podium in Formula 1, and his only fastest lap was recorded at Spa, 1991.
In seven years in Formula 1, he drove for nine teams. Pupo was pushed out of Benetton by Briatore to bring in Michael Schumacher.
In life after Formula 1, Moreno had a winning career in American Indy car racing.
Christian Fittipaldi
The son of Wilson and nephew of the first Brazilian world champion, Emerson Fittipaldi. Christian made his Formula 1 debut in the 1992 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami with Minardi. In 40 F1 appearances, his best finish was fourth on three occasions: 1993 South Africa, 1994 Pacific GP at Aida, Japan, and Germany.
His most dramatic moment in Formula 1 came on the final lap at Monza in 1993 on the run to the chequered flag. His Minardi was launched in the air at very high speed after running into the back of his teammate Pierluigi Martini’s car. Fortunately, Fittipaldi’s car landed on its wheels and crossed the finish line. The driver was unhurt.
In IndyCar racing, Fittipaldi had two wins: at Road America, Wisconsin, in 1999 and the 2000 Marlboro 500 at Fontana, California. He also enjoyed a successful sports car career in the United States, winning the famous Daytona 24 Hour race three times.
Felipe Nasr
An amazing rise in junior series, which saw the teenage boy from Brasilia of Lebanese heritage win two championships in his first three years of racing in Europe. He only did two races in Brazil in Formula BMW Americas series, these were support races for the famous 2008 F1 season finale in Sao Paulo, Felipe was on the podium in Race 2.
In 2009, Felipe raced in the European Formula BMW Championship and destroyed the competition. Five wins and nine second-place finishes from sixteen races gave him the championship. It was around this time he signed a management contract with Steve Robertson; his only other client was Kimi Raikkonen.
In 2011, Felipe won the British Formula 3 after a strong challenge in the second half from Kevin Magnussen. Felipe was second in the Macau Grand Prix. Hopes were very high to become a junior driver with a top team, but three years in GP2 with no championship derailed that dream.
With sponsorship from Banco do Brasil, he secured a seat at Sauber for the 2015 season. Felipe made headlines around the world when he scored the best finish on debut—fifth—for a Brazilian driver in Formula 1 history. He finished the season in 13th position with 27 points.
In the 2016 season, his ninth place at Interlagos was the only points finish of the season for the driver and the team. In 39 starts, his debut finish—fifth—would remain his best result in Formula 1.
In life after Formula 1, he has enjoyed a successful career in sports car racing. In January of this year, he won the Daytona 24 Hour race as a factory Porsche driver with Penske Racing.
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Like Nico Rosberg, a child of World Champion driver. Both went to the same school in Monaco while their fathers, Keke Rosberg and Nelson Piquet, starred in Formula 1.
Nelsinho won the 2002 South American Formula 3 championship, and two years later won the extremely competitive British F3 championship. He raced in GP2 for his father’s team. He was impressive in his second season in the series but had to face Lewis Hamilton in 2006, who won that year's championship.
Nelsinho was managed by Briatore, which meant a free ride to the Renault Formula 1 team, also managed by the flamboyant Italian. This would turn out to be very costly.
Nelsinho made his Grand Prix debut in 2008 with Renault. He took part in 28 Formula 1 races. His best performance was in the 2008 German Grand Prix, where he finished second to Hamilton.
His career and credibility hit the wall in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Spilling the beans on Briatore after he was fired from the Renault team the following season made Nelsinho a pariah in the piranha pool that is Formula 1. He crossed the pond, and his career went in circles in the world of NASCAR racing.
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