Gabriel Bortoleto Endures “One of the Toughest Weekends” of His Career at Home Grand Prix

Gabriel Bortoleto’s long-awaited first Formula 1 home race ended in heartbreak, as the Kick Sauber rookie failed to finish both the Sprint and the São Paulo Grand Prix, describing the experience as “one of the toughest weekends of my whole career.”

The 21-year-old Brazilian had arrived at Interlagos full of optimism, eager to put on a strong performance in front of his home crowd. However, his weekend quickly unraveled after a heavy 57g crash during the Sprint race, followed by an early collision in Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Heavy Sprint Crash Derails Weekend

While battling Alex Albon during the Sprint, Bortoleto attempted to pull out of the Williams driver’s slipstream heading into Turn 1, but lost control and slammed into the inside wall. The impact sent his car ricocheting across the track and into the barriers on the opposite side.

Miraculously, Bortoleto escaped uninjured, but the damage to his C44 chassis was extensive. Despite the team’s best efforts, Kick Sauber were unable to complete repairs in time for qualifying, forcing the rookie to start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid.

Early Exit in the Grand Prix

Bortoleto’s misfortune continued in the Grand Prix itself. After making a strong start and gaining a couple of places on the opening lap, his race came to an abrupt end when Lance Stroll made contact with him, sending the Brazilian into the barriers once again.

“I’m just very upset because it’s my first home race, so you always expect to do a good job or at least race a little bit,” Bortoleto said afterwards. “I think it has been one of the toughest weekends of my whole career because I see that my fans are here, my family, my team. For them, it’s also very important.”

Reflecting on the Sprint crash, he added:

“It was one of the biggest accidents I’ve had in my career probably the biggest one. And then not doing a single lap in the race after having a good start… until that moment, I think I was up two positions already.”

“Just a Racing Incident”

Despite the disappointment, Bortoleto refused to assign blame for the opening-lap clash with Stroll.

“I was going for the third move and just had contact with Lance. I don’t want to point fingers here or there. I just think it was a racing incident. On the first lap, everything can happen.

“Obviously, I was on the outside and didn’t get any space from him, but it was also difficult for him to judge that I’m there. I just want to move on and go for the next race.”

Looking Ahead

The double DNF is a bitter blow for Bortoleto, who has shown flashes of promise in his rookie season but has struggled to find consistency amid Kick Sauber’s ongoing performance challenges.

Still, the young Brazilian remains determined to bounce back as Formula 1 heads into its final stretch of the 2025 season.

For Bortoleto, the weekend at Interlagos will be remembered not for the results, but for the resilience he showed in the face of adversity and the unwavering support of a home crowd that continues to believe in his potential.

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