Only 19 drivers hit the track for FP2 at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as Gabriel Bortoleto was forced to sit out due to a chassis change on his car. The Sauber driver, who was already struggling with a fuel leak, had the slowest time in FP1 earlier on Friday, finishing just shy of Haas’ Esteban Ocon.
Without any FP2 running, the 20-year-old finds himself at a disadvantage heading into qualifying at one of F1’s most challenging circuits. As the only practice held after sunset, it was the most representative of the three one-hour sessions before the competitive action begins in Jeddah.
It’s been a tough introduction to F1 for Bortoleto, who came onto the grid with an impressive record, having won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships in consecutive seasons.
By doing so, the Brazilian matched the feats of George Russell, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri. However, Bortoleto’s F1 journey has been far from smooth sailing, not helped by the problematic C45 machine he is driving.
His Sauber car developed a fuel leak after FP1, leading to a necessary chassis change. As per FIA regulations, he was ruled out of FP2, as the new car needs to pass scrutineering before it can take to the track.
The Brazilian driver is realistic about Sauber’s situation in 2025. “I’m not expecting anything more than what we have done today, to be honest,” he admitted after the Bahrain Grand Prix, reports the Express. “With our pace, we cannot fight points right now.
“There is no window. The window is so, so small, and it’s almost impossible. Like FP2, we managed to get it into the window, but you cannot rely on such a small window. We need to work to get a more predictable and more constant balance.”
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When asked about his challenging start to life with Sauber ahead of the race in Jeddah, Bortoleto drew a comparison to Russell. The British racer also won back-to-back titles en route to an F1 seat, but joined a brutally uncompetitive Williams team and impressed in his rookie campaign without scoring a point. He is now a three-time Grand Prix winner.
“If you see George Russell at the beginning of his Formula 1 career, I don’t think he scored a point in his first season in F1 or something like this,” Bortoleto explained. “And now, he’s one of the best drivers on the grid and doing such a great job.
“I wouldn’t say fighting for the championship right now, but he’s constantly on the podium or fighting for things, so it’s all about having patience.
“There is nothing much I can do right now. Just learn, try to grow as a driver in these tough moments and do a better job every race weekend. And, yeah, get better because I’m not fighting for points right now. That’s the realistic situation.”
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