‘We won’t stop him’ – McLaren boss Stella comments on junior driver Bortoleto’s links to Kick Sauber for 2025

Andrea Stella has made clear that McLaren “won’t stop” Gabriel Bortoleto from landing a Formula 1 seat elsewhere on the grid, amid the Brazilian being linked to Kick Sauber for the 2025 campaign.

Bortoleto, who recently turned 20, holds the lead of the F2 championship ahead of the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, having won two races and claimed five podium finishes so far this season.

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Given his strong form, Bortoleto’s name has been floated with regards to the vacant seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber next year, should the team decide to adopt an all-new line-up and part ways with both Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas.

As the F1 paddock arrived in Brazil for Bortoleto’s home event, Stella was asked about the potential for a deal to be done and how it would work based on the Sao Paulo native’s driver development contract with McLaren.

“Having the possibility to talk about Gabriel, I would like to take this opportunity to say once again how good a work he’s been doing in junior categories, winning F3, leading F2 at the first season,” said the McLaren boss.

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“This is to lead into the fact that I think it’s very, very normal and natural that F1 teams are interested in having Gabriel as a driver. In terms of McLaren, [we] will not stop the possibility for Gabriel to drive F1.”

Stella signed off from the topic by adding: “Conversations are ongoing and we will see what the scenario will be for the future.”

Bortoleto sits 4.5 points clear of Red Bull-backed Isack Hadjar in the F2 standings, with visits to the Lusail International Circuit and Yas Marina Circuit to come in late November and early December.

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