Audi is set to join F1 in 2026 and there has been a lot of speculation about who the first two drivers of the new franchise will be. In April, the Swiss team secured Nico Hulkenberg from Haas, but had to reconsider options for the second seat after their main targets, Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon, chose to sign with Williams and Haas for the 2025 F1 season.
Various drivers have been linked to the second seat, including current incumbents Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, former Haas racer Mick Schumacher, Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich, Sauber reserve Theo Pourchaire, and Williams’ 2024 super-sub Franco Colapinto.
At the recent United States Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas, a 10-time F1 race winner with Mercedes, informed media outlets that he had reached an agreement to remain with Sauber for the upcoming season but was still waiting for a final confirmation from Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto.
However, it looks likely that the Fin has been ruled out of the F1 team with Audi F1 is reportedly close to securing a deal for 20-year-old Brazilian prodigy Gabriel Bortoleto, according to a report from German outlet Auto Motor und Sport, which states that a contract has been “finalized” and an official announcement is anticipated soon.
It is believed that Audi chose not to reveal the signing during last weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix to avoid overwhelming the young driver with media scrutiny at his home race. Should the deal go through, Bortoleto will become the first Brazilian full-time F1 driver since Felipe Massa’s retirement in 2017. Currently, he leads the prestigious F2 (formerly GP2) series by 4.5 points over Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar as he heads into the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
The promising talent, who is represented by two-time World Champion and current Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, has been part of McLaren’s junior program since last year. However, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both secured under long-term contracts, team principal Andrea Stella has indicated a readiness to let Bortoleto pursue a racing seat with Audi F1.
It remains uncertain whether Bortoleto’s agreement to join Audi F1 will be structured as a loan deal; however, Mattia Binotto, who took over the Audi F1 program from former McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl in July, is reportedly interested in securing him on a permanent basis. Should this move be finalized, it could mark the conclusion of Bottas’s F1 career, as the Finnish driver has been a consistent presence on the grid since his debut with Williams in 2013.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
