Wheatley hails Bortoleto as 'the real deal'

Sauber's rookie Gabriel Bortoleto is making a significant impact in his debut Formula 1 season, earning high praise from Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley, who dubbed him "the real deal." Bortoleto, a back-to-back F3 and F2 champion, has shown remarkable consistency, scoring points in three of the four races leading up to the summer break, including an impressive sixth-place finish in Hungary. Wheatley commended Bortoleto's exceptional work ethic and eagerness to learn, noting his dedicated efforts to extract maximum performance from the car. He also highlighted the valuable mentorship provided by teammate Nico Hülkenberg. Sauber aims to build on this momentum, fostering continuous improvement as they prepare for their highly anticipated transition to Audi in 2026.