Bortoleto reveals home race preparations as Sauber hopes for ‘extraordinary’ debut

Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley is keeping hopes up of maybe doing “something extraordinary” at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with Gabriel Bortoleto debuting at his home race.

Bortoleto will take to the grid at Interlagos to become the first Brazilian to race at home in Formula 1 since Felipe Massa in 2017, and with the weather often unpredictable, his team boss wonders if he or teammate Nico Hulkenberg could fare well there.

Gabriel Bortoleto on home race preparations ahead of Interlagos F1 debut

Wheatley was effusive in his praise of the Brazilian fans, with Interlagos providing one of the most passionate and partisan atmospheres of the entire season.

With Bortoleto having been born in the Sao Paulo municipality, too, he will likely enjoy the vocal backing of fans in the grandstand all weekend.

The driver himself is keeping focus on the track for now, however, and while he will be busier than other race weekends, he wants to perform to his best level.

“The priority and the focus is always the racing side of it, and all the sponsors know it,” Bortoleto told PlanetF1.com and others in Mexico.

“Obviously, I have more commitments than normal, because that’s what I get paid for, you know, to go to these meet and greets and talk to people, and I’m happy to do this.

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“But at the same time, everyone supports me and knows that the priority is racing, and we have a very good schedule for next week to make sure I attend all the commitments I have, plus the most important [thing], the racing side of it.”

Wheatley, meanwhile, has attended races at Interlagos for over three decades, and offered the Sauber team something of a warning that, for those who were not working there while Felipe Nasr was at the team, the support Bortoleto will receive will be on another level to other weekends.

“Well, firstly, coming off the back of two races that I love going to, we’re going to a third that I love, which is the Brazilian Grand Prix,” Wheatley told PlanetF1.com and other outlets.

“I’ve been going there now for 34 years, and the Brazilian fans are extraordinary, so I’m excited about that and, of course, to have a Brazilian driver there is going to be amazing – and I don’t think the team really realises what that means in terms of the passion.

“So look, it’s great, and the great thing for us is the weather’s often changeable there. Maybe there are some opportunities there to do something extraordinary.

“We know that both Gabriel and Nico are great wet weather drivers, and maybe we’ll be facing those conditions.”

An unsettled forecast is predicted for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at this stage, with rain currently expected on Friday and Saturday before potentially drying up for race day on Sunday.

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock

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