Gabriel Bortoleto believes Audi’s takeover of the storied Sauber outfit has transformed the mindset within the team in its debut Formula 1 season.
Bortoleto is leading the German marque‘s maiden season in the sport alongside team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.
Audi, enamoured of F1’s latest power unit regulations, secured a place on the grid after completing a 100% takeover of the erstwhile Sauber team.
The Hinwil-based team has enjoyed a storied history in the sport, however, the lack of a works status and limited funding meant the team were always fighting towards the back of the field.
That said, this season, the team’s first iteration of its own power unit and incremental revisions on the inherent car concept since the season-opening Australian GP have seen Audi get itself in the midfield battle, particularly since Austria.
Reflecting on the 18 months he has been with the team, Bortoleto revealed that the takeover has been more than just a change of sponsors, colours and livery; rather, it has been a complete mindset shift within the team.
“Yeah, you can really see a difference, especially the mentality has shifted a lot,” he said.
“I think lots of respect for the team that we had for last year and many other years before that, but the truth, reality, is that we are in a different situation right now.
“We have Audi backing us up. It’s manufacturing. We are doing our own engine. We have a lot of financial support from them, so we are not struggling in that sense that maybe Sauber struggled in the past.
“And then the mentality also shifts. We want to achieve big things in the future.”
The long-term goals Audi is chasing in F1
11 rounds into the season, Audi and Bortoleto have seemingly picked up momentum.
Heading into the summer break, the Brazilian racing driver has finished in the points twice in the last three races, with Hulkenberg taking P9 at Hungary, two weeks ago.
Bortoleto explained that the team has its long-term ambitions mapped out, and the start that it has already had with its power unit is an “incredible thing”, but the 21-year-old is aware that getting Audi towards the very front of the grid is still a long-term project.
“We have our goals clear inside of the team and we are working to achieve them,” Bortoleto added.
“And I can really see the difference between last year to this year, how people are behaving, the way they are working differently.
“And also, now we have an incredible team also in Neuburg that was basically everyone that we didn’t work last year in Neuburg doing the power units.
“And what they achieved on doing in a first-year regulation, first time they’re doing a Formula 1 engine, is in my opinion an incredible thing.
“Still, we know we need to improve on that. We need to do better. We know we are behind, but it’s not easy to do what they did.
“Hats off to them, and we’re going to keep pushing and working in that way, and we’re going to achieve great things in the future.”
From the Dutch GP onwards, Bortoleto will be hoping to extend Audi’s points scoring streak as it looks to climb further up the grid from its P8 berth.
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