The winner of the F3, Gabriel Bortoleto becomes a McLaren driver

The Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto has just won the Formula 3 championship title this season, with disconcerting ease. The Trident driver managed, in his first season in F3, to put 45 points between him and his pursuer in the standings, Zak O’Sullivan.

While the drivers are testing this week in Jerez, McLaren wasted no time and announced today that they have signed a contract with the Brazilian to welcome him into their young driver program. Emanuele Pirro, former F1 driver and winner at Le Mans among others, is in charge of the young drivers at McLaren, an entity formed very recently while Alpine, Ferrari, Mercedes or Red Bull have had one for a long time.

Bortoleto joins in this program the IndyCar driver, Pato O’Ward, the reserve driver for F1 2024, Ryo Hirakawa, and the young McLaren driver, Ugo Ugochukwu.

McLaren also announced the signing of a contract with a one-year option for the Italian Formula 4 driver Brando Badoer. He will be able to participate in the program next year if his results are up to par in 2024.

« I am happy to welcome Gabriel to the McLaren Driver Development program. I have known him well since the beginning of his career in motorsport and he has everything it takes on and off the track to be a star. He also fits very well with the culture of our team at McLaren. I look forward to working with Gabriel and helping him develop his career in motorsport. » commented Emanuele Pirro.