Bortoleto reveals 'very quick' Stake F1 seat plan changes

Gabriel Bortoleto has explained that initially the plan at Stake was to put him in a full-time race seat in 2026, when the team becomes Audi.

The F2 champion will, however, partner Nico Hulkenberg next season at the Hinwil-based team. He will race under number five, which was previously used by Sebastian Vettel.

Speaking ahead of the end-of-year FIA prize giving gala, the Brazilian mentioned that "things changed very quickly" during discussions, which had began around the Italian Grand Prix, in early September.

Bortoleto had been a member of the McLaren young driver programme and at the time Stake was believed to be lining up Valtteri Bottas for a single-year extension, two factors that may have swung conversations towards 2026.

However, the Finnish driver was keen on a two-year deal and an agreement between the parties was ultimately never reached, something that opened the door for the 20-year-old to become the first reigning F2 champion to immediately claim a place in F1 since Mick Schumacher in 2021.

"We had been talking for a lot of time, since Monza - a little bit before, but nothing was decided," Bortoleto said at the awards ceremony in Rwanda.

"Actually, there was more talks for '26 and '25 for that moment, and then things changed very quickly."

Bortoleto, who joined the illustrious list of drivers to win back-to-back FIA F3 and F2 titles as a rookie, pinpointed learning of his promotion to F1 as a highlight of his season.

The previous three drivers to achieve the feat, Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri have all gone on to claim grand prix victories, something the Stake driver will hope to emulate in the years to come.

"When I received the message that I was going to be racing in '25, for me, was one of the greatest moments of my life," he added.

"I was not with my family at that moment, but I called them immediately. For me, it was a kid's dream becoming true - and also for my family, everything we have been working [towards] since I was super young, becoming true.

"So yeah, that was definitely one of the best moments, not on track, was off track, but [it] was great."