Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto has admitted he has found it tougher than expected to go from a Formula 2 winning campaign to the back of the grid in Formula 1.
Bortoleto won back-to-back junior titles in F2 and F3, which earned him his F1 promotion this year at the Audi-owned Sauber squad.
The Swiss team has thus far struggled to make much progress from its 2024 horror shows. In Australia Nico Hulkenberg did well to capitalise on a chaotic mixed-weather race to grab seventh, but otherwise neither he or Bortoleto have been in a position to threaten the top 10.
Bortoleto realised he was in for a challenge ahead of his debut campaign, but has admitted the going is tougher than the Brazilian anticipated as he adjusts his mindset from frequenting the podium to fighting for a point.
"It's very tough if I'm honest," Bortoleto replied when asked by Motorsport.com about the difference in mindset. "It's tough because I come from two very good years in my life, where I won F3 and F2.
"It's tougher [than expected] in the sense of purely driving. When you are used to winning and when you are flying to a race event, you are thinking about: 'Maybe I can win this weekend, I have the possibility to do so'. And in the position we are today, that's not the case.
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
"We are very realistic that we are not able to win. And for any driver – but I can say for myself – it's very tough. Because I'm not here to be last, I'm not here to be P10. I'm here to try to win, like everyone else."
But with Audi's official F1 entry looming on the horizon, including its own power unit for the new regulations, Bortoleto says his rough start has not detracted from his ambitions with the German brand.
"I didn't come to Formula 1 thinking I would be straight away fighting for race wins or podiums," he explained. "The Audi F1 project, it's an honour to be part of and it's very clear where we want to be in the amount of years we think we can achieve that.
"It's all about hard-working, and keeping the head down, and work, and improving. Because the day that we get the opportunities to win or to secure podiums, we need to be ready for that. That's not the case right now, but we are growing in that direction.
"In my mind, I need to also accept the position we are in now. Because as soon as you start going into this loop of being too harsh on yourself or upset because you are not able to do that, I think you start performing worse and worse."
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