The Formula One summer break is finally here after a dramatic Hungarian Grand Prix filled with action.
There was elation for Lando Norris, who clawed back some points on his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, with a one-two finish for the Papaya drivers.
Frustration followed for Charles Leclerc, who started on pole but finished outside the podium places behind George Russell in a late collapse in his race.
While all of that chaos was unfolding, there was one driver that is seemingly growing in confidence, and Martin Brundle was full of praise for his Hungarian Grand Prix display.
Martin Brundle praises Gabriel Bortoleto’s development at Sauber
Sauber have had an enjoyable few races in recent weeks, most notably with Nico Hulkenberg’s first podium in F1 at the Great British Grand Prix.
While that is certainly a high point, perhaps the performances of Gabriel Bortoleto have been going under the radar in the background.
With it being his rookie season, the Brazilian faced some struggles early on, but recent races have seen him land some much-needed points for the team.
Starting seventh on the grid at the Hungaroring, Bortoleto managed a sixth-placed finish, his highest so far this season.
It was another solid drive from the 20-year-old, one that brought some praise from Martin Brundle on Sky Sports commentary.
He claimed: “He’s quietly and calmly turning into a star, isn’t he, Bortoleto? It took him a while, made a lot of mistakes, but he’s driven really well lately.”
David Croft went on to add that Bortoleto is “one for the future”, as he continues to show his ability at Sauber.
With the summer break now here, it’ll be time for him to take stock of his season so far, before returning to action.
Gabriel Bortoleto could be key to new era at Audi
While plenty of the rookies have struggled in F1 this season, Bortoleto’s recent performances certainly show that he has some potential to continue improving.
With Sauber entering a new era, changing over to Audi for 2026, having a mixture of youth and potential with experience and know-how in the driver lineup is an ideal mix.
Bortoleto could well be the future at Audi, if he continues to impress, while Hulkenberg could help get them consistently scoring points.
It remains to be seen how well they can adjust to the new 2026 regulations when they come around.
But for now, the plan will be to continue this good form in Sauber after the end of the summer break and to stay competitive after picking up some momentum.