“I was impressed with his driving and more than that, as I told him, is his ability to develop, improve and progress throughout the season. He is doing it in his season in F2. The beginning has been difficult, but then he has really been able to stay on track with what he is trying to achieve.
“He’s shown progress this season and that’s what counts the most to me.”
Binotto said he met Bortoleto a few weeks ago at his office in Hinwil and was immediately “impressed by his personality, attitude and mentality.” It was after that meeting that Sauber/Audi accelerated their pursuit of the Brazilian, who Binotto said was free to leave McLaren if given the opportunity.
ANALYSIS: Why Sauber chose Bortoleto and youth over Bottas and experience
“I don’t think he is just a fantastic driver with high potential, but he is also a great person, and that is also something for our project, it is very important,” he added. “Overall, I’m very happy to be here announcing Gabriel.”
Bortoleto is managed by Fernando Alonso’s A14 driver management agency. Binotto knows Alonso well from their time together at Ferrari, but the Italian said he had very little contact with the double world champion in relation to the Brazilian driver.
“I know Fernando very well from my past experience, from how we met in the paddock,” Binotto said. “But he never influenced me, he never tried to come to me with a convincing argument because I think the one who convinced me was Gabriel, nothing more. So with Fernando, yes, I had a talk once but really, very little.”