Trident Motorsport crowned champion with Gabriel Bortoleto
For 18-year-old Trident Motorsport driver Gabriel Bortoleto, the title celebrations came at the end of qualifying for the ninth and final round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship at Monza. As his closest competitor did not secure pole, Bortoleto was mathematically crowned on Friday. The Sao Paulo native, who was inspired by Ayrton Senna and is managed by Fernando Alonso, was lining up with a hefty 38-point advantage.
However, having become the 2023 Champion did not cause him to lose his focus as he delivered a great recovery from P8 on the top-10 reversed grid to end up second in the shortest race of the weekend. His result, together with the sixth place by Leonardo Fornaroli and the seventh place by Oliver Goethe, handed the team 19 points. The Milan-based squad is now just four points shy of the Team Championship lead, with the chase bolstered by Goethe’s pole for tomorrow’s race, worth two points.
The winner of the Team Championship will be decided in the Feature Race, scheduled for 8:15 AM tomorrow. Today’s second place allowed Bortoleto to total six podiums, two wins, two fastest lap and a pole. A score that clearly highlights Trident Motorsport’s dominance this season.
Gabriel Bortoleto, Driver, Trident Motorsport & 2023 FIA Formula 3 Champion:
“It is a dream that comes true for me. Winning the championship as a rookie is very special. There is a lot of hard work and determination behind this accomplishment, both on my side and from Trident Motorsport. This team is incredibly focused on its drivers. They welcomed me like in a family and allowed me to secure the title. Up until now, I had collected good results, but now I can call myself a Champion. I was certain I had a winning package since the beginning of the season. Lining up for the final round at Monza with a 38-point margin allowed me to approach this weekend with high focus and some piece of mind.”
Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager, Sprint Race Quote:
“Today is a day to remember! Celebrating the Drivers' title with Bortoleto at our home track is truly something special. We started working hard with him since the last few months of 2022, and we left nothing to chance. Winning the title rewards the team and Gabriel for the quantity and quality of the work done. Today's excellent team performance also puts us in a position to aim for the team title, which is our goal for tomorrow’s Feature Race.”