After Gabriel Bortoleto’s fairy-tale Formula 3 debut in Sakhir, we caught up with our newest race winner to give us the lowdown on his dream race weekend.

Taking inspiration from many of the circuits he’s already raced on in his career so far, the Trident driver has designed his ultimate challenge on home soil.

WHERE WOULD THE RACE BE HELD?

“Brazil - in São Paulo where I’m from.”

WHEN WOULD YOU HOLD THE RACE?

“In the summer in Brazil because it’s not very hot all the time, so it could be on a day that’s 20°C, which is okay.”

DAY OR NIGHT?

“I’ve never done a night race, so racing at night would be a nice experience.”

default image

STREET TRACK OR PERMANENT CIRCUIT?

“I’d go for a half and half track – one half street circuit and another half a normal circuit like Bahrain.”

WET OR DRY RACE?

“A wet race! For Qualifying, for sure I’d want it to be dry, but for a race it’s a lot more fun and there are a lot more possibilities when it’s wet. You can make more overtakes and stuff like that.”

HOW WOULD THE TRACK BE LAID OUT?

“Firstly, I would keep Turn 1 from Interlagos - the Senna S, going left then right. Just after that I would have Eau Rouge with a very big straight because it’s the best and then I would have a corner like the Casino in Monaco. You’d need to brake very hard to stop the car and rotate it.

READ MORE: Exuberance vs experience: F3 Weekend Wrap-Up

“After that, I would go into the two Arrabbiata corners from Mugello, the very quick right, left and then two rights again. Then I would take the Ascari chicane from Monza because I think it’s quite a nice high-speed corner and although I’ve never raced in Baku, there’s the castle section going up that I like going into more of the street circuit part.

“I’d have the track go left going up and then I’d have a proper big braking zone into a 90° corner, followed by Turn 4 from Imola going left and right. You’d need to make a compromise between these corners, so I think it would be nice to have something like that. Then to finish the lap, I would take the last corner from Spa-Francorchamps.”

WHAT TYRES WOULD YOU PICK?

“Soft tyres, so it’s quick!”

default image

WHICH CELEBRITIES WOULD YOU INVITE TO THE RACE?

“Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso. I would have liked Ayrton Senna, but that’s not possible. I’d also have Kevin Hart, he’s so funny and Leonardo DiCaprio, he’s amazing and for me, he’s the best actor.

“I’d invite Michael Jordan, even if he doesn’t fit into the car probably because he’s so tall and Tiger Woods. These GOATs (Greatest Of All Time) from every sport, I’d want all of them together at this special race.

“Also, Martin Garrix can DJ together with David Guetta and for other artists, I’d have Travis Scott and Becky Hill.”

READ MORE: Beganovic’s Sakhir Weekend In His Words

WHAT WOULD THE PODIUM AND TROPHIES LOOK LIKE?

“The trophy would be shaped like the layout of the circuit and have a golden helmet above. Monza is the best podium ever so I would have mine like that where every fan can be there, but theirs is too high. I would do mine very low, so if the fans are very crazy, they can invade.”

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD INCLUDE?

“Me winning the race! And my family being there to see it.”