Gustavo Ariel

On Track Summary

Despite having no real racing experience apart from rental karts, Gustavo Ariel quickly translated his sim racing skills to the real-world race car, matching Laurens Beerten as the fastest driver by the end of day one in the Radical SR1. On his second and final day in the SR1, Ariel qualified 4th, which meant he had to defeat three top competitors in head-to-head matchups. Under immense pressure, Ariel rose to the occasion, taking down David Dalton Jr. (who has real-world racing experience), Laurens Beerten (who had edged him out in qualifying), and Nathan Saxon (an elite amateur racer) to claim the top spot in the SR1 Chase competition. Judges believe Ariel strongly possesses the "It factor." His ability to deliver a powerful opening lap, followed by consistently fast ones, makes him a formidable competitor with prodigy-level talent.

Off-Track Summary

The 6'2" Brazilian, now based in Denmark, is known for his unparalleled work ethic in sim racing, typically dedicating 10 hours a day to honing his craft. Ariel brought the same level of focus, skill, and methodical approach to Prodigy Week, entering with a confident yet respectful demeanor. His presence commands attention, and he has that undeniable "It factor," where everyone around him knows he’s a force to be reckoned with. A native Portuguese speaker, Gustavo's English is solid but has room for improvement. He was selected 4th overall, becoming the first driver drafted by TC Racing.

Bio

God first and racing second. An F1 fan since attending the Brazilian GP in 2001 inside his mother's womb, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Gilles Villeneuve and Max Verstappen are inspirations. Coming from the lower middle class, Ariel's goal is to become a professional real-world racing driver through competing in sim racing. As a result of his innate talent and drive, the 22-year-old possesses a top 5 iRating in the world. Recognizing his talent, Tony Kanaan signed Ariel to Texaco Racing's sim racing team; in 2024, Ariel was conquested by sim racing powerhouse Team Redline, made famous by its history of elite sim racers including F1's Max Verstappen.

Racing history

Champion Brazil Rental Kart championship 2019 - Main category; Champion Copa SP de Kart Pro 500 Light 2019; 3rd place 500 Miles karting Light category 2017; +15 regional rental kart championships