In the last Formula 1 season, five drivers made their debut in the top-tier international open-wheel championship: Jack Doohan (whose time at Alpine lasted until Miami), Oliver Bearman, Isack Hadjar, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Gabriel Bortoleto. The Brazilian, 2023 Formula 3 champion and 2024 Formula 2 champion, was promoted by Sauber as Nico Hülkenberg’s teammate, reuniting on track with a friend: Max Verstappen.
Two friends in a championship
Few people know about the strong relationship between Gabriel Bortoleto and the four-time Red Bull world champion, which began when Gabriel Bortoleto was just 11 years old. A photo together in 2016, when Verstappen moved from Toro Rosso to Red Bull, sparked a friendship that grew stronger over the years, as Verstappen achieved success in F1 and the young Brazilian progressed through the junior categories, eventually joining the McLaren Young Driver Programme in 2024. At that time, Gabriel Bortoleto sought advice from Verstappen on various decisions.
Seeking guidance
In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, the 21-year-old revealed the depth of his friendship with Max Verstappen: “I think it’s public knowledge now because you see me with him while we drive, sometimes we do live streams, play games, and things like that,” Gabriel Bortoleto explained. “Of course, in Formula 1, we became even closer because we race together and spend a lot of time together. He’s an amazing guy. What many don’t know is that he has helped me tremendously throughout my career, even when I was in the lower formulas. I am used to asking him many things, even about my contracts, when I was still in the junior series. When I was about to sign with McLaren, I asked for his opinion. When I was about to join Sauber, I asked for his input again. He was involved, even though people don’t know it, to help me whenever I had questions. He never told me what to do but gave his perspective on the things I asked, and it was very kind of him because he didn’t have to. He has always been very kind and open with me. That’s how this relationship developed, and it’s fantastic. We have trained together in the simulator, and he helps me a lot. I hope I have helped him too. I try to push him, but I definitely have much more to learn from him than he does from me.”
As Gabriel Bortoleto continues his journey with Audi, having such a direct line to one of the sport’s greatest ever drivers could prove to be a massive competitive advantage. While they are now rivals on track, the mutual respect between the veteran and the rookie remains a unique storyline in the 2025 paddock.
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