Helmut Marko has built the last two decades of his Formula 1 career on the search for talent to bring into the top tier to shine with Red Bull. Today, out of the twenty drivers on the grid, at least eight have interacted with the Austrian team during their careers, though it’s clear that, over the years, some have been more successful than others, with some not meeting expectations.
As a consultant closely following the feeder categories and Red Bull’s junior team, Helmut Marko was asked to rank the young drivers debuting in Formula 1 this year. The former Austrian driver placed Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the brightest talent after successes in lower series, at the top of the list, followed by Oliver Bearman and Isack Hadjar.
According to Marko, all these drivers fall into what could be called the “A league,” where the most promising talents debuting in Formula 1 in 2025 reside. However, there were lower rankings for Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan, who were placed one and two positions below the other three rookies.
This year, the Brazilian will debut in Formula 1 with Sauber after winning back-to-back titles in Formula 2 and Formula 3 in his debut seasons, an achievement accomplished by only a few drivers. However, when looking at how those titles were achieved, it’s clear that Gabriel Bortoleto is a fast driver but also focuses heavily on consistency in terms of results.
This aspect, which has made a difference in recent years in F2, especially when many rivals take points from each other, is one of the reasons Red Bull’s consultant defined him as a solid driver rather than a fast one: “I would classify him as a ‘B league’ driver. He’s a very intelligent driver – he won in Formula 3, but with only one victory [actually two, ed.],” said Marko to ServusTV, the TV channel linked to the Austrian team.
“He tends to stay out of trouble. In Formula 2, he’s only had two wins so far. He’s a driver who brings the car home, has a solid understanding of strategy and tire management, but I don’t see the ultimate speed in him.”
These comments were also addressed to the direct person during the Australian Grand Prix press conference: “I don’t care. I mean, I saw what he said, and I like challenges,” said Gabriel Bortoleto on the eve of the Melbourne race.
“To hear it from Helmut Marko, he’s someone who has brought many talents into Formula 1 but also brought many wrong talents into F1. So, it’s clear that he has been right and wrong, and I hope to show him that he’s wrong. But nothing I say to the media will change his mind, only my results on the track. I’m sure that sooner or later I’ll prove him wrong, and I hope he will admit it.”
“For now, I’m only focused on my work, on improving, and doing my best. I’m proud of what I’ve done in the feeder categories, and I’ve won in Formula 2 and Formula 3 against Red Bull drivers, so good for me,” the Brazilian added.
A firm but respectful response
Over the years, rookies have reacted differently to pressure and external comments. Gabriel Bortoleto’s response to Helmut Marko is undoubtedly classy: respectful, but without losing confidence in his abilities. Furthermore, realistically, it was the best response he could give at this moment: few words while waiting to let the stopwatch speak, which is what truly makes the difference for a driver.
The Brazilian showed composure and intelligence in his response, traits that actually reflect him as a driver, who rarely falls into traps set by external situations, instead managing them with intelligence: a character trait also highlighted by Helmut Marko. Patience and composure that, in fact, could come in handy if, as expected, Sauber is in the lower positions of the grid.
Gabriel Bortoleto wasn’t particularly lucky in his preparation for the season: half of the TPC tests organized by the Swiss team between January and February were affected by rain, so he only had two regular testing days in Barcelona with a car that was two years old.
He wasn’t particularly lucky during the pre-season tests either, as Sauber needed to conduct comparative tests to evaluate mechanical and aerodynamic data for the setup, along with a hydraulic issue on the final day, which prevented him from running regularly. Only on the second day was he able to log some mileage, completing an entire race simulation.
The lack of mileage will put him in front of a steep learning curve, in a difficult situation for a rookie, but it’s also true that a Sauber far from the top will take some of the pressure off. The Swiss team, like Audi, has invested heavily in him, but more for the future than for the immediate.
His teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, described him as a brilliant guy, always looking for information, paying close attention, and working hard. Even Fernando Alonso, who is part of the company managing the Brazilian, highlighted both his dedication and professionalism.
“From day one, he committed to working hard for his dreams, and already in Formula Regional, but then in F3 and F2, every race was prepared very well with a very mature approach. He deserves to be in F1, and we hope his career is long and successful,” said the Spaniard.
“He’s been the best rookie of this new generation, he was the best of all. Maybe at the moment, he hasn’t had the car to match the results of other first-year drivers [in F1], but we hope people don’t forget what he’s done in the last two years.”
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