This weekend, Gabriel Bortoleto will make his Formula 1 debut after impressing everyone in recent years by winning both Formula 3 and Formula 2 in his rookie seasons. These performances put him in the spotlight of major teams, but according to Red Bull’s top advisor, Helmut Marko, the Brazilian is not a great driver overall.
During an interview with Austrian TV channel ServusTV, Marko was asked to classify the rookies into categories A, B, or C—where A signifies a future F1 star, B means the driver will remain active, and C indicates they will struggle to survive in F1.
Despite Gabriel Bortoleto’s achievements in the junior categories, Marko stated that he lacks “pure speed,” calling into question the rookie’s accomplishments: “I would classify him as a second-tier driver,” said Marko, who then elaborated, “He is a very intelligent driver. He won the Formula 3 championship but with only one victory. He tends to stay out of trouble. In Formula 2, he managed just two wins. He’s a driver who brings the car home, has a solid understanding of strategy and tire management, but I don’t see pure speed in him.”
Marko then praised Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, saying: “He is clearly an A-tier driver, although he is and will be under immense pressure. His performances are impressive—he has already completed about 10,000 kilometers of testing, but he has also had two serious crashes. You can tell he’s under pressure.” – he pointed out.
“Of course, Toto Wolff wants to replicate Max Verstappen’s story at Mercedes. However, stepping into a top team immediately will be a challenge for him. But in terms of potential, he is definitely an A-tier driver.”
Regarding Alpine’s Jack Doohan, the Red Bull advisor stated that he does not believe he will even finish the season: “Absolutely C-tier. I don’t think he will complete the championship.”
As for Haas driver Oliver Bearman, Helmut Marko said: “He is a very fast driver, although he has had many crashes in Formula 2 and Formula 3 because he takes big risks. He operates at the limit. Maybe he won’t reach the top as quickly as Antonelli, but he is definitely an A.”
Finally, Helmut Marko assessed his own protégé, Isack Hadjar. Speaking about the French-Algerian driver, Marko said he considers him an A-tier talent, despite his loss to Gabriel Bortoleto in F2: “Hadjar lost the championship by just four or five points. Our analysts calculated that over the season, he left about 80 points on the table due to technical failures and other issues. So, he is very fast. If he continues to develop well and learns to control his emotions, he has A-level potential.” – the Red Bull advisor concluded.
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