Max Verstappen and Gabriel Bortoleto in the same team? Sauber driver shares thoughts. Gabriel Bortoleto opens up on his friendship with Max Verstappen.

What if Max Verstappen left Red Bull to join Audi—how would Gabriel Bortoleto react?

What would the combination of Max Verstappen and Gabriel Bortoleto in the same team look like? The four-time Dutch world champion has confirmed his commitment to stay at Red Bull, but nothing prevents fans from dreaming about a future with him in another team.

The young Brazilian, on the other hand, has established himself as one of the best rookies of the season, scoring points in each of the last four races. Some even suggest he could be an excellent teammate for Verstappen.

And how would the driver himself react to such a challenge? On the eve of the Monza weekend, Bortoleto spoke about his friendship with the Dutchman, which began in 2023 and strengthened while playing Call of Duty online. “Yes, it was fun. We played a bit of Call of Duty. That’s how you spend your days. And it was nice to have fun and laugh a bit.” Don’t ask Verstappen to speak Portuguese: according to the Sauber driver, he only knows the swear words. “He likes to say them only when he’s not online!”

Now that both are in Formula 1, Bortoleto stated that he has learned a few things from the world champion, both on and off the track. “He already knows the tracks. He gives advice on the corners and things I should focus on. It’s always very useful. He’s a four-time world champion, so he has achieved a lot in his career, and I’m very happy to have someone like him who is a great help to me.”

Does this mean Verstappen has taken him under his wing? Bortoleto opened up, saying: “He started helping me when I was in Formula 3, and we became good friends, and I think he probably likes me! He wants to see me do well in Formula 1. I’ve always said clearly that for me he is the best in Formula 1. And I admire a lot what he has done and what he is doing.”

Teammates in the future? “Maybe one day he’ll come to Audi, I don’t know!” he replied, laughing. “We work very well together. He helps me a lot. I really believe he could be an excellent teammate. He didn’t win because he was lucky, but because he was part of a team he built, and with them he won.”

“Maybe working together wouldn’t be a bad thing. But I repeat, if one day he comes to Audi… I’m happy where I am. And I’m very happy with the project we have.”

Has Bortoleto perhaps subtly invited Verstappen to join him?