Max Verstappen expresses support for Gabriel Bortoleto as potential Red Bull teammate. Max Verstappen has expressed interest in Gabriel Bortoleto as a potential Red Bull teammate.

The idea of Gabriel Bortoleto joining Red Bull is appealing to Max Verstappen. The Dutch driver would be happy to open negotiations to have him as a teammate.

This season has seen many rookies enter Formula 1, undoubtedly representing the sport’s future. Among them is Gabriel Bortoleto, who has scored valuable points for Sauber. In an interview, Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s lead driver, explained that he has great confidence in the Brazilian and hopes he will get the chance to showcase his talents, possibly wearing Red Bull’s colors in the future.

Bortoleto in Red Bull? Max Verstappen has been keeping an eye on him

In an interview with the Pelas Pistas podcast, Max Verstappen discussed Gabriel Bortoleto. He revealed that he had already advised his team to monitor Gabriel Bortoleto even before Sauber officially offered him an F1 contract.

“I was the one who told the team [Red Bull] even before he arrived in Formula 1: ‘keep an eye on Gabi’. But now we’re all here, and we’ll just see how things develop,” he admitted to the podcast.

Verstappen open to Gabriel Bortoleto as a teammate

The conversation then shifted to Max Verstappen himself. He confessed that he wouldn’t mind having Gabriel as a teammate.

“First of all, I don’t even know how long I’ll continue myself. I have a contract until 2028, but after that, nothing is set. I don’t even know. I just hope, for Gabi, that over the next three or four years he has the chance to be truly competitive, to fight for podiums, and if he’s in the same team, even better, because it would mean we’re both fighting for the top positions.”