Gabriel Bortoleto recalls advice from Max Verstappen towards the latter part of F1 2025 season, as the Dutchman and Fernando Alonso share mutual respect.
Throughout the F1 2025 season, Sauber’s Bortoleto has shared several moments with Red Bull’s Verstappen, whether on or off-track. The world champion has taken up unofficial mentorship of the Brazilian, even though Aston Martin’s Alonso is his manager.
Bortoleto revealed that Verstappen has been in touch with him since his F3 days and the relation has only grown over the years. As such the Dutchman has shared a lot of advice, but the Brazilian recalls the latest one, which meant a lot to him regarding the course of the year.
“I mean, he gave me many,” said Bortoleto. “I think it’s difficult to put one. But let’s put one that I heard recently from him that, ‘I’m in my rookie season and I already did a lot this year’ and that ‘I should not worry much in case mistakes happen because mistakes are the moments that you improve the most’.
“And that ‘they’re going to happen to everyone, that I shouldn’t just kill myself inside because it happened once or twice to me that I did something wrong’. That they’re going to happen eventually and that I just need to learn from them. It’s a simple thing that a lot of people say. But when you hear it from someone that’s achieved so much in the sport, it means a lot more,” summed up Bortoleto.
Much like the Brazilian, his mentor Alonso too had kind words for Verstappen. He noted how the two come from a non-racing system, even if racing is more popular in Spain or Netherlands than many other nations, and have achieved whatever they have, despite the limitations.
Alonso knew that Verstappen had that talent when he saw him in karting. “I mean, I think, coming from countries that are not really into F1 so much — especially Spain, I would say, because Jos was already a master,” he said. “In fact, I raced with Jos a couple of years and with Max eight. And, yeah, I mean, it is a tough environment.
“And when you come here and you are — well, you have some success at the beginning of your career — maybe you are not the good guy, if I can say. Maybe you are not politically correct. You are not in the system. You are more yourself than what you should be. And I think it’s what I saw in Max as well.
“And obviously, apart from that strong personality — the results and the talent, not only in F1, also in the junior categories and from karting already — we all knew that he was this kid coming. So, you know, in my case, I had always a lot of respect,” summed up Alonso.
In response, Verstappen had kind words for the Spaniard and reciprocated the feelings. “I mean, there’s not that much more to add,” he said. “What I like is just Fernando’s mentality and just general personality. He’s just himself, which I think — yeah — is just very nice to deal with. You see what you get. And, of course, before I was in Formula 1 — might sound a bit funny — but when Fernando was fighting against Red Bull, I was cheering for him to do a good job.
“And being that underdog and still getting these results and dragging the car to wins when he shouldn’t — yeah, it attracts you. I think as a driver, you like what you see. He’s a proper fighter, and he still is. I have a lot of respect for Fernando — still doing it at his age. Sorry. But yeah, it’s very nice to see, to have that much passion for the sport,” summed up Verstappen.
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