Gabriel Bortoleto has revealed the secret way that Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is helping him

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Gabriel Bortoleto has been one of the shining stars of the 2025 F1 rookie class, with the driver putting in a number of impressive performances at the wheel of a Sauber F1 car.

The young Brazilian has been managed by two-time world champion and F1 grid rival Fernando Alonso since 2022.

Bortoleto noted that Alonso’s perception of him has changed since the two became on-track opponents at the beginning of his rookie season.

As well as the veteran Spaniard, four-time world champion Max Verstappen is also a close confidante of the rookie.

Bortoleto holds Verstappen in very high regard, previously putting him in the same category as Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna in a testament to the Dutchman’s achievements.

Verstappen may have had a hand in Bortoleto getting a shot in F1 after it was revealed that he had been talking to members of the F1 paddock about getting him a seat on the grid. Verstappen’s stature as a four-time world champion is a clear reason why F1 personnel should listen to him.

READ MORE: Who is 2025 Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto? Everything you need to know

Max Verstappen has been helping Gabriel Bortoleto on circuits he has never raced at before

Speaking on Sky Sports F1’s coverage of FP1 at the Dutch Grand Prix, pundit Rachel Brookes revealed what Bortoleto told her regarding his friendship with Verstappen and what the Dutchman has been doing to help the rookie out.

“[Bortoleto] was telling me that he, I mean, he’s very good friends with Max, but they actually sim race and they will race these circuits before the race weekend,” Brookes said during FP1 coverage (11:31 29/08).

“And he’ll get pointers from him, and Max will help him and say to try this, do that, do the other. So, when it comes to the race, he would say to Gabi, who hasn’t done this track before, and he’ll give him pointers for the weekend ahead. He said that [Verstappen] has been hugely helpful.”

Bortoleto is desperate to copy Verstappen’s qualifying prowess, noting that he hasn’t seen many drivers who are as versatile as the reigning champion over a single-lap shootout.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Gabriel Bortoleto has impressed his Sauber race engineer with how he takes feedback on board

Fellow Sky Sports commentator and former F1 driver Karun Chandhok also revealed what he had heard from personnel within Sauber about how impressive the Brazilian driver has been this season, saying, “Bortoleto has been really, really exceptional recently.

“He’s outqualified Nico Hulkenberg in eight out of the last ten weekends. I mean, that’s an amazing achievement for a rookie against one of the most experienced drivers, who is a good qualifier as well.

“I was talking to his race engineer, Jose Manuel Lopez, and he said one thing about Gabi is that he has been a very good learner. He listens, he takes feedback on board, he’s willing to try things and realises that he’s on a steep upward trajectory, and he’s open-minded.”

After watching his veteran teammate take his maiden podium at Silverstone, Bortoleto was motivated by the prospect of achieving such a feat for himself with Sauber.