Verstappen advised Red Bull to keep an eye on Bortoleto.

Verstappen advised Red Bull to keep an eye on Bortoleto.

      A Brazilian podcast has revealed one of the paddock's most surprising and authentic friendships - that between Max Verstappen and Gabriel Bortoleto. During their conversation on Pelas Pistas, the two shared anecdotes about their relationship, which developed well before Bortoleto made his Formula 1 debut, showcasing a side of Verstappen that contrasts with his intense on-track persona.

      Their initial encounter took place long before Bortoleto joined Sauber. Verstappen reminisced about standing in the pitlane in Monaco, observing junior drivers getting ready for an F4 race when a young Bortoleto unexpectedly jumped over the wall. "Max! Max! Max! Let’s take a picture!" the Brazilian called out just minutes before the formation lap, leaving Verstappen thinking, "This guy is crazy." Bortoleto confessed that he merely wanted some advice before starting from the front row, to which Verstappen responded bluntly: "Flat out." Bortoleto laughed, recalling, "Turn one, I crashed."

      In fact, their first meeting occurred even earlier during their karting days at Adria. "I was intrigued by this guy with long hair who was winning everything," Verstappen noted. "I went into the tent to say hello and asked for a photo." Bortoleto found it odd that a Formula 1 driver would ask him for a picture. "I was thrilled," he admitted.

      Since then, their relationship has deepened—they've shared slipstreams, chatted during driver parades, and raced together on simulators. Bortoleto commended Verstappen for treating him respectfully even before he reached F1. "Max has never been like the others," he remarked. "Ninety percent of drivers won’t acknowledge you unless you’re in F1. Max has always been helpful—not just to me, but look at the simulator guys."

      Their simulator duels are also part of their story. "At first, I spun out at every turn," Bortoleto shared. "Max was flawless." Verstappen humorously added, "Now we race together—but I handle the setups. He thinks he can do them better than me. Every time he nearly matches my time, he modifies something and ends up slower."

      Bortoleto described Verstappen as "a beast" behind the wheel but surprisingly kind off the track. "He’ll chat with fans for hours unless we pull him away." Verstappen dispelled the notion that he has an aversion to journalists. "I don’t want to waste energy. I give it my all in the car," he explained. "Becoming a father doesn’t slow you down—after a tough race, I go home, see my daughter smile, and forget everything."

      When asked about the potential of being teammates in the future, Verstappen remained open to the idea. "I take into account how someone conducts themselves off the track," he stated. "A driver pair can break apart due to what happens away from the cameras. Gabi is both hungry and humble, a fierce competitor on track and self-reflective off it. I've always advised my team to keep an eye on him. I hope he finds himself in a competitive car in a few years—and if we end up together, that would be even better."

Other articles

Binotto: Thanks to the regulations, racing will become more interesting. Binotto: Thanks to the regulations, racing will become more interesting. Mattia Binotto, head of the Audi F1 project, is confident that thanks to the new regulations the races will become more exciting and competitiveness among the teams will quickly even out. Discussions about Hamilton increase as Ralf advocates for the Bearman option. Discussions about Hamilton increase as Ralf advocates for the Bearman option. Formula 1 | Ralf Schumacher has sparked controversy regarding Ferrari by proposing that the team think about swapping Lewis Hamilton for emerging talent Oliver (…) All teams have confirmed their support for the F1 Academy. All teams have confirmed their support for the F1 Academy. All ten current teams have confirmed their support for the F1 Academy women's series as part of a multi-year partnership. "There were no employees present on site at that time." French authorities are probing a perplexing break-in at Alpine’s Viry-Chatillon facility, amid increasing suspicion that the incident may have been a case of industrial espionage. The unusual intrusion, first reported by Le Parisien, took place late on Monday night around 10 PM, when two unidentified individuals gained entry by breaking a window. As per police sources cited by French media, the intruders proceeded directly upstairs toward the management and executive offices, forcing open several internal doors before exiting the building only a few minutes later. Importantly, it appears that nothing was taken. "Nothing was stolen. Everything is fine. There were no employees present on site at that time," a source close to Alpine informed Le Parisien. The Evry public prosecutor confirmed that an investigation is currently in progress. Security footage and fingerprints are being examined, but no arrests have been made as of now. With theft ruled out, Le Parisien noted: "All other possibilities are being explored, including industrial espionage." L’Equipe pointed out the unusual timing and location: the historic Viry site is no longer involved in designing Alpine’s F1 power units, as the team will be using customer Mercedes engines starting in 2026. Many of the engine staff have already moved to other locations, including Ferrari. French media also noted that the intruders seemed to know precisely where they were headed, going directly to the senior offices before quickly exiting through a side door. Alpine has not made any public statements beyond confirming the occurrence of the incident. "There were no employees present on site at that time." French authorities are probing a perplexing break-in at Alpine’s Viry-Chatillon facility, amid increasing suspicion that the incident may have been a case of industrial espionage. The unusual intrusion, first reported by Le Parisien, took place late on Monday night around 10 PM, when two unidentified individuals gained entry by breaking a window. As per police sources cited by French media, the intruders proceeded directly upstairs toward the management and executive offices, forcing open several internal doors before exiting the building only a few minutes later. Importantly, it appears that nothing was taken. "Nothing was stolen. Everything is fine. There were no employees present on site at that time," a source close to Alpine informed Le Parisien. The Evry public prosecutor confirmed that an investigation is currently in progress. Security footage and fingerprints are being examined, but no arrests have been made as of now. With theft ruled out, Le Parisien noted: "All other possibilities are being explored, including industrial espionage." L’Equipe pointed out the unusual timing and location: the historic Viry site is no longer involved in designing Alpine’s F1 power units, as the team will be using customer Mercedes engines starting in 2026. Many of the engine staff have already moved to other locations, including Ferrari. French media also noted that the intruders seemed to know precisely where they were headed, going directly to the senior offices before quickly exiting through a side door. Alpine has not made any public statements beyond confirming the occurrence of the incident. Formula 1 | Dr. Helmut Marko from Red Bull has candidly acknowledged that Max Verstappen requires a significant setback to occur for Lando Norris if the championship battle is to be… The police are investigating a break-in and intrusion at the Alpine base. The police are investigating a break-in and intrusion at the Alpine base. The French police are investigating a baffling case involving a break-in and intrusion at Alpine’s engine plant in Viry-Châtillon. The strangest thing about the case is that nothing was stolen from the site. There has been talk in Formula 1 about the return of the Argentine Grand Prix. During the São Paulo Grand Prix, Alpine extended Franco Colapinto's contract. British journalist Joe Saward, knowledgeable about Formula 1's business workings, writes that this move could be another link in the chain of efforts to bring back the Argentine Grand Prix.

Verstappen advised Red Bull to keep an eye on Bortoleto.

Formula 1 | A Brazilian podcast has revealed one of the paddock's most surprising and authentic friendships - Max Verstappen and Gabriel Bortoleto. (…)