Formula 1 News: Bortoleto says Verstappen best of all-time

Gabriel Bortoleto has raced against the very best in Formula One but is clear about who he believes is the best driver – Max Verstappen.

Having shared tracks with the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Bortoleto has raced against several generations of F1 stars. However, it is not seven-time world champion Hamilton who the 20-year-old believes is the best of all time. Instead, Verstappen shares that crown with Bortoleto’s countryman, Ayrton Senna.

Bortoleto told Motorsport: “For me, along with Ayrton Senna, he (Verstappen) is the best driver of all time. I really admire his way of approaching races, his way of understanding the sport, of understanding the car and the calmness with which he faces everything.”

“We (Verstappen and Bortoleto) started playing video games and simulators together more and more,” Bortoleto added. “Since then, we’ve been in touch a lot and he helps me a lot. For example, he helped me a lot on my way to F1 by giving me a lot of advice and recommendations, and talking about me with people in the paddock.

“Jonathan (Wheatley, Sauber team principal) told me that even before I joined Sauber-Audi, Max was very positive about me. I know Max doesn’t usually talk about this himself, especially in front of the media, but it’s something he helped me with: talking about me to people in F1. I was getting good results and he wanted to help me.”