Gabriel Bortoleto has revealed that he reached out to Max Verstappen to gather his thoughts on career moves that proved integral to him progressing to Formula 1.
Following an impressive maiden campaign with Sauber in 2025, Bortoleto is gearing up to represent Audi as the German marque takes over the Hinwil-based squad.
Bortoleto was embedded in McLaren’s ranks when Sauber/Audi signed him up to partner veteran Nico Hulkenberg, having won successive titles in Formula 3 and 2.
But with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri tied down long term, the Woking-based squad were willing to release the Brazilian to allow him to land a spot on the F1 grid.
Bortoleto has divulged that he spoke with Verstappen both before agreeing a deal with McLaren and then with Sauber to get advice from the four-time F1 champion.
“I have had a great friendship with Max for a long time already,” Bortoleto told RacingNews365.
“I believe it’s exposed now in the media, because you guys see me with him, going around, sometimes doing some live streams, playing games and stuff.
“Obviously, we have got closer and closer in Formula 1 because we are racing together, and we spend a lot of time together, and he is a great guy.
“What many people don’t know is that he has helped me so much throughout my career, even when I was in the junior formulas.
“I’m used to asking him a lot about things, even my own contracts, when I was still in the junior series.
“When I was about to sign for McLaren, I asked him for his opinion. When I was about to join Sauber, I also asked him about it.
“He has been involved, even if people don’t really know about it, in a way that he has always been able to help me if I had any questions.
“He was not telling me what to do, but he was giving me his opinion about things on questions I asked him, and that’s very nice of him because he doesn’t really need to do that.
“But he has always been very nice and open with me. So we have created this thing, and it’s cool. We have practised together in the sim, and he helps me a lot.
“Hopefully, I have helped him as well. I try to push him, but I definitely have a lot more to learn from him than him from me.”
Verstappen alerted Red Bull to Bortoleto
Verstappen commended Bortoleto on several occasions throughout 2025 and admitted that he even alerted Red Bull to his talent prior to his eventual step up to F1.
“I already said to the team before you [Bortoleto] even got to Formula 1, ‘Keep an eye on Gabi,’” said Verstappen on the Pelas Pistas podcast.
“But now we’re all here, and let’s just see how it evolves.
“I mean, first of all, I don’t even know how long I’m going to do myself. I have a contract until ’28, but after that, nothing is agreed on or what. I don’t even know myself.
“So I hope, let’s say, in general, I just hope for Gabi, that he gets an opportunity within the next three, four years, of course, to be really competitive in the front and fight for podiums and then, if that’s in the same team, I mean, even better, because that means that we are both fighting for the best positions.”
READ MORE – What Nico Hulkenberg learned from Gabriel Bortoleto in debut F1 year as Sauber team-mates
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