KEEP AN EYE ON GABRIEL BORTOLETO, SAYS MAX VERSTAPPEN IN RED BULL HOPES
Max Verstappen reveals he told Red Bull to "keep an eye on" Gabriel Bortoleto before the Brazilian's F1 debut with Sauber. The World Champion has high hopes for the rookie's future in the sport.
Keep an eye on Gabi - COURTESY/PHOTO
According to Max Verstappen, he supported Gabriel Bortoleto's ability early on.
Prior to Bortoleto securing a position in Formula One, Max Verstappen disclosed that he instructed Red Bull to "keep an eye on Gabi."
Through sim racing, the two drivers have become friends, and Verstappen has now disclosed that there are further advantages for the current Sauber driver.
Gabriel Bortoleto receives early support from Max Verstappen
Since the Brazilian was a member of the McLaren driver academy when he won the F2 championship, Bortoleto's future in Formula One was not necessarily assured. However, Notorl chose Sauber to partner with Nico Hulkenberg because Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were in his way.
The Swiss team's choice has paid off, as Bortleto is among the season's most promising rookies. Verstappen, who stated he instructed Red Bull to "keep an eye on Gabi," will not have been surprised by that performance.
He stated on the Pelas Pistas podcast, "I told the team to keep an eye on Gabi before you [Bortoleto] ever arrived at Formula 1." "But let us just observe how it develops now that we are all here."
While he did not make a forecast, Verstappen expressed his hope that the Brazilian will be at a top team within the next three or four years in response to the topic of whether Bortoleto could ever partner with him at Red Bull.
"First of all, you know, I have no idea how long I am going to do this myself," he stated. "My contract expires on the 28th, but nothing is decided upon or anything after that. I am not even familiar with myself.
"So, let us say, generally, I just hope that Gabi has the chance to compete fiercely in the front and compete for podiums within the next three or four years. If that is with the same team, that is even better, because it means that we are both vying for the best spots."
Verstappen has a history of forming friendships with other drivers. He is well-known for having a cordial relationship with both Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, and the Dutchman has demonstrated that friendships can exist outside of the racetrack even when two drivers are at odds with one another.
"I believe that you always have a healthy sense of competitiveness and that you will always want to outperform one another, right?
However, whether or not you can be a good friend will ultimately depend on the other person's personality and whatever you do that deviates from the norm.
It has not been good, but I believe we have previously witnessed it between other teammates. As if they had some problems or were no longer able to be pals.
FERRARI PLANNING BIG 2027 MOVE TO REPLACE LEWIS HAMILTON
Could Oliver Bearman replace Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari before 2027? As Hamilton's podium drought continues, insiders suggest the promising Haas rookie is being lined up as his future successor for the Scuderia.
Journalists reveal Ferrari’s Secret Plan To Replace Hamilton with Oliver Bearman before 2027 - Photo Credit: Getty Images
Fred Vasseur, the team principal for Ferrari, is aware that he will eventually have to step in and take Lewis Hamilton's place.
Lewis Hamilton and Fred Vasseur both hope that will not be the case for a while, but it makes sense that the 2025 Formula One season has sparked some concerns.
In the drivers' championship, Hamilton is now on track to become the first driver since 2011 to place in the top six without placing on the podium.
Felipe Massa was the unlucky driver who failed to place in the top three that year; the previous driver to accomplish that accomplishment also competed for Ferrari.
Hamilton is thought to have agreed to a three-year contract with Ferrari, which would keep him competing for the Scuderia until the conclusion of the 2027 season.
However, recent remarks made by John Elkann, the president of Ferrari, imply that even a seven-time world champion will not be given much opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and put an end to the team's protracted title drought.
It has been suggested that Carlos Sainz would not decline a return to Ferrari; therefore, the team will need to start thinking about their possibilities.
Journalists Rebecca Clancy and Ben Hunt, however, think Ferrari may attempt to replace the 40-year-old racing great with Haas youngster Oliver Bearman prior to the 2027 season.
Before the 2027 Formula One season, Hunt discussed Ferrari's driver predicament on the Inside the Piranha Club Podcast, suggesting that the company may be "seeking" to hire Oliver Bearman to replace Hamilton. We talked about Ollie Bearman as a young kid at Ferrari, and he finished sixth, he added.
"He gave a truly remarkable performance. Once more, another fantastic weekend with an excellent outcome.
Who knows, Ferrari might even be searching before 2027. When he consistently puts up strong performances, it is hard to overlook him.
"The other two can not be consistent, even when we talk about it."
Clancy retorted: "I believe Hamilton is benefiting from Leclerc's poor performance as well.
Therefore, in my opinion, you should also consider Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal. Although I am aware that he signed a contract extension in July, I am also aware that in this sport, contracts are meaningless.
"There is no doubt in your mind that they will be considering their alternatives. The chairman of Ferrari, John Elkann, does not want to lose.
"In my opinion, Vasseur is the squad member who is under the most pressure."
Does Oliver Bearman have the right to eventually take Lewis Hamilton's spot at Ferrari?
Bearman struggled with consistency at the beginning of the season, often appearing as fast as his more seasoned teammate Esteban Ocon but infrequently assembling a whole race weekend.
In addition, Bearman has more penalty points than any other driver, and he received another one at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after colliding with Liam Lawson.
Bearman's results have significantly improved since the summer break, though, and he is now consistently scoring points and making the top 10.
After qualifying for the first and second positions, he appeared to be in the running for pole position; therefore, he was upset to start the race at Interlagos only in eighth place on Sunday.
At the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, he finished in fourth place, which was amazing. Hamilton referred to Bearman's performance in Mexico as "huge."
It remains to be seen if Bearman could manage the demands of racing for Ferrari every week, but his handling of Sainz's last-minute replacement in Saudi Arabia last year indicates that he has what it takes to succeed Hamilton when he ultimately departs.
MAX VERSTAPPEN REVEALS OVERLOOKED FACTOR THAT DEFINES GREATNESS IN F1
Max Verstappen explains why it's "impossible" to name his best F1 race, reflecting on his legendary 2024 São Paulo win. He argues every victory is equal, focusing only on scoring maximum points for the championship.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing - Photo by: Mark Thompson - Getty Images
Max Verstappen has provided a key explanation for why it is "difficult" to choose the "greatest" race of his Formula One career.
After visiting the site of what is regarded as his greatest victory, Max Verstappen maintains that it is "difficult to tell" which of his 230 Grand Prix victories is his finest.
At the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix, the Dutchman overcame the opposition to win his fourth Formula One drivers' championship after starting from P17 on the grid in torrential rain.
It is perhaps the best of his 68 Grand Prix victories and the pinnacle of his 11-year Formula One career.
At Interlagos, the Red Bull driver has frequently excelled under gloomy circumstances. For example, in 2016, in just his second season, he managed to climb from P16 to the podium with just 16 laps remaining in the 71-lap race.
Media outlets, including RacingNews365, questioned the 28-year-old before the race in Brazil on how he could improve on his performance from the previous year.
"A rainy race is always pretty tough, and then around here, it is always pretty tough," he retorted.
"And it was undoubtedly one of my greatest races since I had to execute under a lot of pressure.
Therefore, I would categorically rank it as one of my best races and a really terrific race. Since it depends on so many variables, it is never possible to determine which is the best.
They are all equally valuable.
Verstappen believes that, as every victory is worth the same number of points in the drivers' standings, any discussion about which race was the finest of his Formula One career is arbitrary and solely academic.
But now that he is competing against Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for an improbable fifth consecutive F1 drivers' championship, he needs to win.
Following the sprint in Brazil, he is now 49 and 25 points behind his McLaren teammates with three rounds remaining.
After modifications to his RB21, including a new power unit, his subpar qualifying in São Paulo this season resulted in a pit lane start.
His first Q1 elimination since the Russian Grand Prix in 2021 was the cause of that, which made his task extremely difficult but also gave him the chance to shine once more.
Even though there was no bad weather this year, Verstappen still had to pull his car around the field. Despite his incredible drive to capture third place, he was unable to stop Norris from gaining ground, which will probably be the deciding factor.
It is not about 'how can I perform better than that,' to be honest. Because ultimately, what matters most is that you win," Verstappen continued.
"It is a dull race, and it does not matter if you start in the rear or the front. My sole goal is to attempt to get as many points as possible every weekend.