Fernando Alonso came home in P7 at the F1 Austrian GP, just ahead of rookie Gabriel Bortoleto who scored his first Formula 1 points in P8. It was a standout moment for the Sauber driver, and one Alonso had a lot to say about. The two-time World Champion also happens to be Bortoleto’s manager, and it’s clear the belief has been there for a long time.
Alonso reflected on the weekend and gave one of his most confident public endorsements of Bortoleto so far. His words carried weight, especially coming from someone who’s helped guide Bortoleto behind the scenes.
“Best of this generation”
When asked to rate Bortoleto’s season so far, Alonso made it clear he was never in doubt. He has watched the 19-year-old rise through the junior categories and believes what we are seeing now is only the beginning.
“Very good, but no surprises at all. Last year in Abu Dhabi, I think that he is the best of this generation. He won the Formula 3 as a rookie. He won the Formula 2 as a rookie. No testing with older version of cars. No TPC programmes, no nothing.”
There is no question Bortoleto is still finding his feet in Formula 1, but Alonso is confident the results will come with time.
“Coming to Formula 1, still delivering an incredible job. Some of us have better packages and things like that. Maybe some of us will achieve success before he does. But eventually, over the long term, he will always come as the best of this generation.”
He also praised Bortoleto and teammate Nico Hülkenberg for helping drive progress at Sauber. The team has shown steady improvement and Alonso believes their contributions have played a big role in that.
“Proof when the cars were all the same in the previous categories. And now, even with a team that was struggling last year, I think between him and Nico, they managed to bring new motivation. And the team is also improving. So far, it’s an incredible job what he’s doing. But he’s still behind me.”
Alonso shares thoughts on close finish with Bortoleto at F1 Austrian GP
The pair went wheel to wheel in the closing stages of the race. Bortoleto was closing quickly on fresher tyres, but Alonso managed to stay ahead with help from well-timed blue flags.
“It was good. I was lucky there with the blue flags. I think without the blue flags I had no chance to keep him behind for another two or three corners. That was my maximum life available there. And then with the blue flags, I gained that extra half a lap.”
It was a close call, and Alonso knew it. He had been hanging on during the final laps, fully aware that Bortoleto was gaining ground fast.
“And then also thanks to the blue flag, it was the final lap of the race and we saw the chequered flag. So it was a good combination for me. But yeah, the fight was good.”
He said it was the kind of battle they have had before in private sessions, only this time with points on the line.
“A couple of corners side by side, always with respect. And yeah, we drove a couple of times already like that in go-cars and in simulator when we do sessions together and things like that. So it was a replica of that. And this time I crossed the line first. So that gives me some satisfaction.”
Momentum building
Bortoleto’s first points in Formula 1 follow a series of promising drives that had not quite come together. With confidence growing and Sauber finding more consistency, this result could be a turning point in his rookie year. For Alonso, the Austrian GP was another steady finish inside the top ten and a reminder that the driver behind him is learning fast.
