Gabriel Bortoleto reveals touching reason for being 'extremely grateful' to Max Verstappen

Gabriel Bortoleto has spoken candidly about his close friendship with Max Verstappen, describing the four-time F1 drivers' champion as a mentor whose guidance has shaped his career in ways he will never forget.

The Brazilian's rise through the junior formulae was nothing short of remarkable. The 21-year-old claimed back-to-back titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2 before earning his seat at what was then Stake, now rebranded as Audi following the German manufacturer's entry into Formula 1 in 2026.

The project is an ambitious one, with world championship targets set for 2030, and Bortoleto is central to it.

Long before the Audi chapter began, though, Verstappen was already in the picture. The Red Bull driver offered advice to Bortoleto during his formative years, and what started as a professional relationship has since grown into a genuine friendship.

When asked by RacingNews365, as part of an exclusive interview, what place the Red Bull driver holds in his life, the second-year driver places an emphasis on their time together outside the paddock, as well as in.

"First of all, a friend," Bortoleto responds. "A friend that the racing world has given to me, that I'm happy to spend time with outside of the track and to play [video] games with, and have fun.

"He's a mentor in the sense that he gives me a lot of advice; he's a guy who has helped massively in my career when I was younger, and still helps now, with all my contracts and many things I've shared with him, opinions and questions about what I should do in this or that situation, and he has been very helpful. And, thanks to him, many good things have happened in my career."

The kind of person who asks for nothing in return

Bortoleto did not hold back when describing what makes Verstappen's support so meaningful on a personal level. 

"He's just a guy that does a lot for you, expecting nothing [in return], and these types of people are special people, and I'm going to be extremely grateful for the rest of my life," he adds.

"So, hopefully one day I can do the same for another kid that he did for me. I think that would be amazing, to be successful in Formula 1 and be able to get someone young who has talent, and to help them achieve their dreams as well, and be what he was for me, and he is for me."

It is a sentiment that speaks to the character of Verstappen away from the spotlight, a side of the Dutchman that rarely makes headlines but clearly leaves a lasting impression on those closest to him.

Helmets on, the friendship stays at the pit lane exit

There is, of course, a natural boundary to the relationship once the racing begins. Bortoleto was clear-eyed about that.

"When we close the visor, if I see him on track, he races hard with me, and I race hard with him, with respect, but always very competitive and nice," the Audi driver states.

"So far, we haven't been able to fight each other so much because last year he had a very competitive car, yet I was not there. At the beginning of this year, we had a few battles, but now he's back on top — let's see if I can achieve that soon. Hopefully."

That competitive edge extends to the team dynamic, too. Racing for different constructors means there is an inherent limit to how much the two can share, and Bortoleto acknowledged as much. 

"He's open, obviously with limits," he explains. "We are both in different teams, and we cannot share everything, but things that we can share to help each other, I think we often do.

"We are not competing against each other for a world title, so I think it's fair to help each other in the situation that we are right now.

"I think I've found a lot of good things from the advice he has given me, and hopefully, he managed to find a few that I gave to him, too."