Gabriel Bortoleto’s Austrian GP battle with Fernando Alonso was “just the start”

We’ve all been there. Even when you’ve gotten an excellent relationship along with your supervisor there comes a degree of battle, the place you assume you understand finest, when your youthful exuberance outweighs the expertise and information they possess.

Now think about that state of affairs unfolding at speeds in extra of 200mph while you’re within the first yr of the job and the supervisor in query is two-time Method 1 world champion Fernando Alonso.

That was the place Gabriel Bortoleto discovered himself in throughout Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix because the Brazilian rookie seemed to move the 43-year-old Alonso for seventh place.

Alonso’s ‘A14 administration’ has Bortoleto signed up, and it clearly is aware of precocious expertise because the 20-year-old landed an F1 seat at Sauber having received the F3 and F2 titles in consecutive seasons.

With Alonso now within the twilight years of a profession that has seen him win 32 grands prix and two world titles, the pair haven’t tussled an excessive amount of on observe since Bortoleto – who was not even born when Alonso debuted for Minardi in 2001 – arrived on the scene.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Picture by: Andy Hone / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs

There was almost a coming collectively in Saudi Arabia, one thing Bortoleto admitted was his fault, however with steadily rising performances and powerful updates coming to the Sauber package deal, he was in a position to take his first F1 factors in Austria – even when grasp Alonso stored the apprentice at bay.

“It was enjoyable, yeah. Particularly as a result of he raced very onerous and I had quite a lot of enjoyable. Fortunately, we did not crash, as a result of then I might haven’t any solution to get dwelling in all probability,” Bortoleto joked, as he usually travels to and from races in Alonso’s aircraft.

“That is just the start, although: for me, it means to maintain pushing, preserve bettering, and goal for even greater outcomes. The battle with Fernando on the finish was a enjoyable one – he didn’t make it simple!”

Alonso himself had to make use of all of the guile he has realized over time to maintain Bortoleto at bay, together with teasing an overtake on race winner Lando Norris within the closing levels, having simply been lapped by the McLaren.

“I imply, I did not wish to move Lando, however I couldn’t keep simply behind Lando, as a result of then Gabi would move me, so I needed to, you understand, attempt totally different strikes to confuse slightly bit Gabi on what I used to be doing, and it labored advantageous,” defined Alonso.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs through Getty Photographs

“It was very particular, I believe he has been excellent this yr. This weekend particularly has been unbelievable, however for one motive or one other, [Nico] Hulkenberg all the time scored the factors on Sundays, so this was, possibly not truthful in Gabriel’s head generally.

“So, it is good that he unlocked now this factor and hopefully the primary of many factors in Method 1.”

Sauber’s total progress could be marked by the very fact it loved a double factors end on the Crimson Bull Ring, with Hulkenberg coming dwelling ninth to increase his prime 10 finishes to 3 successive races.

It’s a far cry from final season when the workforce, which can lastly be absolutely rebranded as Audi from 2026, needed to wait till the penultimate race of the yr to attain its solely factors of the marketing campaign.

Hulkenberg and Bortoleto are each new to the workforce and the previous was not stunned to see the enhancements from his junior team-mate, who additionally reached Q3 for the primary time in Austria to qualify eighth.

Requested if he was pleased for Bortoleto, Hulkenberg replied: “Yeah, very pleased. , it was coming. It was very clear. , I see how he works, how he drives, and I understand how good he’s.

“I might see it coming from a good distance, from a very long time. So, very pleased for him, you understand, and for the complete workforce, double factors. I do not know, that should return fairly a while for the workforce. So, yeah, very pleased and constructive day and attempt to preserve that momentum.” 

Images from Austrian GP – Race