How Alonso and Bortoleto can be F1 rivals in a unique driver management deal

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso – in his twenty second Method 1 marketing campaign – continues to be encountering a brand new expertise. It’s not simply the six rookie racers on the 2025 grid. In Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, he’s racing his personal official protege.

Since 2023, Bortoleto has been part of Alonso’s A14 driver administration secure.

That is run by Albert Resclosa Coll and Alberto Fernandez Albilares together with the double F1 world champion, however in placing Bortoleto on the F1 grid, A14 has certainly one of its shoppers really racing in opposition to its founder on the grandest stage in motorsport.

Within the fashionable motorsport age, that’s a novel state of affairs. Subsequently, Autosport requested Alonso and Bortoleto to elucidate precisely the way it will work if their respective inexperienced machines ever come shut on monitor in 2025.

“I believe there are clear guidelines that I keep in entrance! That’s my understanding!” Alonso initially joked finally weekend’s Chinese language Grand Prix. “No, jokes apart, it’s nice to see Gabriel’s profession thus far. For us at A14, we really feel extraordinarily happy with the connection.

“This yr goes to be the primary yr he’s not profitable [after Bortoleto won the 2023 Formula 3 and 2024 Formula 2 championships as a rookie in each category], so now we have to perhaps settle for that.

“However it’s a part of his studying curve. For me, it’s a bit completely different. All the recommendation and insights I’ve given him over the previous two years – it’s a bit unusual now. As a result of I’m giving him the identical, attempting to assist him as a lot as I can with expertise of circuits, preparation, easy methods to strategy race weekends, advertising and marketing actions, the best way to spend power, save power – all these sorts of issues [now in F1 with me].

“I don’t suppose that is affecting any of the efficiency. On the finish of the day, we rely rather a lot on our groups, our automobiles, and our packages.

“I don’t really feel like I’m giving freely one thing magic and somebody will profit. I’m simply attempting to use widespread sense and assist him carry out when he places the helmet on, which is crucial a part of Method 1. I believe it’s working high-quality and can proceed to take action.”

Forward of the Australian GP season opener, Bortoleto sought out his supervisor’s recommendation on coping with his first expertise of wet-weather F1 competitors. He additionally mentioned tyre technique with Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen on the drivers’ parade in Melbourne.

However a easy concentrate on driving throughout the rising dry ‘tram traces’ was what Alonso emphasised. Ultimately, each drivers crashed out, with Bortoleto joking, “He instructed me, “simply survive” after which each of us died!”

Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs

“Relating to the principles, I’ve in my contract that I would like to provide him a slipstream each time I see him in quali!” the Brazilian additionally quipped within the Shanghai pre-event press convention, the place Alonso was fast to level how lengthy the again straight is on the Chinese language venue.

“He’s been excellent. He’s been capable of train me numerous these items – easy methods to maximise my efficiency on monitor by managing my efforts exterior of it. Issues like easy methods to deal with the [early GP weekend] days right here, Thursdays and Fridays, to be targeted on what actually issues in the course of the weekend. It’s been very good thus far.

“In Australia, we didn’t actually get to combat one another correctly, however hopefully, in China, we will have some side-by-side battles. That will be good for me.

“I’ve watched him my complete life racing, and now racing in opposition to him in Method 1, with him additionally being my supervisor, it’s going to be very good. A superb alternative.”

Finally, that hope didn’t come to cross in Shanghai, with Alonso nicely forward within the dash (though 13s behind Lance Stroll within the different AMR24) earlier than Bortoleto spun off early within the grand prix.

Alonso retired from that contest after simply 4 laps on account of particles getting caught in his Aston’s braking system.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photographs

Autosport noticed the pair deep in commiserating dialog on one of many walkways over the enormous pond that homes lots of the crew hospitality buildings within the big Shanghai paddock. It has not been the beginning both needed to the 2025 marketing campaign.

And the look forward to the enjoyable stuff – a racing chapter on this distinctive relationship – for now goes on too…