How Alonso is still mentoring Bortoleto despite being F1 rivals

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 one in all its purchasers really racing towards its founder on the grandest stage in motorsport.

Within the fashionable motorsport age, that’s a singular scenario. Due to this fact, Motorsport.com requested Alonso and Bortoleto to clarify precisely the way it will work if their respective inexperienced machines ever come shut on observe in 2025.

“I feel 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 successful [after Bortoleto won the 2023 Formula 3 and 2024 Formula 2 championships as a rookie in each category], so we now have to perhaps settle for that.

“However it’s a part of his studying curve. For me, it’s a bit totally 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, making an attempt to assist him as a lot as I can with expertise of circuits, preparation, learn how to strategy race weekends, advertising actions, the best way to spend power, save power – all these sorts of issues [now in F1 with me].

“I don’t assume that is affecting any of the efficiency. On the finish of the day, we rely so much on our groups, our vehicles, and our packages.

“I don’t really feel like I’m freely giving one thing magic and somebody will profit. I’m simply making an attempt to use widespread sense and assist him carry out when he places the helmet on, which is a very powerful a part of Method 1. I feel it’s working positive 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 Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen on the drivers’ parade in Melbourne.

However a easy give attention to driving throughout the rising dry ‘tram strains’ 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, Purple Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Picture by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photos

“Concerning the foundations, 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 superb. He’s been capable of train me a whole lot of these items – learn how to maximise my efficiency on observe by managing my efforts exterior of it. Issues like learn how to deal with the [early GP weekend] days right here, Thursdays and Fridays, to be targeted on what actually issues throughout the weekend. It’s been very good thus far.

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

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

In the end, that hope didn’t come to go in Shanghai, with Alonso properly forward within the dash (though 13s behind Lance Stroll within the different AMR24) earlier than Bortoleto spun off early within the GP.

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

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

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