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 towards its founder on the grandest stage in motorsport.
Within the trendy motorsport age, that’s a singular scenario. Subsequently, 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 believe there are clear guidelines that I keep in entrance! That’s my understanding!” Alonso initially joked eventually weekend’s Chinese language Grand Prix. “No, jokes apart, it’s nice to see Gabriel’s profession up to now. For us at A14, we really feel extraordinarily pleased 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’ve got to possibly settle for that.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
“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, attempting to assist him as a lot as I can with expertise of circuits, preparation, learn how to strategy race weekends, advertising and marketing actions, the best way to spend vitality, save vitality – 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 lots on our groups, our automobiles, and our packages.
“I don’t really feel like I’m gifting away 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 an important a part of Method 1. I believe it’s working nice 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 Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen on the drivers’ parade in Melbourne.
However a easy concentrate on driving inside the rising dry ‘tram strains’ was what Alonso emphasised. Ultimately, each drivers crashed out, with Bortoleto joking, “He informed me, “simply survive” after which each of us died!”
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photographs
“Relating to the foundations, I’ve in my contract that I want to present 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 in a position to train me lots of these items – learn how to maximise my efficiency on observe by managing my efforts outdoors 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 in the course of the weekend. It’s been very good up to now.
“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 might be good for me.
“I’ve watched him my complete life racing, and now racing towards him in Method 1, with him additionally being my supervisor, it’s going to be very good. A very good alternative.”
In the end, that hope didn’t come to go in Shanghai, with Alonso effectively 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 as a consequence of 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 most of the staff hospitality buildings within the big Shanghai paddock. It has not been the beginning both wished to the 2025 marketing campaign.
And the await the enjoyable stuff – a racing chapter on this distinctive relationship – for now goes on too…
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Alex Kalinauckas
Method 1
Fernando Alonso
Gabriel Bortoleto
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