Max Verstappen throws his weight behind 20-year-old rising star for F1 seat

Max Verstappen has thrown his weight behind a relatively unknown rookie who he believes can help steer a failing team out of the rubble.

The Formula 1 rumour mill never ceases.

As Sauber hunts for a second driver to join Nico Hulkenberg in 2025, three-time champion Max Verstappen has weighed in with his top pick.

Formula 2 standout Gabriel Bortoleto, a 20-year-old Brazilian who has taken the lower ranks of open-wheel racing by storm, is among the best of the next generation, Verstappen believes.

Bortoleto is leading the F2 championship by a narrow 4.5-point margin and is slowly turning heads in the world of motorsport with a growing catalogue of supreme performances behind the wheel.

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Verstappen, who began in F1 at 17 and quickly built his reputation as one of the most feared talents on track, believes Bortoleto is the man to take Sauber into the future – particularly with the major technical shake-up scheduled for 2026 as Audi becomes their works team.

“If I was Sauber, I would’ve signed him already,” Verstappen declared at Thursday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix press conference.

“Young drivers are the future, and with the big rule change coming in 2026, it’s smart to get a driver like Bortoleto integrated now. He can make his mistakes, get comfortable with the team and car, and be fully prepared for the leap in ’26.”

Bortoleto, currently part of McLaren’s Driver Development program, has made an impressive debut in F2, hot off his 2023 Formula 3 championship win.

And Verstappen’s not the only one who thinks he’s ready to jump into F1.

Formula 2 standout Gabriel Bortoleto, a 20-year-old Brazilian who has taken the lower ranks of open-wheel racing by storm, is among the best of the next generation, Verstappen believes.

Aussie star Oscar Piastri, who famously stormed to titles in both F3 and F2 as a rookie, weighed in as well, singing Bortoleto’s praises and hinting that the F2 leader deserves his shot in the premier class.

“He’s been doing a very impressive job,” Piastri remarked.

“Winning F3 as a rookie, now leading F2 – those results speak for themselves. When you’re achieving that level, you deserve a spot in F1. I know all too well how hard it is to secure a seat, and I hope he doesn’t face the same frustrations I did.”

Gabriel Bortoleto, junior driver for McLaren, Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Drugovich.

With Sauber’s 2025 line-up still up in the air, Bortoleto’s F2 success and support from current F1 heavyweights might just be the final push he needs to make his way to the grid.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has also mentioned that the team “won’t stop” Bortoleto from landing a Formula 1 seat elsewhere on the grid.

“Having the possibility to talk about Gabriel, I would like to take this opportunity to say once again how good a work he’s been doing in junior categories, winning F3, leading F2 at the first season,” Stella said in Brazil.

“This is to lead into the fact that I think it’s very, very normal and natural that F1 teams are interested in having Gabriel as a driver. In terms of McLaren, [we] will not stop the possibility for Gabriel to drive F1.

“Conversations are ongoing and we will see what the scenario will be for the future.”

Verstappen was described as “insane” and “invaluable” on Sunday after delivering one of the greatest wet weather drives to win the Brazilian Grand Prix.

‘Insane’ drive all but seals Verstappen title

Verstappen was described as “insane” and “invaluable” on Monday morning (AEDT) after delivering one of the greatest wet weather drives to win the Brazilian Grand Prix and move to the brink of a fourth successive world Formula One title.

The Red Bull maestro won a chaotic, rain-lashed race at Interlagos from 17th place on the grid.

With title rival Lando Norris slipping from pole to a disappointing sixth place finish in his McLaren, Verstappen now boasts a 62-point lead over the Briton with just three races left.

He could wrap up the championship on the streets of Las Vegas in three weeks’ time.

“I was feeling all over the place, a roller-coaster,” he told reporters after his career 62nd win.

The championship is all but decided.

“My emotions went from wanting to destroy the garage after qualifying to winning the race.” He added: “It’s so unbelievable to win from so far back on the grid after expecting to drop points in the championship. There was so much at stake and I had to be aware of the championship too. So for me this is the best one.

“The rain came and we stayed out, which was sketchy, and I just had to keep the car on track and the conditions were undriveable - it was like driving a boat or a jet-ski so it was special today.”

Verstappen had not won a Grand Prix in 10 outings since the Spanish Grand Prix in May.

“I just want clean races now,” he added. “I’m not thinking about the title or clinching it in Vegas.”

Verstappen’s victory was also an emphatic statement of intent as he reeled off five successive fastest laps in the closing stages and 17 altogether as he came home 19.4 seconds clear of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.