Gabriel Bortoleto Taps Max Verstappen for Red Bull Insights
Gabriel Bortoleto and Max Verstappen are close friends outside Formula 1, and their regular online gaming sessions have become an informal source of guidance for the Audi driver. Motorsport.com has confirmed that Bortoleto asks the four-time world champion how Red Bull grew into a championship-winning team, with the intention of applying those lessons at Audi.
Bortoleto is competing in his second season in the Formula 1 championship and his first with Audi as a full works team. The Brazilian currently sits 15th in the drivers’ standings with 10 points. Audi is eighth in the constructors’ standings, with Bortoleto and German teammate Nico Hulkenberg contributing to that position. Hulkenberg has scored 13 points, three more than Bortoleto.
“I talk to Max often,” Bortoleto said. “Obviously, the details stay between us, but we often talk about how I’m feeling, how I’m developing, what I want from Audi and how we’re progressing as a team. I ask him questions about what he experienced at Red Bull before winning the world championship: what things were like, how the team worked.”
Sim Races Serve as Both a Forum and a Form of Relief
Bortoleto’s questions for Verstappen often arise in the middle of an online sim race, allowing the Audi driver to draw on his friend’s Red Bull experience without stepping away from the virtual track. Their shared gaming habit also gives Bortoleto time away from his Formula 1 workload and a way to relax with a fellow driver.
Those questions often come up during a mid-sim race. “These are things that sometimes come into my head while we’re playing, so I ask him,” Bortoleto said. He added that gaming is also his way of switching off: “I’m laughing, I’m having fun, it’s not work.”
Junior Success Brought Bortoleto to Audi
Bortoleto arrived in Formula 1 after an impressive rise through the junior categories. He won the Formula 3 title in 2023 and followed it with the Formula 2 championship in 2024. Isack Hadjar was his closest rival in Formula 2, while Kimi Antonelli finished sixth. Those results earned Bortoleto a Formula 1 seat with Sauber before Audi took over for 2026, beginning his first campaign as a full works driver with the German manufacturer.
United States Grand Prix Brings Audi and Red Bull to Austin
Bortoleto and Verstappen will return to competition this weekend at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. The event places the Audi driver and Red Bull Racing driver on the same circuit after sharing an off-track friendship built around online racing and regular conversations about performance, development and team progress.
Why This Matters
Bortoleto’s discussions with Verstappen concern the wider development of a driver and a team, not merely the mechanics of driving faster. His questions focus on what Verstappen experienced at Red Bull before winning the world championship, including what the organization was like and how it operated. That knowledge is particularly relevant as Bortoleto develops in his second Formula 1 season and helps Audi establish itself as a full works team.
The immediate competitive picture provides a clear benchmark: Bortoleto has 10 points and is 15th, Audi is eighth in the constructors’ standings, and Hulkenberg leads his teammate in points with 13. Although the details of Bortoleto’s conversations with Verstappen remain private, the exchange offers him direct access to the experience of a driver who has won four world championships with Red Bull. Austin will be their next shared race weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Gabriel Bortoleto sit in the Formula 1 drivers’ standings?
Gabriel Bortoleto is 15th in the drivers’ standings with 10 points during his second Formula 1 season and first with Audi as a full works team.
Where does Audi sit in the constructors’ standings?
Audi is eighth in the constructors’ standings. Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg have scored 10 and 13 points, respectively.
Where are Gabriel Bortoleto and Max Verstappen racing next?
Both drivers are scheduled to compete this weekend at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, representing Audi and Red Bull Racing respectively.
