Alonso Hails Bortoleto as F1’s Best New Talent Ahead of China GP

SHANGHAI, China – Fernando Alonso praised Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the upcoming 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, calling the reigning Formula 2 champion the “best of the new generation” after Bortoleto’s promotion to Formula 1 with Kick Sauber.

Bortoleto secured his F2 championship title during his rookie season, mirroring the successful trajectories of past champions like Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Oscar Piastri, who also advanced to F1 after winning in lower tiers. Additionally, Bortoleto achieved a back-to-back title by winning the third-tier championship the year prior in FIA Formula 3.

This season, however, presents a unique challenge for Bortoleto as he competes alongside his manager, Alonso, who has been instrumental in his development. Both drivers faced challenges during the Australian Grand Prix, where they crashed under difficult conditions.

In a pre-race press conference, Alonso expressed admiration for Bortoleto’s abilities. “Very impressive, very good, but no surprises,” Alonso stated, highlighting Bortoleto’s preparation and hard work. “He’s well prepared. He worked really hard all winter long, and I think Melbourne is not the easiest track to make your debut. The race especially was super tricky for everybody, so it was a hard test, but it was very impressive – the first of many.”

During the conference, the camaraderie between the two was apparent as Bortoleto joked, “He’s being nice because there are cameras, you know.” Yet, Alonso acknowledged the potential for competition to strain their relationship on the track. “I think there are clear rules that I stay in front, that’s my understanding!” he quipped.

Alonso discussed the complexities of mentoring while competing against Bortoleto. “All the advice and insights I’ve given him over the past two years – it’s a bit strange now because I’m giving him the same, trying to help him as much as I can with experience of circuits, preparation, how to approach race weekends,” he explained. Alonso emphasized the need for his guidance to enhance Bortoleto’s performance in the sport.

Bortoleto reciprocated Alonso’s sentiments, stating, “He’s been very good. He’s been able to teach me a lot of these things – how to maximize my performance on track by managing my efforts outside of it.” He expressed excitement about the prospect of competitive races against Alonso. “In Australia, we didn’t really get to fight each other properly, but hopefully, in China, we can have some side-by-side battles,” he said.

Moving beyond the Alonso-Bortoleto storyline, Charles Leclerc is looking to rally Ferrari after a disappointing performance in the Australian Grand Prix. Leclerc, who finished eighth in Melbourne, is hopeful that lessons learned will yield better results in Shanghai. “We’ve learned many things since then and I’m sure that we will put all the bits together for this weekend and will do a step forward,” he said.

He acknowledged the challenges the team faced due to strategy errors during the rain-soaked race, expressing optimism about Ferrari’s performance potential ahead of the race weekend. Leclerc noted the unique demands of the Shanghai circuit, which could favor Ferrari’s design.

As the teams prepare for the race, both Alonso and Leclerc will be looking to navigate their respective challenges in pursuit of victory, making the Chinese Grand Prix an essential chapter in their 2025 campaigns.