Gabriel Bortoleto enters the 2025 Formula 1 season as one of the six rookies, off the back of winning the F2 title.
The Brazilian is hailed as one of the next future talents to keep an eye on, having gone head-to-head with Isack Hadjar for the F2 title in 2024.
Bortoleto came out on top after the Red Bull driver stalled in the final race of the season with the pair level on points, enabling him to take a lights-to-flag victory for the championship.
Despite outclassing the Red Bull-backed driver, Bortoleto has received criticism from Helmut Marko when speaking on Servus TV who referred to him as a “B-driver” and doubted his “absolute final speed” because of his lack of winning in F3.
The Brazilian responded to Marko’s comments when speaking on F1 TV: “Hearing that from Helmut, he’s a guy who has put a lot of talent in Formula 1 and has put a lot of wrong talents in F1. So, you can see he got it right and wrong, and hopefully I will prove him wrong with the time.”
F1 fans took to social media website X (formerly Twitter) to react to Bortoleto’s response, with some taking aim at Marko for his criticism.
Fans think Helmut Marko is wrong about Gabriel Bortoleto
Fans of Bortoleto were quick to rally around the Brazilian, with one fan commenting: “Firm but polite. He’s more mature with words than Dr. Helmut Marko”
Another fan felt Marko was all talk and implied that he hasn’t always delivered when it comes to scouting drivers: “Marko is mostly a talker, haha”
One fan felt that Marko was effectively distracting from the problems that could face Red Bull in Melbourne: “I’m afraid that if the RB21 becomes a cart, it will cause a headache later”
Fans were also quick to point out Bortoleto’s impressive race at the Italian GP weekend in F2, when he went from last to first and became the first driver to do so in the series history: “Gramps didn’t know bortoleto was last to first in monza in F2 last year.”
Another fan showed support for him, commenting: “Bortoleto has a mouth on him for sure… and I love that about the kid,” while another said: “He looks very much like a Formula 1 champion.”
Gabriel Bortoleto faces tough first race with Sauber
Although Bortoleto is one of the biggest talents set to make his F1 debut this year, there is no doubt that Sauber is one of the slowest teams on the grid.
F1 paddock insiders have said that nobody had a ‘good word’ to say about Sauber’s 2025 car, with a lot of ‘glum’ looking faces over the course of pre-season testing.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto? Everything you need to know
Sauber was last in the Constructors’ Championship in 2024 so they can only improve, although it did take them 23 races before they scored points.
Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg will be hopeful they can score points earlier in the season and at least reach double figures in the points standings.
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