Fernando Alonso has leapt to the defence of Gabriel Bortoleto in the wake of criticism from Helmut Marko that he lacks speed and is a “B” rated driver.

This season six rookies will line up on the Formula 1 grid to contest their first full season in the sport, with two from Red Bull’s stable: Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar.

Is Gabriel Bortoleto only a ‘B’ grade driver?

On the list is also Bortoleto, the driver who narrowly pipped Hadjar to the 2024 Formula 2 title by 12.5 points in a championship that went down to the wire.

But while Bortoleto claimed two race wins and an additional six podiums on his way to the title, Hadjar had four wins and four podiums.

It had Marko claiming to Red Bull’s in-house station Servus TV that Hadjar was actually the better of the two F1 newcomers.

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“I would classify him as a ‘B’ driver,” he said of Bortoleto.

“He’s a very intelligent driver: he won the Formula 3 championship, but with only one win and he usually stays out of trouble. In Formula 2 he only managed two victories.

“He is a driver who brings the car home safely, has a good command of strategy and tyre management, but I don’t see that pure speed in him.”

He was more enthusiastic about Red Bull’s junior signing Hadjar, blaming his title defeat to Bortoleto on “technical failures and other problems”.

“So he is very fast,” he added. “I would say that if he continues to develop well and learn to control his emotions, he has A-level potential as well.”

However, Alonso, who manages Borotoleto through his A14 management stable, took umbrage with the Austrian’s assessment.

“I think Helmut has to defend his drivers,” said the Spaniard. “I think the facts are a little bit stronger than Helmut’s words.

“I think maybe it refers to last year’s F2 [championship] with Isack and Gabriel. They finished 1-2, they both have incredible talent, and they both are in F1, which is a great sign. Let’s see what the future brings.

“I hope for both to have a very long and successful career, but what Gabriel did, winning F3 and F2 in his rookie seasons… I think the future will tell, but I’m happy and proud of Gabriel.”

Sky F1 pundit Karun Chandhok agreed with Alonso, adamant the 20-year-old Sauber signing deserves a place on the Formula 1 grid.

“He’s the reigning F2 champion,” he said. “He deserves a seat in F1 and I think he’s done an excellent job so far.

“Looked very, very solid out there on track. You know, no headline-grabbing ties, but he’s not in a car that’s going to necessarily grab the headlines, right?

“So I think he’s done an excellent job and fully deserves his place.”

Marko’s comments were also put to Bortoleto in the build-up to the Australian Grand Prix.

Adamant that while the 81-year-old is entitled to whatever opinion he holds, the Brazilian says he will prove him wrong in time.

“I think Helmut is a guy that is for a very long time in F1,” he said. “He has put a lot of very talented drivers in F1 in the past, but he also put probably more drivers that failed to be in F1.

“I have – to be honest – respect for him, for the achievements with the drivers that he put [in F1]. Max Verstappen, for me, is one of the greatest of the sport.

“Everyone can have opinions. We live in a free world. I think he has his opinions about me. I think I proved myself to be in F1. I won F3 and F2 as a rookie.”

“I’m going to prove him wrong with time,” he continued. “It’s just a matter of time. Nothing I can say to the media right now will change his mind, because he’s just talking and talking.”

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