Formula 1 drivers must stay in peak physical fitness to ensure they are getting the best out of themselves during a race.
This usually favours the younger drivers rather than the older ones on the grid, but even Lewis Hamilton has proved that at the age of 40 years old, a driver can still be at their peak of what is possible.
The 2025 season sees six rookies making their full-time debut, with young drivers including Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman, Isack Hadjar and Gabriele Bortoleto coming up from competing Formula 2.
Discussing which driver he takes the most inspiration from in an interview with UOL Esporte, Bortoleto gave a surprise answer for which driver he felt is the most fit on the grid.
Gabriel Bortoleto explains why he admires Fernando Alonso the most
Fernando Alonso is the oldest driver on the grid at 43 years old and is set to reach 45 years old when his current contract with Aston Martin comes to an end in 2026.
The Spaniard is seen constantly in the gym in between race weekends, having also spent a lot of his pre-season preparing in Dubai, and Bortoleto believes he is the fittest driver on the grid.
“I have dedicated myself a lot to the gym. I think this is extremely important in Formula 1. The physical part is that you are prepared; you are strong enough to get into the car and not make any mistakes,” said Bortoleto.
“It is extremely important. Fernando [Alonso] takes things to the end, he really is a guy who it a certain age, but has been there for many years. He is ones of the guys I admire the most in terms of physique. He has one of the best physiques in F1. He always keeps his head in the game.”
Gabriel Bortoleto faces ‘difficult’ F1 rookie season with Sauber
Bortoleto has one of the most difficult seats out of all the rookies in 2025, given he is joining the team that finished last in the championship last year.
Sauber has made little gains since the current regulation was introduced in 2022, with them scoring a total of just 75 points over the course of the last three years.
READ MORE: Gabriel Bortoleto told he must copy key Ayrton Senna behaviour during his debut F1 season with Sauber
The team has likely switched focus to all their efforts on the 2026 season, when there is a completely new regulation set coming into play.
Sauber will also be under the complete ownership of Audi, who are coming in with their own power units and plan to open up an operations base in the UK to compete with the biggest teams on the grid.
