Bortoleto elated with compliment from Michael Schumacher's former colleague

18:58, 10 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Gabriel Bortoleto has been turning heads in the F1 paddock with his recent sterling and consistent performances, so much so, that he was handed a 'he's the real deal' compliment from one of the most experienced personalities on the paddock.

The Sauber rookie is currently gardnering the respect of his F1 colleagues and the rest of the Formula 1 community. Consistently in the fight for Q3 and in the points as of late, Bortoleto seems to have finally taken a step forward in terms of acclimatising to the series and his C45 Sauber car, having built up his adaptation process methodically since the start of the season.

In Italy he was able to qualify P8, the position he would retain come Sunday as the flag dropped at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, adding yet another four points to his tally, as well as Sauber's.

Bortoleto reacts to Wheatley's compliment

His team boss, Jonathan Wheatley, a man with over three decades of experience in F1 said that Bortoleto 'was the real deal.' The Brazilian has now reacted to the Briton's compliment.

"What can I say? I mean, it's amazing," Bortoleto said on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

When asked if such words did anything to improve on his confidence, the Brazilian rookie answered affirmatively, highlighting the illustrious past of his Sauber team principal, who's worked alongside some of the drivers he rates the highest, and during the same period as the rookie's idol, Ayrton Senna.

"Well, definitely [it improves my confidence]. A guy that so many talents worked with, the greatest together with Senna, and Michael [Schumacher] won seven titles," Bortoleto said. "I always rate him very highly together with my idol, that is Senna. He works with the guy and then he says I'm the real deal. What can I say?

The rookie continued: "For me, it's just amazing and I still have so much to prove in Formula 1 and I want to achieve so much here.

"I want to be a champion one day and that's what I'm going to work every single day I wake up for and to hear from my boss that I'm the real deal, it's amazing. What can I say? it's great," Bortoleto concluded.

In his long tenure in F1, Wheatley has not only worked with Schumacher, but with talents such as Fernando Alonso, David Coulthard, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.