Bortoleto thrilled by Verstappen's Red Bull renewal: 'It's incredible'

Zandvoort's home hero has brought an end to the saga that dominated headlines for months, extending his commitment to Red Bull for another two seasons beyond his previous deal, which was due to expire in 2028. Should he see out the new contract in full, he would become the longest-serving driver with a single team in Formula 1 history.

Speaking to GPblog, among others, ahead of the Dutchman's home weekend, Bortoleto expressed his delight at Verstappen's decision to stay with Red Bull. The Brazilian admitted he was pleased to see his friend put an end to the speculation surrounding a possible departure, while also stressing that keeping a four-time world champion on the grid is positive for Formula 1, both in terms of entertainment and the quality of the racing.

Asked whether he had already had the chance to congratulate the Dutchman on his contract extension, the Brazilian added: "No, not yet. I saw it in the car now, literally coming here, that he renewed. So for sure, when I see him this weekend I'm gonna say so."

Among the many figures to have weighed in on Verstappen's contract extension is his former Red Bull teammate Pierre Gasly. Speaking to GPblog, among others, the Frenchman said he was not surprised by the Dutchman's decision and praised Verstappen's manager, Raymond Vermeulen, for securing what he jokingly described as a significant pay rise.

Gasly believes Verstappen remaining on the Formula 1 grid is excellent news for the sport, describing the four-time world champion as arguably the best driver of their generation. In his view, keeping a driver of Verstappen's calibre in F1 can only be a positive for everyone involved.

Asked whether it might have been more interesting to see Verstappen pursue success with another team, Gasly pointed to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton already racing for Ferrari. He instead sees Verstappen's long association with Red Bull as an appealing story in its own right, noting that he could not recall another driver spending so much time with the same team.

Gasly acknowledged that retaining Verstappen comes at a significant cost for Red Bull, but ultimately believes his continued commitment to the Austrian outfit represents positive news for Formula 1 as a whole.