'If Bortoleto was British he would be on the front page of every newspaper'

After years without a Brazilian driver in Formula 1, Gabriel Bortoleto—last year’s Formula 2 champion and the previous year’s Formula 3 winner—is definitely flying the green and gold flag high this season.

After a typical initial adjustment period, the Brazilian rookie has clearly stepped up his game in recent races, scoring his first F1 points in Austria with an eighth-place finish.

He then added two more points in Belgium and an impressive eight points in Hungary just last Sunday.

This recent run of form has naturally drawn attention to the young Brazilian driver, who has been managed by Fernando Alonso through his A14 management company since 2022.

The two-time world champion, who finished the race in Hungary just ahead of the Sauber driver, was full of praise for him in a post-race interview with DAZN Spain.

''The truth is that he always pushes, he doesn't make mistakes, he's always there putting pressure on you,'' Fernando said, adding that Bortoleto is ''the best rookie of this generation, I always say it — he proved it last year with equal cars.''

The Spaniard then wrapped up his assessment with a subtle dig: ''I think that if he were English or something and finished sixth with a Sauber, he'd be on the front page of every newspaper, because what he’s doing is truly exceptional. I really hope people see that.''

Although Nico Hukenberg can boast an impressive 37 points in the standings thanks to his podium at Silverstone, Bortoleto’s contributions have also played a key role in Sauber’s strong season so far.

The team currently sits seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, just one point behind Aston Martin.