'Many people do not see the good side of Verstappen, he's zero fake'

The F3 champion and reigning F2 titleholder has the honor of bringing his country back to Formula 1 this year—a feat not seen since Felipe Massa in 2017—surprising many with his maturity on track, his minimal mistakes, and, above all, his speed and consistency.

After a typical learning phase, the Brazilian has raised the bar in recent races, scoring points in four of the last six weekends, including a recent eighth-place finish at Monza.

In his impressive rookie season so far, Bortoleto has frequently spoken about his friendship with Max Verstappen and how he draws valuable advice from the four-time world champion to further his development.

In an interview on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Bortoleto elaborated on his relationship with the Dutchman, starting with what kind of person he is to him: ''Straightforward, no fake, like he's zero fake. Whatever he is in front of the cameras, he's outside of the cameras.''

When asked whether their relationship would change if they found themselves battling for the championship in the near future, Bortoleto added: ''Yes, absolutely. He wouldn't give me the tips he gives probably because we are fighting, but this is normal It's our profession and that's what we do.''

Finally, Bortoleto added: ''I've known him for quite a while, but let's say we started this friendship in 2023 but I know him since 2017 in karting when I took our first picture together when I was like here and him. It was the first time I met him.''