Mentor Alonso has no doubt about rising star: ‘He’s the best of this generation’

Recently, many young drivers were given the opportunities in F1. Kimi Antonelli could claim his first podium finish in Canada, while Isack Hadjar is impressing in the Racing Bulls car.

Talking to GPblog among others, the two-time world champion was clear about who he believes the best one is: Bortoleto.

"No testing with older versions of cars, no TPC programmes, no nothing. Coming to Formula 1, still delivering an incredible job," he continued to praise his pupil.

Therefore, he is confident at the end of the day, he will have more to show for than the current rookies. "Some others, they have maybe better packages and things like that, maybe some others will achieve success before he does, but eventually over the long term he will always come as the best of this generation. Proof [is] when the cars were all the same in the previous categories."

The two also had a tough but fair battle at the Austrian Grand Prix, where Alonso finished in P7 just ahead of the Brazilian. These were his first ever points in the competition as well.

Alonso also acknowledged he got lucky with some blue flags on the final lap. "So far it's an incredible job what he's doing, but he's still behind me," he said.

Asked whether he is still the driver with the best racecraft, he answered: "I was. Now I don’t know," the Aston Martin man laughed.