Fernando Alonso described Gabriel Bortoleto’s form as “outstanding” this season after the rookie scored the first points of his career at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Bortoleto is one of the drivers who comes under Alonso’s management umbrella, and was chasing the two-time world champion for seventh place in the closing stages of the race at the Red Bull Ring. Although Alonso held on, he said the Brazilian has deserved points on a number of occasions this year and got the return that his performances have deserved.
“It was very special, I think, for everyone in the group of Gabriel,” Alonso said. “I think he has been outstanding this year, this weekend especially has been incredible, but for one reason or another, [Nico] Hulkenberg always scored the points on Sundays.
“So this was maybe not fair in Gabriel’s head, sometimes, so it’s good that he unlocked now this [feeling], and hopefully the first of many po ints in Formula 1.”
The 20-year-old says he will take heart from achieving the milestone but says he has much bigger ambitions for his Formula 1 career than top ten finishes.
“Obviously it’s a big thing and it’s a lot of confidence that you get by doing this,” Bortoleto said. “But it’s not that I [was worried] – I knew at some point I could score points, I just needed to be in the right position and getting the luck on my side as well and we did it. But the biggest target here is one day to win races and to be fighting for championships, so we have it very clear what we need to do.”
Bortoleto believes he can learn from Alonso’s driving when he takes the time to review it, as he felt the Spaniard’s experience was a clear advantage in their battle in the closing stages.
“That’s a study you should have when you’re at home relaxing and you go on the onboard of the guy and you check every single line, the way he looks at the mirror, the way he brakes to get the DRS in the right position.
“That’s not something you can [do in the moment] – you’re focused on trying to overtake and I feel like I’ve been a young boy trying to get his first points and the guy was just like relaxed there trying to just defend and he knew exactly what he was doing.
“He was under control of the race there and he had worse tires and he still managed to keep me behind for two laps, so that was a very good job from him.”
