Gabriel Bortoleto has responded to comments made by Helmut Marko, defending himself robustly. The advisor recently referred to the debuting Bortoleto as a ‘B-driver’. Despite the Brazilian’s respect for what Marko has done for Formula 1, ‘Max Verstappen is one of the greatest in the sport’, Bortoleto intends to prove the Austrian wrong on the track.
The Red Bull advisor was recently asked by ServusTV to rank this year’s rookies. The Austrian then made a number of controversial statements, labeling Jack Doohan as the worst rookie of the year, among others. Gabriel Bortoleto didn’t fare much better, being described by Marko as a ‘B-driver’.
“Helmut has been in Formula 1 for a long time. He has brought many talented drivers into the racing class, but there were even more of his drivers who failed,” Bortoleto retorts in Melbourne. “I have a lot of respect for him. For the achievements of the drivers he has brought into F1. Max Verstappen is one of the greatest in the sport for me.”
Regret
However, this does not mean that Bortoleto agrees with everything Marko says. “I think I have already proven that I belong in Formula 1. I won both the F3 and F2 championships as a rookie. I will show him that he is wrong. The only thing I can do now is to prove him wrong on the track. Hopefully, he will then realize that his opinion was wrong, and he will regret what he said.”
