Ahead of the Formula 1 season finale weekend, Gabriel Bortoleto stated his belief that Max Verstappen has already proven himself to be the best driver in the world, and that this fact won't be altered by the outcome of the championship battle.
The four-time champion heads into the final race of the season in second place in the overall standings, trailing leader Lando Norris by 12 points. Verstappen's chances of securing a fifth consecutive title aren't particularly high, but according to Bortoleto, this won't change the fact that the Dutchman has demonstrated he is currently the best driver in Formula 1.
“What happened in Qatar last week, nobody expected it, so it’s impossible to make predictions. My opinion is that it’s very close. The gap is still 12 points, and we know that at the moment there isn’t much competition for Red Bull and McLaren. When Max wins, McLaren are usually right behind him, so it won’t be easy. The world title is for the best driver in the world, and this season Max made fewer mistakes and proved he is the best driver in the world, so in my opinion, he deserves the title. We race for ourselves, but in the race, if you get a blue flag, you don’t want to be the reason something happens. They are fighting for the title and the win; realistically, we are not involved. I can run my own race and finish in a good position without interfering,” Bortoleto explained.