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Gabriel Bortoleto has pushed back against a growing narrative that Formula 1's new regulations are slowing elite drivers like Max Verstappen, arguing that the evidence simply does not support the claim. Speaking to international media in Hungary, the Audi driver and close friend of Verstappen insisted the Dutchman, alongside other top performers, remains as competitive as ever despite a frustrating 2025 season.
Verstappen has endured a difficult campaign by his own standards. The four-time world champion has struggled with his Red Bull package and openly criticised the current regulations, at one point suggesting he might walk away from the sport if changes were not made. That frustration has fuelled a theory in some quarters that the rules favour emerging talents like Andrea Kimi Antonelli over established stars.
Bortoleto challenges the narrative
Bortoleto, who has developed a strong rapport with Verstappen, rejected the premise outright. "Do you see Max being slow? Do you see a seven-time world champion being slow? Do you see Leclerc being slow?" the Brazilian asked. "I don't see that. I see them still being very competitive."
His point is straightforward: the grid hierarchy has not inverted. Verstappen continues to extract performance from a car widely regarded as underperforming. Charles Leclerc remains a frontrunner when Ferrari give him the tools. Lewis Hamilton, now in his second season with Ferrari, has arguably improved on his 2024 form. The idea that the regulations have neutered elite talent does not hold up under scrutiny.
Performance under pressure
Bortoleto went further, citing Hamilton's resurgence and Lando Norris's continued pace when reliability allows. "Max is still performing at an incredibly high level and putting that car at the front time and again," he said. "Lando, the reigning world champion, is still fast when his car doesn't let him down. That's just the reality."
The Audi driver's defence of Verstappen and his peers carries weight precisely because it avoids hyperbole. He is not claiming Verstappen is unaffected by machinery limitations, but rather that talent remains the differentiating factor. Slow drivers from last season have not suddenly become fast, and fast drivers have not become slow.
The broader context
Bortoleto's comments arrive at a moment when Verstappen's future has been the subject of intense speculation. The Dutchman's public complaints about the regulations and his car's form have prompted questions about his commitment beyond 2026. Yet his on-track performances suggest little has changed in terms of raw ability. Red Bull's struggles are mechanical and strategic, not driver-related.
The narrative Bortoleto is challenging speaks to a wider anxiety in Formula 1 circles about whether the sport's regulatory philosophy is undermining driver skill. Bortoleto's view is that the answer remains no. "In the end, it's still just racing," he said. For Verstappen, that may be cold comfort in a season defined by underperformance relative to expectation, but it does suggest the fundamentals of his talent remain intact.
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