Bortoleto on Verstappen's Nürburgring 24H: 'He Was Going to Win'

Gabriel Bortoleto spent much of last weekend glued to the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, cheering on close friend Max Verstappen. The four-time world champion looked set for victory until a technical issue struck, handing the win to another team. Bortoleto was impressed by Verstappen's pace and flexibility, and admitted he would love to tackle the Nordschleife himself one day — once his F1 career allows it.

Why it matters:

The growing interest of young F1 drivers like Bortoleto and Kimi Antonelli in endurance racing signals a shift toward cross-series versatility. Verstappen's near-win at such a demanding circuit reinforces his reputation as one of the most complete drivers in motorsport, and could further accelerate the trend of F1 stars exploring other disciplines.

The Details:

• Bortoleto watched most of the race, even segments when Verstappen wasn't behind the wheel. He noted the strong performance of Verstappen's teammates, including Dani Juncadella.
• The Brazilian rookie is fully focused on his first F1 season with Audi (Sauber), but said: "Right now my focus is fully on Formula 1, but in many years I would definitely love to race there."
• Endurance connections: Bortoleto’s teammate Nico Hülkenberg has extensive Le Mans experience, mentor Fernando Alonso is a two-time Le Mans winner, and Verstappen has openly considered a future campaign at La Sarthe.
• Ford is especially keen to attract Verstappen, hoping its Hypercar program and Mustang GT3 Evo will tempt the Dutchman to race at the Nürburgring or Le Mans in the coming years.

What's next:

Bortoleto now heads to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, but will also keep an eye on the Indy 500 on May 24, 2026. He is rooting for Caio Collet and Hélio Castroneves, who is chasing a record fifth Indy 500 victory. "It would be amazing," Bortoleto said. For now, though, his priority remains making his mark in F1 before any endurance ambitions materialize.