The 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit featured a tense moment between veteran driver Fernando Alonso and his protégé, rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. Both drivers narrowly avoided a high-speed collision, highlighting the challenges faced by their respective teams, Aston Martin and Kick Sauber, during a difficult weekend.
A Close Call Between Mentor and Protégé
On lap 25, as Bortoleto battled with Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson for 15th place, he veered right after being overtaken, inadvertently moving into Alonso’s path. Alonso had to take evasive action to avoid a collision, later accusing Bortoleto of moving under braking—a serious offense in Formula 1. Bortoleto explained post-race that he “didn’t see” Alonso and was unaware of his position on the track. He stated, “I knew there was another guy and just a guy behind me, and as soon as the guy behind me overtook, I tried to open the corner and Fernando was there”.
Alonso’s Reaction
Alonso, who manages Bortoleto, responded with a mix of frustration and humor. He remarked, “I had to avoid him, otherwise we would have crashed. I returned the position because I didn’t want a penalty. It didn’t change anything in the race; at that moment, we were both suffering. We’ll fly home together now… maybe he’ll go without dinner”.
Team Performances
Both Aston Martin and Kick Sauber struggled throughout the weekend. Alonso finished 11th, narrowly missing out on points, while teammate Lance Stroll came in 16th. Bortoleto finished 18th, last among the classified runners, and his teammate Nico Hülkenberg placed 15th.
Alonso expressed his disappointment, stating, “It has been very painful, sad… We are in another race compared to the Racing Bulls. At the beginning, we stayed in the DRS train, then we had a good strategy, and in the end, Liam (Lawson) had a ten-second penalty. We continue to take advantage of others’ mistakes, penalties, the accident of Yuki (Tsunoda) and Gasly. If not, we would be 13th instead of 11th”.
Bortoleto acknowledged the challenges faced by Kick Sauber, noting that aggressive qualifying strategies and tire choices left him with limited options during the race. He admitted, “I had only one set of hards and one set of mediums, ended up using both of them and didn’t have any spare tyres to pit at the end and add some pace. I had no more tyres at the end of the race. I was completely gone”.
Looking Ahead
The incident between Alonso and Bortoleto underscores the complexities of mentor-protégé relationships in the high-stakes world of Formula 1. Both drivers and their teams will be looking to regroup and improve their performances in the upcoming races.
As the season progresses, the dynamics between experienced drivers and emerging talents will continue to shape the narrative of the championship.
