Fans hail Alonso and Hulkenberg’s sportsmanship after Bortoleto points: “Class act”

Sauber rookie driver Gabriel Bortoleto secured his first Formula 1 points during the Austrian Grand Prix, which also marked the team’s first double-points finish of the 2025 season. As the Brazilian driver reached the milestone, his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg and his manager Fernando Alonso were quick to congratulate him after the race. 

Fans praised the camaraderie between the Sauber team-mates. “Hulkenberg is the best partner Gabi could ever have,” one fan commented on a video shared by Instagram. “Swift, humble and no stardom. Team Hulk.”

Another wrote, “Even without being my team these two have a special place in my heart. Loving watching each week get better for them.”

Bortoleto was part of an intense battle with Alonso in the closing laps of the race. Although he couldn’t get the move done, the 20-year-old driver could still focus on the positives. 

“I feel like we had a very intense battle – probably the most intense battle I have had in F1 so far,” Bortoleto said after the race. “Outside, inside, and then playing with the blue flags as well with [Lando] Norris and then Oscar [Piastri].

“It has been a crazy one, you know? Nothing to say, just a great battle and I’m glad that I’ve been able to fight with Fernando until the end of the race for these points.

“We did a great job on the pit stops, we did a great job with the strategy. I feel like we did everything that was in our hands. I just hope that we can keep this up – a weekend like this repeating every single weekend… I think we can score more points in the season and have great results.”

He couldn’t help himself from making a cheeky comment over the team radio during the cool-down lap. When his race engineer Jose Manuel Lopez suggested Alonso should pay for dinner, Bortoleto joked, “Nah, pay more than that for sure!”

“Legend always respect rookies and juniors. Class act from Fernando Alonso,” a fan reacted to Alonso congratulating the rookie driver after the race. 

“You fixed my heart with this hug, my god what a good fight, and then watching this hug and appreciation for each other omg,” another wrote.

Someone else commented, “A gentleman! You can always be competitive and a good athlete at the same time.”