Alonso dodged disaster with protégé Bortoleto: ‘No dinner for him!’

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Fernando Alonso dodged a high-speed disaster in last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix during a chaotic mid-field scrap in the action-packed race.

The hair-raising moment unfolded when the Aston Martin driver was nearly squeezed into the wall on the approach to Jeddah’s Turn 1 by none other than his own protégé, Gabriel Bortoleto.

The near-miss with the young Brazilian – who’s part of Alonso’s A14 Management stable – could’ve made for a very awkward flight home as the pair were travelling together.

“No Dinner for Him!” – Alonso Keeps It Light

Mid-race, Bortoleto was battling his Racing Bulls rival Liam Lawson on the run down to Turn 1, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Alonso – his mentor – was lurking on the outside as the trio barreled down into the corner.

The Spaniard, always alert, had to take evasive action to avoid a calamity.

“No, we fly together now back home – so maybe no dinner for him!” Alonso joked post-race, clearly shaken but still in good humor.

“I was surprised. I nearly crashed, which is the last thing you want, but he didn’t see me.

"So I had to avoid the corner and then I gave back quickly the position, because I didn’t want to be penalised.

“But nothing changed in the race, we both are struggling at the moment.”

It was a moment that could’ve been disastrous – not just for Alonso’s race, but for the master-and-student dynamic between the two. Luckily, both cars and egos remained intact.

“It’s Our Fault for Fighting with the Saubers”

Alonso would eventually finish a lonely 11th, just one cruel spot outside the points — and in his words, “the worst position to finish.”

“P11 is I think the maximum we could do today. Still out of the points, so in a way it’s the worst position to finish because you’re just one spot away,” he said.

“But as I said in Japan, maybe if they disqualify a few guys we’ll get some points.

“With Bortoleto, we almost crashed. I chose the outside line, it was a bit risky and he obviously didn’t see me.

“It’s no big deal. These things happen. It’s our fault for having to be fighting with the Saubers.”

Sadly, Alonso’s string of scoreless races continues, despite giving it absolutely everything behind the wheel.

“We gave it everything. That’s in our DNA always,” he said.

“Doesn’t matter if I’m fighting for the championship, a podium, or P14. It’s guaranteed that I’ll give 100 per cent always like it’s the race that decides a world championship.

“Doing 50 qualifying laps wears you down, but I don’t know how to race any other way.”

Whether it’s wheel-to-wheel with title contenders or his own protégé, Alonso’s intensity never wavers. Just don’t expect him to pick up the dinner tab for Bortoleto any time soon.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.