Hulkenberg Praises 'Machine-Like' Bortoleto After Strong Monza Qualifying

Bortoleto's Stellar Monza Qualifying Earns Teammate's Acclaim

Gabriel Bortoleto delivered another standout performance in Monza, securing an impressive seventh place on the grid for Sauber, drawing high praise from his experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg. This marks Bortoleto's tenth time out-qualifying Hulkenberg this season, highlighting his rapid ascent in Formula 1.

Why it matters

Bortoleto's consistent strong qualifying results, particularly as a rookie, are crucial for Sauber. Securing a P7 grid slot in the highly competitive midfield demonstrates the team's potential and Bortoleto's capability to consistently extract performance from the car. His head-to-head qualifying record against a veteran like Hulkenberg underscores his talent and future prospects in F1.

The details

• Monza P7: Bortoleto qualified seventh, equaling his best qualifying result of the season.
• Hulkenberg's praise: Following qualifying, Nico Hulkenberg lauded Bortoleto, describing him as "a machine" who "produces laps like a printer that never runs out of ink." He further noted Bortoleto's ability to consistently deliver strong laps with "hardly any mistakes, even for a rookie."
• Bortoleto's response: Bortoleto expressed gratitude for Hulkenberg's words, acknowledging that he had always admired his teammate's speed. He admitted that he anticipated a challenging year as Hulkenberg's teammate, pushing him to elevate his own performance.
• Close battle: Despite Bortoleto's superior qualifying record (10-6), both drivers acknowledge the narrow performance gap, attributing differences to the extremely tight midfield where "every millisecond you find can put you out or in."

What's next

With a strong P7 start, Gabriel Bortoleto will aim to convert his qualifying success into valuable points for Sauber in tomorrow's race. His performance continues to build momentum for his rookie season and strengthens his position within the team.