Hulkenberg: 'Sheet of paper' gap in scary Bortoleto near-miss

Nico Hulkenberg says a mix of luck and judgement saved him from a disastrous collision with Audi team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto in the Dutch Grand Prix. Bortoleto spun in the damp banked final corner and stopped mid-track, with Hulkenberg swerving past by a "sheet of paper."

Why it matters:

The near-miss could have wiped out both Audis and ended a promising points streak. Hulkenberg went on to finish eighth, giving Audi its fourth consecutive points-scoring weekend and preserving valuable momentum.

The details:

• With the track dry enough for slicks, the final banked corner remained wet from a pre-race shower. Max Verstappen crashed there on lap one, prompting Bortoleto to spin 360 degrees and stall in the middle of the track.
• Hulkenberg hesitated before darting left, missing his team-mate by the smallest of margins.
• "It was scary, sketchy," Hulkenberg said. "A good portion of luck not to hit each other there, but that was too close for comfort."
• Racing director Allan McNish, watching both onboards, called it "a bit too much Days of Thunder for my heart." He praised Bortoleto's "bloody good save" to keep the car off the wall.
• McNish highlighted the role of instinct: "Some people have got it and some people don't."

The big picture:

Audi has become a consistent midfield scorer, but this incident shows how quickly a strong weekend can turn into a double DNF. With Monza next, the team needs cleaner races.

What's next:

Hulkenberg and Bortoleto will aim to keep the points coming, but the near-miss is a reminder of F1's fine margins. Audi will likely review the moment to improve communication in mixed conditions.