Hülkenberg Explains Qualifying Struggles After Sixth Straight Defeat to Bortoleto

Nico Hülkenberg is experiencing a challenging period in qualifying, having been outperformed by rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto for the sixth consecutive time. Despite his extensive experience and ability to deliver strong race performances, Hülkenberg's historical strength in single-lap pace is now becoming a weakness this season.

Why it matters

Hülkenberg's struggles in qualifying are allowing Bortoleto to establish dominance within the team, impacting Hülkenberg's starting positions and overall weekend performance. This trend could influence perceptions of the veteran driver as the rookie continues to impress.

The details

• Qualifying Record: Hülkenberg has now lost the internal team battle to Bortoleto for six consecutive races, putting him 6-9 down in the season's qualifying standings.
• Monza Performance: At the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Hülkenberg qualified 12th – his second-best result of the year. However, Bortoleto advanced to Q3, showcasing the rookie's rapidly improving pace.
• Rookie Praise: Ex-Williams team principal Jost Capito even hailed Bortoleto as the "best rookie of the season" over the weekend.
• Historical Context: Throughout his long F1 career, Hülkenberg has rarely been out-qualified by a teammate over a full season, only twice before: against Rubens Barrichello in his debut 2010 season and Daniel Ricciardo in 2019.

Hülkenberg's take

Hülkenberg explained his difficulties to Sky, stating: "It's not running as smoothly and simply as in the two years with Haas and in the past. At the end of the day, it's a feeling: there's a bit of a lack of harmony at the limit with the car and the rhythm." He added that the Sauber car remains "relatively difficult to drive" with "partially unpredictable behavior," which erodes his fundamental confidence and creates the small margins of one or two tenths.

What's next

The 38-year-old is determined to improve his Saturday performance. "It's still a process we're working on, what we want to improve and iron out," Hülkenberg affirmed. He believes the car's potential hasn't been fully utilized this year, a gap they managed to close in the mid-season but have struggled with in recent races, especially when lacking pace on Sunday.