Gabriel Bortoleto secured the 12th starting position in the first Spanish Grand Prix of Formula 1 in Madring. This Saturday (12), the Brazilian set a time of 1min33s388 to start from the sixth row.
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For the qualifying session in the Spanish capital, the heat and sun remained strong. The thermometer showed 30°C, while the asphalt reached 53°C, humidity was at 18%, and the wind was blowing at 6.8km/h.
Timer started in Spain and drivers on track. For Q1, competitors have 18 minutes to set their fast laps and place themselves in the top 16 – Bortoleto stayed in the pits in the first moments but soon went out using soft tires.
When the Audi driver completed his first fast lap, he placed second but soon dropped to fourth. The time was 1min33s986, then he went back to the pits – Nico Hülkenberg was ninth at this moment.
As the session progressed, Gabriel remained outside the cut-off zone. With five minutes to go, he was inside the top 10, still with his first recorded time.
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First phase of qualifying ended and Bortoleto managed to advance to Q2 without problems. Hülkenberg also advanced in the classification in Madring, in 14th place on the table.
Green flag and the second phase of qualifying started. Once again, Bortoleto did not take long to leave the Audi pits and as soon as he finished his first fast lap, he was 11th with 1min33s798, 1.241 seconds behind Max Verstappen, the current leader.
With two minutes remaining before the checkered flag, the Brazilian was in the cut-off zone, 0.210 seconds behind Arvid Lindblad, the tenth placed and last qualifier for Q3.
In his last attempt, the driver could not improve his time enough to place among the top ten fastest and will start from 12th position in the Spanish Grand Prix of Formula 1 in Madring.
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