Gabriel Bortoleto started the Formula 1 weekend in the Netherlands with a positive result for Audi. The Brazilian advanced to Q3 of the Sprint qualifying and secured ninth position on the starting grid for the short race on Saturday.
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The performance maintained the progress shown by the Brazilian driver since TL1, when he also finished ninth. According to Allan McNish, Audi’s competition director, the car showed competitiveness from the start, while Nico Hulkenberg faced a drop in performance in the qualifying session and ended up in 14th place.
“We had a competitive car from the start in free practice, throughout the session and with both tires we used. In the end, Gabi managed to reach SQ3 and qualify ninth, which is a good start for the weekend,” McNish said.
Hulkenberg had finished TL1 in seventh position but could not repeat the performance in Sprint qualifying: “In TL1, I had a good feeling with the car and we seemed to be in a positive position. In Sprint qualifying, however, the feeling was different and I didn’t have the same level of grip, which made it difficult to find the same operating window as in the morning. We will analyze what changed between the two sessions,” said the German driver.
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Bortoleto highlighted the work done after TL1 and now aims for a points fight in the Sprint race: “It’s good to come back after the break with a strong result, but we know it’s just the start of the weekend. TL1 was already encouraging, and after some adjustments, we took another step in Sprint qualifying,” he added.
The Brazilian acknowledged that there are still points to improve, especially given the progress of competitors and the rapid changes in weather. For McNish, the Sprint race will also be important to understand Hulkenberg’s problems and prepare the team for the rest of the weekend.
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