Sometimes, a great feat is not required to make progress. All it takes is resilience, learning, and staying in the race. In a Bahrain Grand Prix marked by complex strategies, tire degradation, and a tight battle right from second place, the Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber chose just this path: the path of patience.
Under the lights of Sakhir, Nico Hülkenberg finished in 15th place, later promoted to 13th due to penalties for other drivers, while Gabriel Bortoleto had a more challenging Sunday, which still allowed the team to better understand the direction to take for the future.
Diverging Strategies, Same Direction: Collecting Data
The race for the two Sauber drivers took different paths. On one side, Hülkenberg had a well-managed race despite a contact in the early stages. On the other, Gabriel Bortoleto struggled with a nervous car that didn’t cooperate well in traffic.
“It was a long Sunday at the wall,” said team principal Jonathan Wheatley. “We tried different solutions, but we couldn’t give Gabriel the pace he needed to overtake. Nico, on the other hand, managed well, and thanks to some penalties for other drivers in front, he brought home a 13th place. We finished the race close to the points zone, and we now understand where we need to work.”
Nico Hülkenberg did not hide the difficulties of a weekend that was challenging from the start: “The start wasn’t great. I was pushed wide in turn 2, and from there I found myself last. We made an aggressive strategy choice, which forced us into two long stints. It was an uphill race; this circuit highlighted our weaknesses, but there are important lessons to take away.” A clear-headed Nico Hülkenberg, aware that on a single lap, the C45 has potential, but that there is still much to improve in race pace.
For Gabriel Bortoleto, the Bahrain weekend was also a difficult hurdle to overcome. “It was frustrating, especially after the Safety Car. I had medium tires against opponents on hard tires, but I still couldn’t find the grip to pass.” A complicated afternoon, but not a wasted one: “We saw some encouraging signs in race pace. We need to analyze everything carefully and be ready for Jeddah.”
Now, Focus on Saudi Arabia
The Asian triple-header is nearing its end with the stop in Jeddah. A fast, technical circuit where confidence in the package will be crucial. Sauber knows this well: the road is still long, but every kilometer, every stint, every strategic choice is a step toward something more solid. Because, sometimes, all it takes is time. And patience, as we know, is a virtue that characterizes a team that wants to grow.
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