Monza delivered a bittersweet weekend for Sauber: Gabriel Bortoleto achieved an impressive eighth place, continuing his positive momentum, while Nico Hulkenberg was forced to retire before the race even began.
A hydraulic issue during the formation lap ended Hulkenberg’s hopes of double points, forcing the German driver to return to the pits. Bortoleto’s result helped the team close the gap with Racing Bulls in the Constructors’ Championship battle.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to balance the work of both drivers when facing a situation like today, with Nico forced to stop due to a hydraulic problem that prevented him from starting. It’s something we need to fully understand and resolve,” said Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal of the team.
“On the other hand, Gabriel delivered a fantastic performance. He showed pace and composure every lap, and although it would have been difficult to keep Albon behind on the new medium tires, being stuck behind Gasly for a couple of laps at the end made the difference. There is nothing to take away from Gabriel’s driving: he scored valuable points, reduced the gap to the team ahead, and can gain a lot of confidence from his weekend. Overall, the performance gives us real encouragement as we rebuild, refocus, and push forward toward the extra-European races,” he added.
The frustration of Nico Hulkenberg
“Obviously, it is extremely frustrating not even being able to start. We had hydraulic issues that forced us to retire during the formation lap, which we now need to analyze and fully understand. That said, we clearly saw that the car is competitive, which is encouraging. Monza is always a difficult track to overtake on, so it’s hard to say where we would have finished today. The positive side is that it was a good weekend for Gabi, who scored valuable points for the team.”
The excitement of Bortoleto
“We had a very solid race, with good calls and a strong strategy. My pit stop was a bit slow, but that was also my fault, as I probably arrived a little too late at the box, which certainly didn’t help,” he said.
“Overall, I’m happy to have finished eighth and back in the points: this is important for the Constructors’ Championship as well. Of course, I am even more motivated to do better, but I believe this was the maximum we could achieve this weekend: it was consistent and productive, and a good way to close the European leg of the season,” he concluded.
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