Sauber eyes Qatar redemption as Gabriel Bortoleto reflects on tough races in Brazil and Las Vegas. Sauber heads to the Qatar GP aiming to recover from challenging races in Brazil and Las Vegas.

The Brazilian Sauber driver is looking to bounce back after two disappointing races, with the Constructors’ Championship still very much up for grabs.

Opposite trends

The final two rounds of the 2025 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will not only be decisive for the Drivers’ Championship but also crucial in determining the Constructors’ standings from seventh to ninth place. Haas, Aston Martin, and Sauber are separated by just five points, meaning the outcomes of these races could shift millions of dollars in prize money.

Sauber arrives in Qatar riding the momentum of four consecutive Grand Prix where their car scored points. However, 12 of the last 13 points collected by the Swiss team—which will become Audi next year—are thanks to Nico Hulkenberg. The experienced German driver is currently outpacing his young teammate Gabriel Bortoleto, who has made several avoidable mistakes both in his home race in Brazil and in Las Vegas.

The drivers’ words

“It’s great to return to familiar ground this weekend, a track I’ve raced on before and where I’ve had strong results,” said Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of the Qatar GP. “I had a couple of difficult races in Brazil and Las Vegas, so I’m really looking forward to starting fresh and getting back on track for the last two rounds of the season. We see the potential in the car and know we can be competitive in every race if we manage the weekend well, so that has to be our goal. We’ll have two opportunities to do well in the Sprint and the main race, so it’s up to us to make the most of them.” – the Brazilian pointed out at the end of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

In contrast, Nico Hulkenberg approaches these final races with a different mindset: for him, the focus is not on redemption, but on consolidation. “We’ve had a series of positive results recently, and I want to carry this form into Lusail,” said the German driver. “The Sprint race always makes the weekend very intense, with less time to get everything perfectly dialed in. If we continue to work cleanly and make the most of every opportunity, we can keep building on the momentum we’ve created lately.”

With the future Audi works team still fighting to climb the midfield order in its final season under the Sauber name, both drivers know the pressure is on to deliver points – and pride – before the curtain falls on 2025.