What Formula 1 driver Nico Hülkenberg thinks of his Sauber teammate Gabriel Bortoleto and how satisfied team boss Jonathan Wheatley is
Nico Hülkenberg sees “good chances” for a “long and successful career” for his Sauber teammate Gabriel Bortoleto. That’s because he’s seen enough in the first six months of working together: the young Brazilian has what it takes to shine in Formula 1.
“If he continues to approach things the way he is now – with this attitude, this mentality, his speed, simply everything – and if he continues to learn so quickly, then he will have a good time,” says Hülkenberg.
In any case, Bortoleto’s form curve speaks for itself: since Monaco, he has consistently finished 14th or higher in the races. In Austria, he scored his first World Championship points in eighth place.
The Brazilian is also doing well in the team duel against Hülkenberg: The qualifying score is currently 6:6, after Bortoleto had fallen clearly behind 1:4 at the start of the season. Since Miami, however, Bortoleto has only lost two qualifying duels against Hülkenberg.
Only the points tally so far and the comparison in the races clearly favor Hülkenberg: he has had the better results in eight of the twelve Grands Prix, with third place at Silverstone as the highlight.
Where Bortoleto himself sees room for improvement
So where does Bortoleto himself see the most room for improvement? He points to Hülkenberg and says: “I think Nico does a very good job in the races, especially when it comes to getting into a good position at the start. We always start very close together, but even two places difference at the start have a significant impact on the overall picture of the race.”
“Sometimes I also feel that he has a better overview of the race than I do at that moment – what’s happening around him, what strategy he’s pursuing, or how he’s pushing or not pushing at the start of the race to save the tires.”
These are “things that come with experience,” says Bortoleto, and with over 200 races under his belt, Hülkenberg is one of the most experienced drivers on the 2025 Formula 1 grid.
Bortoleto admits that he makes certain “beginner’s mistakes,” saying, “Sometimes you can only learn by making mistakes. But so far, I’m pretty satisfied. I think I’m already getting a lot out of the car on one lap. And now we’re also making the leap in the right direction in terms of race pace.”
Team boss Wheatley’s interim conclusion
Sauber team boss Jonathan Wheatley agrees. He is enthusiastic about his driver: “Gabi is very close. He is learning and developing. His confidence is growing. I am really very happy with his progress.”
It was only at Silverstone that Bortoleto impressed again in collaboration with the engineers, says Wheatley, praising the “very good feedback” from the Formula 1 rookie.
Team boss Wheatley also has nothing but praise for Hülkenberg: “I’ve been following his career for a long time. I have to say that working with him is a real pleasure. His professionalism and how he approaches a race weekend is very thoughtful.” Wheatley adds that Hülkenberg simply has “the whole package.”
This is now also evident on the race track: “Nico seems to be really enjoying the upgrades to the car. He feels comfortable at Sauber at the moment – and he’s delivering.”
Hülkenberg: Sauber is like Haas, only better
One of Hülkenberg’s secrets to success is that he didn’t have to make any major adjustments at Sauber, the future Audi works team. The day-to-day business at the racing team in Hinwil, Switzerland, is “no different” from the approach at Haas, Hülkenberg’s previous team. That made the switch easier for him.
However, at Sauber, Hülkenberg benefits from better infrastructure. “At Haas, we didn’t have a simulator, but at Sauber and Audi we do now. They definitely do more in that regard – both in preparation and follow-up. But otherwise, as I said, in the actual business, at work, on the job – it’s the same.”
