Sauber have a blend of youth and experience in their 2025 driver line-up with rookie Gabriel Bortoleto beside one of the most experienced men in F1 in Nico Hulkenberg.
Only Fernando Alonso (403) and Lewis Hamilton (358) have entered more Grands Prix so far than Hulkenberg (229). In contrast, Bortoleto is two rounds into his Formula 1 career, having signed a two-year factory Audi contract for the 20-year-old to join Sauber for his debut year.
Bortoleto ultimately stepped up to F1 as the 2023 Formula 3 and 2024 Formula 2 champion after winning each feeder series title in his rookie seasons. But it has not been a great start, with the Brazilian crashing out of the Australian Grand Prix and only managing P14 in China.
Gabriel Bortoleto rates Nico Hulkenberg as ‘one of the fastest’ Formula 1 drivers
Sauber saw Bortoleto crash out on his debut in Australia after losing control shortly after he pitted for intermediate tyres in the late rain. The Sao Paulo native’s hopes in Shanghai were also derailed early after Bortoleto span on the opening lap of the Chinese GP and had to pit.
Having such an experienced teammate is now a huge benefit for Bortoleto with the 37-year-old trying to help his rookie partner improve. Working closely with the German, who scored pole position for the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix as a rookie, has also shaped Bortoleto’s view.
READ MORE: Who is 2025 Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto? Everything you need to know
Hulkenberg scored his sole pole in Formula 1 so far in Sao Paulo with Williams. Yet Bortoleto feels his Sauber teammate is ‘without a doubt’ one of the quickest drivers on the 2025 grid. He is also adamant that Hulkenberg has the skill to win races, as he still seeks a first podium.
Bortoleto told Automoto.it: “He is a very good person [and] he has been helping me a lot in these months. He is, without a doubt, one of the fastest drivers on the grid. For me, it is a privilege to have him as a teammate and to be able to learn from him.
“We are at different moments in our careers. Nico has nothing to prove, his ability is clear. Unfortunately, he has not had the right opportunity to win, but he has the talent to do so. He has the experience to help me lead the team in the right direction.”
Guenther Steiner thinks Nico Hulkenberg is ‘one of the best’ qualifiers in Formula 1
Bortoleto is not the first person to suggest that Hulkenberg is one of the fastest drivers in F1 if not the best qualifier on the grid. Guenther Steiner, who hired the German for Haas ahead of the 2023 season, also hailed his expertise at extracting a car’s potential during a push lap.
Steiner called Hulkenberg ‘one of the best qualifiers if not the best’ last year after he bagged P10 on the grid for the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. Also, American engineer Gary Gannon feels the Sauber star’s ability to extract a car’s qualifying potential is Hulkenberg’s ‘natural ability’.
Gannon – who was Hulkenberg’s race engineer at Haas last year and is now Lance Stroll’s at Aston Martin – explained that why the German is often so strong in qualifying is that he can find a car’s peak performance quicker and tends to make fewer mistakes amid a flat-out lap.
