Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto has credited Nico Hulkenberg for playing a significant role in his development within Formula 1, while expressing the belief that Hulkenberg never received the fair shot he deserved in his lengthy career. After more than 15 years since his debut with Williams in 2010, Hulkenberg finally achieved his first podium at the British Grand Prix, an achievement Bortoleto enthusiastically celebrated.
Hulkenberg’s Career: Strong Performances Without Podium Success
Throughout his time in Formula 1, Hulkenberg consistently delivered impressive results, often competing strongly with midfield teams, yet a spot on the podium remained elusive. His closest chance came at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, where a collision with Lewis Hamilton ended his bid for a top-three finish. During his second tenure with Force India, teammates like Sergio Perez would seize the podium moments that Hulkenberg narrowly missed out on.
Bortoleto Reflects on the Unfairness of Hulkenberg’s Career
On the Beyond the Grid podcast, Bortoleto opened up about Hulkenberg’s long wait for podium glory, emphasizing his view that the German driver’s career lacked fairness given his evident talent. He also expressed hope that his own pursuit of a podium finish would come more swiftly.
He has been in Formula 1 for 15 years. He has struggled to get a career podium first time this year. And I’m all about fairness in my life,
Bortoleto said to podcast host Tom Clarkson.
And I never thought that his career was fair because I really thought that Nico could have achieved so much more if he had the right cars and good teams behind him. And I don’t think he did.
To look at a guy like him, that won Formula 3, won Formula 2 [GP2, as-was], did an amazing job in Formula 1 and not getting a podium, I was like, ‘man, come on, this is not possible. Like, if he doesn’t get a podium, then what?’.
And then when he got a podium, I was genuinely happy because I really believed that he deserved it. It must be tough for him, even if he doesn’t say it, after 15 years trying not getting a podium.
At some point you even say, ‘I don’t care about this and I will just do my job’. But yeah, it must be tough. Hopefully I will achieve my one as soon as possible.
Sauber’s Collaborative Environment Boosts Both Drivers
Bortoleto has eagerly sought to absorb knowledge from his experienced teammate, Hulkenberg, who has welcomed this learning dynamic. Sauber’s team principal Jonathan Wheatley has repeatedly praised the partnership between the two drivers, noting it as one of the most cooperative in recent memory.
Bortoleto highlighted Hulkenberg’s precise and fast driving style, noting that his influence helped elevate his own qualifying and race performances throughout the season.
“He’s crazy fast. He pushes me a lot; I wouldn’t be at the level I am in my qualifying and in my racing right now if it was not Nico probably pushing that much,”
Bortoleto stated.
Hulkenberg’s Racing Precision and Speed Understood by Rookie
The young Sauber driver commended Hulkenberg’s ability to maintain consistent lap times with minimal mistakes, skillfully managing errors without losing excessive track time—an impressive feat in the demanding environment of Formula 1 cars.
He described Hulkenberg as the fastest teammate he has had, praising the German’s talent as both a qualifier and racer, which has been evident since his rookie season‘s pole position in Brazil.
And this doesn’t take out the qualities that he has in the racing side as well, that is quite a lot of them. It’s just nice to be able to be, you know, fighting and to be in the level I am right now and to be fighting with a guy that is so quick like this.
The Significance of Hulkenberg’s Podium and What Lies Ahead
Hulkenberg’s first podium after a prolonged wait highlights both the challenges of finding competitive opportunities in Formula 1 and the perseverance required to reach such milestones. For Bortoleto, this serves as motivation to achieve his own success sooner while continuing to learn from a driver who has consistently demonstrated speed and skill despite limited recognition on the podium.
This dynamic between Hulkenberg and Bortoleto reflects Sauber’s emerging strength and the potential for both drivers to make significant impacts in the ongoing F1 season, supported by a collaborative team environment promising further progress.
