Nico Hulkenberg has analyzed his recovery in his Formula 1 qualifying performance, after being overtaken by Gabriel Bortoleto in fast laps for much of the season. The 37-year-old German has returned to prominence in the latest stages, regaining ground in an internal duel that has been attracting attention since the beginning of the year.
The dispute between the two Sauber drivers has fluctuated throughout the season. Hulkenberg started the championship with an advantage, opening 4 to 2 over his teammate in the first six stages. This was the expected scenario, given that the German brought experience and a consolidated history in qualifications, while Bortoleto was still adapting to the elite of motorsport.
However, according to Hulkenberg himself, a combination of a decline in performance in fast laps and Bortoleto’s natural evolution allowed the Brazilian to take control of the dispute in the middle of the season. When the calendar left Europe, the Brazilian had turned the game around and was winning 11 to 6 in the qualifying scoreboard.
The tide changed again in the last four stages before the São Paulo GP, with Hulkenberg surpassing Bortoleto in all of them, including the weekend in Interlagos. Still, the Brazilian remains ahead 11 to 10 in the direct confrontation.
In conversation with journalists, including the RacingNews365 portal, Hulkenberg was humorous in explaining what changed. “I simply put my head in place and went on,” he joked. The German highlighted that good and bad phases are part of the sport. “Sometimes you have a positive dynamic, and sometimes you don’t. In the summer, especially, there was a more difficult period. But we continued working, insisting, seeking to improve.”
The numbers show how tight the dispute is. Considering only the raw time of lap in qualifying, Bortoleto maintains a minimum advantage of 0.014s over Hulkenberg throughout the season. The German lived one of his best moments at the US GP, when he qualified fourth for the Sprint and ended up being hit still in the first curve.
Despite the frustration, he recovered in the main race and finished eighth, scoring four points, his first since the podium at the British GP, the first of his career in Formula 1. Then, the German obtained another consistent result, finishing ninth at the São Paulo GP.
Hulkenberg stated that the recovery in qualifying is mainly linked to the relationship with the car. “I feel that the connection and understanding with the car are better now than in the middle of the year,” he explained. “This is part of the development process, and the most recent results are a reflection of this.”
The internal dispute between Hulkenberg and Bortoleto is one of the most balanced of the season and gains even more relevance considering the moment of Sauber, in technical and sports transition before the arrival of Audi in 2026. For Bortoleto, the debut year is already marked by important points, good performances, and a clear learning curve. For Hulkenberg, the recent results reinforce that his competitiveness remains intact, especially in fast laps.
