Sauber F1 drivers saw contrasting results in Canadian GP qualifying, with Hülkenberg advancing to Q2 while Bortoleto was left disappointed.
Nico Hülkenberg set the 13th fastest time in qualifying despite a difficult start to the weekend, and he was surprised to make it into Q2 at the Canadian Grand Prix. Even better for the Sauber F1 driver, penalties for Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda will move him up to 11th on the starting grid.
“It was tricky, it’s fast here and everything happens very quickly. It’s been a tough weekend in terms of balance, at least for me. Gabriel was happier from the start. So I’m happy to be in Q2, I wasn’t expecting it and it’s good progress,” said Hülkenberg.
“We tried the usual things, trying to find the car’s optimal setup. The long runs were decent and the car is in a good position, so we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.”
Gabriel Bortoleto was expecting more and, conversely, was eliminated in Q1: “I’m quite disappointed not to get into Q2, it’s always a pleasure to make it, but sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. The field is tight and I missed it by just a few thousandths of a second.”
Starting 15th on Sunday, he remains cautious given the performance of his C45 in Montreal: “I think we’re a bit weaker than we were in Barcelona, but who knows, anything can happen in Formula 1.”
