Hulkenberg navigates through the wet practice session in Zandvoort, aiming for a top position on the starting grid.
Sauber Drivers Battle it Out in Qualifying at Zandvoort
Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, the Sauber drivers, faced off in a tight battle during the qualifying session at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. Despite Hülkenberg's best efforts, Bortoleto secured the upper hand, finishing in the 8th position, while Hülkenberg ended up in 12th.
Hülkenberg's struggles were evident in specific corners, particularly Turn 3 and Turn 13, where he lost time to Bortoleto. The German driver admitted that the car might be more sensitive to the wind at Zandvoort and Silverstone, two tracks known for their gusty conditions.
Bortoleto, who had less control over the balance of his car during the qualifying session compared to previous sessions, agreed with Hülkenberg's speculation. He hopes to have some outsider chances for points from P13 at Zandvoort.
In his analysis of the qualifying session, Hülkenberg stated that he did not improve his times. He lost a tenth of a second to Bortoleto in both the overbraking Hugenholtzbocht and into the first part of the last corner. Hülkenberg also mentioned that he did not have control over the balance of his car during the session.
This was Hülkenberg's fifth consecutive qualifying defeat, four of which ended in Q1. Bortoleto, on the other hand, made it to Q3 three times in his winning streak against Hülkenberg, but failed to do so at Zandvoort and Silverstone.
Despite the difficulties, Bortoleto did not have the best car at Zandvoort. He secured the 13th starting position, just scraping through to Q2. Hülkenberg, who ended up in the 17th position in the qualifying session, expressed that he is not satisfied with his performance, but is determined to make the best of the situation in qualifying.
Bortoleto had less trust in the car at Zandvoort compared to Budapest. However, he achieved the fastest starting position for Sauber in the qualifying at Zandvoort, securing 8th place on the grid. Nico Hülkenberg was close behind in 12th place for Sauber.
As the Dutch Grand Prix approaches, both drivers will be looking to improve their performances and climb up the leaderboard. The race promises to be an exciting one, with close battles expected between the Sauber drivers and their competitors.
