The Grand Prix of Zandvoort was one to forget for the Sauber team. Drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto finished in fourteenth and fifteenth place respectively. Both were clear afterwards: there was more potential this weekend.
On Saturday, Hülkenberg already stranded in Q1 and had to settle for P17. Teammate Gabriel Bortoleto did manage to break through to Q2 and eventually qualified as thirteenth. But on Sunday, that effort was undone. At the start of the race, the Brazilian immediately lost six positions and came out of turn 1 in nineteenth place. In lap 3, he also suffered damage to his front wing after contact with Lance Stroll, making his race look like a lost battle early on.
Sauber Drivers Unsatisfied
Both drivers spoke after the race about missed opportunities on a circuit where the team was hoping for more. “It feels like the start today was the most important event,” Bortoleto told F1TV. “It’s a shame, because we started from a good starting position and saw that today’s race was one of the races where you can’t miss any opportunities – and we lost all opportunities.” “It feels like a waste, like a day full of missed opportunities. Especially when you see what some competitors achieved today,” Nico Hülkenberg added.
It was a tough day for the Sauber team. But Hülkenberg certainly does not give up hope: “Setbacks are part of the sport, but we get up and continue in a few days.”
