F1: Hulkenberg praises Bortoleto’s season and sees crash at Interlagos as ironic
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber driver, praised Gabriel Bortoleto’s debut season in Formula 1 after the Brazilian abandoned the São Paulo GP, in Interlagos. The German classified the rookie’s year as brilliant, despite the accident on the first lap of the main race. The incident occurred when Bortoleto touched the back of Lance Stroll’s car in Bico de Pato, resulting in damage to the suspension.
The 38-year-old driver highlighted the irony of the bad moment happening at the race at his teammate’s home. Hulkenberg finished the race in ninth place and scored points for the team.
- Bortoleto started 18th after crashing in the sprint.
- Main accident damaged car suspension.
- Hulkenberg has 43 points in the championship.
⏮️ Rewind to the opening lap and Bortoleto’s agonizing exit at his home race #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/JiG8anoiFo
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 9, 2025
Praise for debut season
Hulkenberg repeated admiration for Bortoleto’s performance throughout 2025. The German mentioned consistent results in qualifying and races.
He learned from the Brazilian in team changes. Bortoleto has 19 points and occupies 19th position.
Details of the incident in Interlagos
The contact with Stroll happened at the Bico de Pato curve. Bortoleto tried to avoid contact, but skidded and hit the wall.
The car continued moving for a moment. Damage to the suspension forced the immediate abandonment.
The crash in the sprint had already compromised the preparation. Sauber did not repair the car in time for qualifying.
Veteran Fellow Review
Hulkenberg considered the error to be a fraction of a second. He believes the episode will strengthen the pilot.
The German projected future races at home for Bortoleto. The accumulated experience will help in recovery.
Main race performance
Hulkenberg crossed the line in ninth place. The score raised his position in the championship.
Sauber gained ground with the result. Bortoleto did not score any points in the stage.
Newbie Perspectives
Bortoleto faced a challenging weekend in São Paulo. The sprint crash reached 339 km/h.
The Brazilian started from the back of the grid in Sunday’s race. Hulkenberg remains optimistic about his colleague’s talent.
The German pilot highlighted mutual exchanges of knowledge. The partnership benefits both members of the team.
Reaction after abandonment
Hulkenberg spoke to the press post-race. He avoided criticism of his partner’s mistake.
The focus remained on the overall positive season. Bortoleto demonstrated potential on a variety of tracks.
