Sauber qualified in Q2 for the Miami Grand Prix thanks to an excellent performance by Gabriel Bortoleto at Hard Rock Stadium, signing the 13th best time of the session.
After a busy day, marked by conditions alternating between a heavy rain at the start of the sprint and a sun and intense heat for qualifying, the team ended in style and prepared for a race that promises to be exciting tomorrow.
“I am really happy to be back in Q2 with a solid performance after difficult sleeves where I could not show all our potential, but there is still a touch of frustration because I think we had a chance to be even more efficient, maybe even in Q3.”
“Today, I had the impression of having taken a step forward: the team did an excellent job with the car, I felt at ease and I was able to gain confidence throughout the session, relay after relay. My second quick round in Q1 was probably my best tour of the weekend; the car was in the ideal window. I made a little error on my last run in Q2, but nobody ever realizes a perfect tour here.”
-“Overall, it was a good job. More importantly, I think we have managed to do everything in qualifying and demonstrate our rhythm, which we have failed to do regularly this season. Succeeding today and showing what the team, the car and I are capable of means a lot. Now, the goal is set over tomorrow: leaving 13th, with a risk of rain and some probable surprises, everything has been possible. Grille, so we will give everything tomorrow and aim for a good result. “
On the other side of the garage, Nico Hulkenberg also came close to the Q2, but his chances of achieving it were just off. He will start from 16th place on the grid.
“This Saturday was not the best. After a promising performance in qualifying Sprint yesterday, I did not meet my expectations, neither for the sprint nor for the qualifications. In sprint, I lost ground in the first round, which made the rise very difficult on such a short event, even if I finished 9th after a few penalties inflicted on other pilots.”
“As for the qualifications for this afternoon, the Q2 would have been possible: however, in my last lap, the back of my car deviated slightly at the exit of the first turn and I lost two to three tenths of a second, which reduced my momentum in the long straight line. I tried to do better. I improved my time in the last sector, which unfortunately did not work.
