Gabriel Bortoleto: Only half the job is done so far.

      In Austria, Gabriel Bortoleto will have to start from 8th position, which is the best qualifying achievement for Sauber drivers since 2023. Nico Hülkenberg made a mistake on his final attempt in the first session and ended up 20th in Saturday's standings.

      Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal: "This is our best qualifying result since the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Gabriel did an excellent job in qualifying, gradually building up the pace, and tomorrow he will start the race from 8th position.

      Nico had a decent first flying lap, but on his second attempt he went too wide in Turn 4, and with the tight field this season, that cost him any chances of advancing to the next part of qualifying.

      I want to thank everyone working at the team’s base for preparing all the upgrades in time for this round. When the team works so hard and starts to achieve better results, it's encouraging."

      Nico Hülkenberg (20th): "Certainly, qualifying didn't go as I had hoped. Unfortunately, I made a mistake in Turn 4—I locked up the front right wheel and went too wide, missing the apex.

      Because of this, I lost a lot of time, which is of course disappointing, especially considering the car had potential today. But the progress we've made recently is encouraging.

      Starting from the back row will make the race difficult, and I am sure to have issues with traffic, but we know that the car is capable of good speed. Tonight we'll analyze all possible strategy options, as our goal is to fight our way forward.

      Tomorrow, I'll need to make the most of every opportunity and try to recover. Congratulations to Gabriel on reaching Q3 for the first time and finishing 8th!"

      Gabriel Bortoleto (8th): "I'm glad I reached the final part of qualifying for the first time. So far, the weekend is going great, everything is going as it should. The team is working tirelessly, trying different setup options, learning both from our mistakes and achievements, striving to remain consistently competitive.

      From the very start of the season, I believed in the team's potential and our ability to improve, even when we had to start from unfavorable positions. But today we made it to the final session, and at a track with great memories for me, which makes this a very important achievement.

      I am proud of the progress we are showing, but I also know that only half the job is done, and as we prepare for tomorrow's race, we need to stay focused. I hope today’s qualifying result will help me score my first points."