Hulkenberg praises 'machine' Bortoleto during Sauber transition.

      "Nico Hulkenberg acknowledges that his rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto is increasingly leading the way at Sauber. The seasoned German, who achieved his first F1 podium earlier this season at Silverstone, has been outperformed by the Brazilian 10-6 in qualifying this year. At Monza, the 38-year-old Hulkenberg finished in P12, while Bortoleto made an impressive eighth place.

      "I believe there's potential for more," Hulkenberg stated. "I made a mistake on the first lap in Q3, which put me at a disadvantage for the final run. I had to recover lost ground, which took up time."

      Nonetheless, Hulkenberg is generous in his commendation of Bortoleto, who was supported into Formula 1 by former F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone and is managed by Fernando Alonso. "He’s just doing a really good job," Hulkenberg acknowledged. "He’s like a machine, pumping out laps as if he’s a printer that never runs out of ink," he added with a smile. "He rarely makes mistakes, even as a rookie. He’s on a steep learning curve, but he’s undoubtedly a driver for the future."

      Bortoleto, 20, admitted he had felt nervous about competing against such an experienced teammate. "I genuinely thought, 'This will be challenging,'" he remarked. "I’ve looked up to Nico since F2 and F3, always thinking, 'That guy is incredibly fast.' This year, I knew I had to push myself - it felt like racing for my life."

      However, the young Brazilian emphasized that the competition is closer than it may seem. "Honestly, it's very tight if you analyze the data," Bortoleto clarified. "The midfield is so competitive this year that every millisecond matters. We don’t seek each other’s advice, but we do analyze each other’s data. We both desire similar outcomes from the car, which benefits the team."

      At Monza, former Williams team principal Jost Capito even referred to Bortoleto as "the best rookie of the season" on Sky Deutschland. Meanwhile, team principal Mattia Binotto asserts that Bortoleto's success is not coincidental. "We are delighted to have signed him," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "It's easy to say now that he was impressive in F3 and F2, but it was us who chose to bring him on board. He’s a diligent worker, very fast, and already has proven himself. He is set to become a top driver."

      Binotto also mentioned that Audi, which will take charge of the team in 2026, has realistic expectations for its first year, again with Hulkenberg and Bortoleto onboard. "We do not anticipate extraordinary results, but the key is to grow and demonstrate progress. Nico is fast, reliable, and serves as a role model. Gabriel is learning steadily without pressure. Together, they lend credibility to the project."