Bortoleto: My lap doesn't reflect the car's full potential.
Sauber was the only team whose Friday running at the Mexico City Grand Prix featured only their regular race drivers behind the wheel. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are pleased with the day and expect to qualify around the top ten.
Gabriel Bortoleto (15th): "It was my first time racing in Mexico, and I must say the conditions were nothing like what I'm used to. Grip on the track was very low, especially at the start of the session. Overall it went well. I enjoyed the challenge, and the atmosphere at the circuit was fantastic.
In the second practice I had trouble putting together a lap on the Soft tyres. By the time I managed to do it, the tyres had already passed their peak, so the lap does not reflect the car's full potential.
We collected a lot of useful information about the car and its balance, which is the most important thing at this stage. I'm ready to keep working — Mexico is a great circuit for racing, so I'm looking forward to the remaining sessions of the weekend."
Nico Hülkenberg (16th): "A normal Friday for us. The first practice went without issues, while the second wasn't entirely smooth. We still have work to do to find more pace, but overall a decent day.
Ahead of us is the usual Friday-night work of analysing and optimising the setup. Once again the field looks very close, but I'm confident that in qualifying we can fight for positions around the top ten."
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Bortoleto: My lap doesn't reflect the car's full potential.
Sauber was the only team whose Friday practice sessions at the Mexican Grand Prix featured only its regular drivers behind the wheel. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto are pleased with the day and expect to qualify around the top ten.