Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber left Mexico City with another championship point — the second consecutive weekend the team has scored — as Gabriel Bortoleto brought his car home in tenth place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The result underscores continued progress for the Hinwil-based outfit as it evolves toward its future as the Audi factory team in 2026.
photos: Sauber Motorsport AG
FRIDAY PRACTICE FINDING GRIP IN THIN AIR
The team began the weekend adjusting to the challenging conditions of the high-altitude circuit. Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto spent Friday’s two practice sessions adapting to the low downforce levels and dusty surface, with both drivers helping refine setups to extract stability and traction from the improving track. The focus was squarely on race preparation — crucial given the long run to turn one that often defines the Mexican Grand Prix.
SATURDAY QUALIFYING TIGHT MARGINS DEFINE MIDFIELD
Qualifying on Saturday proved tricky. Hulkenberg managed 13th, narrowly edging Fernando Alonso by just 0.087 seconds in Q2, while Bortoleto missed advancing by a tenth, settling for 16th. In a field separated by razor-thin margins, the team looked to Sunday’s long opening straight for opportunities to gain ground and capitalize on potential chaos into turn one.
SUNDAY RACE BORTOLETO DELIVERS, HULKENBERG HALTED BY TECHNICAL TROUBLE
The race brought mixed fortunes. Bortoleto executed a mature and composed drive, climbing six places from his starting position to finish tenth. His overtake on Isack Hadjar in the closing laps proved decisive, securing another valuable point for the team. For Hulkenberg, however, the afternoon unraveled early: a power issue arose on the formation lap and persisted into the race, forcing Sauber to retire the car to prevent further damage.
With Bortoleto’s finish, the team’s total rises to 60 points in the Constructors’ Championship, marking continued forward momentum as Sauber builds its foundation for the Audi F1 era. For fans watching the long game, performances like this — disciplined, resilient, and opportunistic — reflect exactly the kind of steady evolution expected from a team preparing for its next chapter under the four rings.
TEAM QUOTES
Jonathan Wheatley
Team Principal
“It was a mixed day for the team. Unfortunately, Nico suffered a power issue during the formation lap, which meant he started the race with a compromised car. He did a great job driving around the problem, but ultimately, we had to make the difficult call to retire the car for reliability reasons.
“On the positive side, Gabi drove an outstanding race. Starting from P16 and finishing in the points with P10 is no small feat. He managed his tyres brilliantly, executed our strategy perfectly, and showed exceptional race craft in those final laps, particularly in his battle with Hadjar. The pit crew delivered an excellent stop that helped him gain crucial track position.
“Credit also where it’s due to Haas and Oliver Bearman. They did a fantastic job today, and we can only congratulate them, even though it obviously hurts to see them take so many points in such a tight midfield battle. The good news is we get to do it all again in two weeks at Gabi’s first home Grand Prix.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Car #27
Race result: DNF
Fastest lap: 1:23.091 (Lap 14)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (Soft) – Lap 25 (Retired)
“It’s obviously a very tough one to take today. We had power issues right from the formation lap, which basically ended our race before it even began. It’s frustrating for everyone in the team because we know the pace was there to fight for something decent.
Still, we managed to bring home a point with Gabi, which is better than nothing. Overall, a disappointing weekend, but we’ll work hard to understand what went wrong and fight back in Brazil.”
Gabriel Bortoleto, Car #5
Race result: 10th
Fastest lap: 1:21.121 (Lap 39)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (Medium) – Lap 37 (Soft)
“Overall, I’m happy with today’s result. Starting P16 and finishing in the points shows the strength of our race pace and the great strategy from the team. I had a strong start, made some good overtakes on track, and we managed the tyres well throughout the race, which was solid and well-executed.
“After a tough qualifying, this comeback means a lot. It proves that we never give up – we just kept pushing and it paid off. A big thank you to everyone at the track and back at the factory. Now I’m really excited to head to Brazil for my first home race in Formula 1. No pressure – I’m just proud to be going there off the back of a strong weekend.”
PHOTO GALLERY
