wheatley-sauber-hulkenberg-bortoleto-monza-azerbaijan

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal at Sauber. Image: Race Pictures

Wheatley hails bond between Bortoleto and Hulkenberg as rookie eyes crazy race plot

15:09, 14 Sep

Updated: 16:23, 14 Sep

bySamson Ero

Jonathan Wheatley has praised the bond between Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. The Kick Sauber team principal also weighed in on the rookie’s desire for a crazy race.

Kick Sauber drivers Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg. Image: Race Pictures

“Nico takes genuine pleasure in trying to help him.”

- Jonathan Wheatley

The 58-year-old, who spoke with GPblog during the Italian Grand Prix, highlighted how pleased he was with the bond shared between both drivers. Wheatley, who joined the Swiss-based outfit earlier in April, also stressed how open Bortoleto has been to learning from his veteran teammate.

“I'll enjoy it while it lasts. No, there's a genuine friendship. Well, you can't make people be friends. I think they've established a relationship based on trust from the very beginning.

"Gabriel, as we've seen, is more than open to trying to learn from everyone around him, to improve his performance, whatever he can take on board. And I think Nico takes genuine pleasure in trying to help him.”

The partnership between Hulkenberg and Bortoleto has so far yielded one of Sauber’s best points hauls in recent years. With 55 points shared between both drivers, the Hinwil outfit has already surpassed the four points recorded throughout the 2024 campaign.

Wheatley on Bortoleto seeking a crazy race

The Sauber team principal also touched on Gabriel Bortoleto’s desire for a crazy race. The 20-year-old, who is in his rookie campaign, appears eager to secure a podium finish in his first season of Formula 1.

Reacting to this, Wheatley stressed that the team will continue to provide both drivers with the best possible chances of achieving strong results. The British motorsport chief also noted that there could always be a ‘lucky punch’ for Bortoleto to capitalise on.

“Yeah, but then our job is to get both drivers into the second period of qualifying everywhere, try to get both drivers into the points. And if you're in there, if you're in that position, in that battle, in the fight like you say, then there's always a chance of a lucky punch.”

The Sauber outfit recorded their first podium finish of the season with Nico Hulkenberg at the British Grand Prix. The German driver delivered a masterfully executed race, finishing third after qualifying 19th in what was a weather-affected event.

Catch up with our paddock update here 👇