Audi
Nico Hulkenberg, 8th
"What a way to finish the weekend. I think we maximised the opportunities we had, starting with a strong first lap that put us in a good position for the race. From there, it was all about managing the tyres and staying focused, especially in the closing laps with George piling on the pressure. It wasn't easy, but we managed to hold on and bring home some important points.
"Scoring six points over the Sprint and the Race is a great reward for everyone's hard work. The team has kept pushing and really deserves this result. The midfield is still incredibly close, so every weekend you have to start again and deliver. But it's a great way to finish the triple-header, and it's nice to be able to give something back to everyone at the track and back at the factory. We'll enjoy this one, recharge and get ready for Austin."
Gabriel Bortoleto, DNF
“Overall, a weekend to forget for me. I guess everyone has ups and downs throughout the year, and this weekend was just one of those for me. Things were going okay until what looked like a potential gearbox issue. It was still the early stages of the race, with everyone closely bunched together, so it’s difficult to say how things would have played out. Unfortunately, we'll never know as the issue brought my race to an end before it really got going.
“I’m happy for Nico, he’s had a very strong weekend. Being able to hold off George and bring home points for the team shows the potential of the car and what we can achieve. It’s great for the team, even if it’s hard luck for me, but we look ahead to Austin.”
Allan McNish, Racing Director
“It was one of the best races I have seen Nico drive. He was superb from start to finish and did a fantastic job to bring us into the points, securing some critical points in our championship fight.
“Overall, I think we can be quite proud of how we approached this weekend, both in qualifying and in the races. It is the first time we have scored points in both the Sprint and the main Grand Prix, so a very positive weekend on that side of the garage.
“Unfortunately, Gabi was unable to compete due to what we suspect is a gearbox issue, which makes the result somewhat bittersweet for the team. However, that should not take anything away from the outstanding drive Nico delivered today.
“Today’s result is important, not just for the points and their impact in the battle for the championship positions, but particularly for the momentum that we’ve got leading into the next few races. It’s a big reward for the whole team and something to build on for the rest of the season.”
