Hulkenberg ecstatic but surprised by Austin Sprint qualifying P4

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Nico Hulkenberg was riding high after his unexpectedly strong qualifying session for Saturday’s Sprint event at the United States Grand Prix.

The German driver secured fourth on the grid for the 30-minute mad dash at the Cirucit of the Americas, marking his best starting position of the season. The performance not only caught the eyes of the paddock but also left Hulkenberg pleasantly surprised.

The F1 veteran had clocked in second in Friday’s single practice session, but admitted to heading into Sprint qualifying a few hours later with a cautious outlook.

“I’m satisfied, happy as you might imagine,” Hulkenberg said.

“Obviously, in FP1 things were looking good already, but it kind of looked too good to be true, so we weren’t sure if that was the real deal or what other people were up to with their programme. But yeah, we were able to continue that trend."

Hulkenberg will line up on Saturday’s Spring grid just behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, but ahead of his Mercedes and Ferrari rivals.

Sauber “Hits the Sweet Spot”

Reflecting on his car’s performance, Hulkenberg was particularly pleased with his the setup on his C45.

“The car felt quite alright,” he said. “Obviously, it is always your own feeling and perception maybe that doesn’t always match with the lap times say, but the lap times and the stopwatch doesn’t lie, and that looked pretty good all day.

“So happy, will take that forward and hopefully we can hang onto it this weekend.”

Acknowledging the challenge ahead, he added: “Okay, it is not a full race but even in a Sprint, a bunch of really quick cars with usually a bit of better tyre deg numbers but obviously we will fight, see what we can hang onto and hopefully something rewarding."

Hulkenberg’s upbeat mood reflects the work Sauber has put into fine-tuning their car, with the team clearly hitting a performance high at the Circuit of the Americas.

Mixed Fortunes for Bortoleto

While Hulkenberg celebrated, his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto faced frustration. The Brazilian had his first attempt in SQ1 deleted for exceeding track limits and missed his second attempt as the chequered flag fell, relegating him to the back of the Sprint grid.

“The first lap was track limits, but it was not a good enough lap anyway,” Bortoleto explained. “Then the second lap, we just left the garage too late and didn’t even make it, so there’s nothing to say.

“I did only one lap, and it was track limits. The car didn’t feel too bad. It’s a shame, because I think it was good. But we work for tomorrow, and tomorrow is the main quali.”

With Hulkenberg’s momentum and Bortoleto looking to rebound, Sauber enters Sprint day with optimism and determination, ready to turn Friday’s surprises into Saturday results.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.