Gabriel Bortoleto endured a nightmare home race at Interlagos, crashing out in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix, turning what should have been a celebration into a harsh baptism of fire.
Yet, amid the wreckage, Bortoleto found solace in the wisdom and encouragement of his veteran teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, who reminded him that even the darkest moments pave the way for brighter days.
Bortoleto’s Sao Paulo saga began with a catastrophic crash at the end of Saturday’s Sprint, which left his Sauber comprehensively destroyed. The team scrambled to build a new chassis, but the damage was done – Bortoleto missed qualifying entirely.
Hopes for redemption on Sunday were dashed almost instantly when contact with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll on the opening lap sent the Brazilian careening into the barriers with a broken suspension. His maiden home Grand Prix was over before it truly began.
Afterwards, a visibly dejected but composed Bortoleto faced the cameras with admirable maturity.
“I believe it’s a consequence of things that happened earlier in the weekend,” he said, reflecting on events.
“But anyway, obviously it’s more painful because it’s my home race, but it’s just another weekend. We had so many good ones, we had bad ones as well.
“And there’s nothing I can do about it. I just need to move on, analyse things and learn from my mistakes and go for the next one.”
The young Brazilian’s tone was measured, but those close to him knew the sting ran deep. Fortunately, inside the Sauber garage, one veteran was ready with the kind of advice that only 14 seasons in Formula 1 can bring.
Hulkenberg’s Words of Wisdom
As Bortoleto processed the disappointment, Hulkenberg took him aside for a few quiet words. The German knows all too well that F1 is as much about surviving the lows as it is celebrating the highs.
“He said one in 20, 20 years in Formula 1,” Bortoleto recalled with a small smile. “You’re going to have a lot of good and bad moments. I’ve had a lot of moments like that. It’s just going to strengthen you.
“He’s proud of what I’ve done this year. I’m going to keep going strong and the good moments will come.”
Hulkenberg’s encouragement came at the end of a solid weekend for the 37-year-old himself. While his rookie teammate was sidelined, the German brought home ninth place – his second top-10 in three races – after pulling off a gutsy one-stop strategy.
“It was a decent race,” Hulkenberg said. “Lap 1 was sub-optimal – I lost a couple of positions, and that was obviously difficult then to recover, because I was stuck behind Alex for quite a long time in the first stint.
“But we pulled off the successful one-stop, really stretched out the stint on the soft and had some good fun battling with the RBs and some other guys, so it was good.
“But in the championship fight, we lost some ground to some competitors, which is not great, but it is what it is. Now, we reset, regroup, obviously a weekend off, and hopefully, a strong one in Vegas.”
For Bortoleto, his teammate’s support meant everything. In the brutal world of Formula 1, where rookies are often left to sink or swim, Hulkenberg’s steady hand offered reassurance that even the darkest weekends have value.
In a sport defined by speed, precision, and pressure, the young Brazilian’s resilience – and Hulkenberg’s mentorship – may well prove the foundation of a stronger future.
Interlagos wasn’t the storybook ending Bortoleto had dreamed of. But thanks to Hulkenberg’s words, it might just be the beginning of a far more meaningful chapter.
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