Rookie no more: Why Bortoleto has left a mark on Hülkenberg

©Sauber

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Nico Hülkenberg has been around Formula 1 long enough to know that wisdom usually flows one way in a driver pairing: from the seasoned veteran to the wide-eyed rookie.

But during Sauber’s quietly encouraging 2025 campaign, that script flipped more than once.

Sharing a garage with first-year driver Gabriel Bortoleto, Hülkenberg discovered that experience doesn’t grant immunity from learning – especially when raw talent arrives hungry and fast.

A Rookie Who Didn’t Read the Script

Sauber may have finished ninth in the Constructors’ Championship, but the numbers told a more upbeat story. The team recorded its biggest points haul since 2012, highlighted by Hülkenberg’s long-awaited maiden podium at Silverstone.

Bortoleto, meanwhile, wasted little time adapting to life in Formula 1, delivering five top-10 finishes and a standout sixth place in Hungary.

Despite Hülkenberg outscoring the Brazilian by 32 points, qualifying told a different tale. Bortoleto edged the head-to-head battle 12–11, a clear sign that the 21-year-old was more than just a learning apprentice. And the Hulk noticed.

“Absolutely,” he said, quoted by Motorsport Week, when asked whether he had taken anything from his rookie team-mate.

“Being a rookie doesn’t mean you can’t perform or you don’t know how to drive. I mean, we all were rookies at one point. You’ve got to start at one point in F1.”

Learning Never Stops

Rather than being surprised by Bortoleto’s speed, Hülkenberg saw confirmation of how quickly modern rookies can hit the ground running.

“And for sure, Gabi’s been very impressive on the driving side – driving inputs, driving techniques as well – it’s something that he’s really strong at,” he explained.

The German admitted that Bortoleto’s approach went beyond headline lap times. Through detailed feedback and an assertive driving style, the rookie offered insights that even a veteran with more than a decade in F1 could use.

“So to be honest, there have been many points this year where I learned from him. We bounce off each other, looking at each other’s data,” Hülkenberg added.

In a season where Sauber quietly rebuilt momentum, the partnership between experience and youth proved surprisingly balanced. And for Hülkenberg, finally standing on an F1 podium didn’t mean the lessons stopped – sometimes, they were coming from the other side of the garage.

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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.