After a series of difficult practice sessions this weekend Gabriel Bortoleto’s Hungarian GP Qualifying session proved to be a remarkable redemption story. Bortoleto transformed what looked like a weekend heading for disaster into a stunning 7th place qualifying performance at the Hungaroring.
Friday’s struggles set the stage
Friday’s practice sessions had been a nightmare for the young Brazilian. Starting with P19 in FP1 and managing only a slight improvement to P17 in FP2, Bortoleto found himself at the back of the field and struggling to find any rhythm with his car.
“It has been a very special weekend for me, this one, because I think it was one of the worst starts of a weekend I had in FP1, in FP2, with how comfortable with the car and how I was driving,” Bortoleto admitted after his qualifying session. “I think, you know, it was not matching very well on Friday.“
By Saturday morning’s FP3 session, signs of improvement began to emerge. He jumped to P9, setting the foundation for a better day for him.
“In FP3 I already felt a lot of it back, still not 100%, few things to fix in FP3,” Bortoleto explained, highlighting the methodical approach that would ultimately deliver his qualifying result.
Qualifying performance shows true potential
When qualifying commenced, Bortoleto’s Hungarian GP Qualifying performance told a compelling story. It showed a driver hitting his stride at precisely the right moment.
His lap times, while marginally slower through each session, demonstrated consistency under pressure. He started with 1:15.586 in Q1, followed by 1:15.687 in Q2. He delivered 1:15.725 in Q3 to secure his 7th place starting position. That Q1 lap was over 0.4s quicker than teammate Nico Hülkenberg who got bumped out in the opening segment.
This feat seemed unlikely given his Friday struggles. The Brazilian was quick to acknowledge the collective effort that made recovery possible.
“I think the team did an amazing job,” he stated. Bortoleto praised their ability to change “the car all over the place.” He acknowledged that this put “the confidence back in” him. The Brazilian also added that “putting the laps together in quali was extremely important” to his result.
“It’s that type of special day we have, not very often,” the Brazilian reflected. “But, you know, again, Q3, I’m extremely happy,” he added. His satisfaction was evident after overcoming what could have been a weekend to forget.
Starting from seventh place, Bortoleto will be well-positioned to capitalize on race day opportunities. The confidence gained from his qualifying turnaround should serve him well in tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
