Sun Aug 03 13:40:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber Scores Mixed Qualifying Results at Hungarian Grand Prix**

**Budapest, Hungary – August 2, 2025 –** Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber experienced a rollercoaster qualifying session at the Hungaroring today, with rookie driver Gabriel Bortoleto delivering a stunning performance to secure a career-best P7 on the grid for tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix. However, veteran teammate Nico Hulkenberg narrowly missed out on Q2, finishing in a disappointing P19.

Bortoleto shone throughout all three qualifying sessions, expertly managing evolving track conditions, including shifting wind patterns, to extract the maximum from his car. His mature and composed driving earned him the highest race start position of his Formula 1 career thus far.

The news wasn’t as positive for Hulkenberg. Despite showing promising pace during practice, the German driver struggled in Q1, reporting a sudden loss of rear grip in high-speed corners. He missed the cut for Q2 by a mere tenth of a second, highlighting the incredibly tight competition in the midfield.

“We elected to go into qualifying with a two-run strategy in each session,” explained Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley. “For Nico, the lap time just didn’t come to him. Q1 saw a strong performance from Gabi, who finished the session in P5. He delivered a great qualifying performance, placing him P7, the highest race start position of his F1 career. Gabi managed that well, which is a good omen ahead of the race tomorrow.”

A visibly frustrated Hulkenberg commented, “There’s no hiding the fact that today’s result is disappointing, especially considering how strong the car felt throughout the practice sessions… the rear grip just wasn’t there, particularly in the high-speed corners. That shift in balance was something we hadn’t seen all weekend. We now need to dig into the data and understand what changed.”

A jubilant Bortoleto shared his excitement: “I’m incredibly happy with how qualifying unfolded today… Securing a spot in Q3 and finishing P7 – my best result so far in Formula 1 – is a great milestone for both the team and me. Now the focus is on converting this into a strong result in the race.”

The Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber will now focus on analyzing the data to understand Hulkenberg’s qualifying struggles and strategize for the race. With Bortoleto starting from a strong position, the team hopes to capitalize on his potential and secure valuable points in tomorrow’s Grand Prix.

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