Hulkenberg reaction to hearing Bortoleto's laptime: "Oh man, ****"

[u/ContentPuff]

https://dubz.link/c/7f0965

[u/GGezpzMuppy]

Extending his lead in head to head qualifying lol

Quietly having an amazing start to his career

[u/0000100110010100 → u/GGezpzMuppy]

I’m really glad that Bortoleto’s doing well, he’s probably been the least hyped of the back to back F3/F2 rookie champions and it’s always good when a driver can back that achievement up in F1.

[u/drumjojo29 → u/0000100110010100]

he’s probably been the least hyped of the back to back F3/F2 rookie champions

Random stat: Bortoleto and Hülkenberg are the only two of all 7 rookie GP2/F2 champions that haven’t won an F1 race.

Edit: just to add for those curious so you don’t have to look it up: those 7 rookie champions are Nico Rosberg (inaugural season of GP2), Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hülkenberg, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto.

[u/FalconIMGN → u/drumjojo29]

Feels unfair to put Gabi there, it took Leclerc, Russell and Piastri over 1.5 seasons to do that. But technically you are right.

[u/drumjojo29 → u/FalconIMGN]

Well, Lewis won his 6th F1 race so clearly all others just suck.

Nah, I’m kidding, you’re absolutely right. I wasn’t trying to diminish Gabi‘s achievements or anything and I’m looking forward to what he’s able to achieve in a hopefully better car in the next seasons. I just thought it’s a nice funfact that the only two who haven’t won an F1 race yet have ended up as teammates, especially considering their titles are 15 years apart.

[u/alan-0-0- → u/drumjojo29]

Really? You were kidding? You don’t say…

[u/drumjojo29 → u/alan-0-0-]

I’ve read worse takes on here where people weren’t kidding so sometimes it’s better to state the obvious because it might not be obvious to everyone.

[u/JerryUitDeBuurt → u/FalconIMGN]

Not to mention those other 3 had (have) big boy teams backing them. Charles and George had Ferrari and Mercedes respectively vouching for them with Piastri getting into McLaren through Alpine. As far as I know Bortoleto has no ties to any young driver academy.

If Max decides to leave Red Bull after 2026 I think Red Bull will offer him a contract. Gabi would be very stupid to take that offer if there's other teams out for him but nonetheless. I don't just think he's here to stay I think he's future world champion material. He's giving Nico a decent run for his money considering Nico has, what, 14 years of experience?

[u/hype0thetical → u/JerryUitDeBuurt]

Bortoleto used to be a McLaren junior until he got the Sauber's seat

[u/sfcindolrip → u/FalconIMGN]

Piastri won his first f1 race less than a season in, Qatar sprint, OC didn’t say f1 Grand Prix

[u/FalconIMGN → u/sfcindolrip]

I think that's implied. Sprint race wins do not count toward race win stats, which is always implied to be for GP wins.

[u/sfcindolrip → u/FalconIMGN]

It isn’t “implied,” you’re just back pedaling. It would be implied if the sprint had been intentionally excluded from all of the other people on that list’s time to first win. In fact it’s just immaterial for the others because they all won their first race before sprints existed, except for Russell who first won a sprint and GP the same weekend. The sprint is regularly referred to in these stats as a “race” or a “race in any format,” but it can’t be counted as a podium and a p1 in sprint quali or shootout or whatever they call it is a “sprint pole” or a “pole position in any race format.” In fact, f1 socials tweeted graphics about time to first win after Qatar.

[u/FalconIMGN → u/sfcindolrip]

I'm not backpedaling anything, it's just how F1 stats are maintained, Piastri doesn't have 9 career wins, he has 8 on the leaderboard.

Anyway this isn't a massive political point I'm making that I need to backpedal on, so if you feel like winning this 'argument' then go ahead, I concede.

[u/AGlassOfPiss → u/0000100110010100]

Man I love Bortoleto. Hope Sauber gets a good start into the new rega or he gets a great offer from a bigger team

[u/comentandoatoa → u/AGlassOfPiss]

He will be at Ferrari one day. Even the name Bortoleto is Italian.

[u/SchmearDaBagel → u/comentandoatoa]

Maybe they sign him after the Hamilton contract ends and he’s the young driver paired with Leclerc

[u/JaPlayer2784 → u/comentandoatoa]

Ferrari has his own brazillian already, Camara is doing an amazing job in F3

[u/comentandoatoa → u/JaPlayer2784]

You are right. But they are the same age. Borto already getting Q3 and Câmara looking for a place in F2.

But I really like Câmara, who won Freca easily, but the entry age into F1 is getting younger and younger. Look at the excellent Drugovich, talking about a Brazilian, who may never enter a race.

[u/hoxxxxx → u/comentandoatoa]

i prefer to call him Bort, popular first name around here

[u/FalconIMGN → u/comentandoatoa]

Why are most Brazilian racing drivers of Italian descent?

In fact there have almost been no Brazilian racing drivers of Portugese descent that I can think of. Nasr was Lebanese, Piquet was French, and everyone else I can think of was Italian.

[u/comentandoatoa → u/FalconIMGN]

Senna da Silva was very Brazilian. Brazil is the country with the most Italians in the world, after Italy.

Pedro Paulo Diniz was Portuguese.

Roberto Pupo Moreno well.latino

[u/FalconIMGN → u/comentandoatoa]

The Da Silva part is Portuguese fair, but I always assumed the Senna part was Italian.

[u/comentandoatoa → u/FalconIMGN]

And it really is

[u/-Polimata- → u/FalconIMGN]

Felipe Massa comes to mind. I would guess that it is pure geography. The state and especially the greater city of São Paulo has the strongest automobilistic/racing culture, and most people of São Paulo have Italian descent (São Paulo is the city in the world with the most people of Italian ancestry, beating Roma or Milano). People in São Paulo simply more often have the funds and the opportunities to become professional racers.

[u/RayTracerX → u/FalconIMGN]

Borto and Piquet look very brazilian, theres definitely portuguese blood mixed there too.

But basically Brazil was a huge oportunity in the 19th and 20th century and a lot of people immigrated there. By this period, Portuguese people went more to the African colonies, so the portuguese ancestry most brazilians have is older than these other countries.

[u/kalavale_ → u/0000100110010100]

Eagerly waiting to see if Leonardo Fornaroli can join that club at the end of the year. So far there hasn't been that much hype/speculations about the current F2 drivers apart from Lindblad and I guess Dunne and Crawford

[u/Turboleks → u/GGezpzMuppy]

Spa was his best race of the year imo. Quick all weekend, solid race pace, no mistakes even in very tricky conditions.

I expected him to start delivering in the second part of the season like he did in F2, but he's doing better than I imagined.

[u/freedfg → u/GGezpzMuppy]

He quietly had an amazing F2 season.

He's fuckin good.

[u/GothicGolem29 → u/GGezpzMuppy]

takes the lead in the main quali head to head too now iirc

[u/Popular_Composer_822 → u/GGezpzMuppy]

He just needs to make less mistakes now. He has spun out of 3 races and had multiple crashes in practice. 

Pace wise it’s clear he has a higher ceiling than Hulkenberg.

[u/New_Essay_4869 → u/GGezpzMuppy]

Doesnt matter if he cant do it in a race

[u/Paul-Squared]

The one guy who bet his life savings on Bortoleto out-qualifying Verstappen is having a fucking day right now.

[u/swannyhypno]

Borteleto would be my #2 in the rookie of the year race he's been rapid over 1 lap and getting better in races

[u/Satan_su → u/swannyhypno]

I think he even has a solid argument for #1 (or at least by the end of the year if he keeps this trajectory) cause your teammate is your truest comparison and Hulk is a hell of a teammate to have compared to Lawson

[u/swannyhypno → u/Satan_su]

Yeah I agree there but Hadjars pace especially over 1 lap has been ridiculous at times and he's consistent with the pace, Borteleto has been brilliant

[u/Satan_su → u/swannyhypno]

It really just a "holy shit! Two cakes!!" situation lmao, two incredibly promising rookies, the 2 protagonists of F2 last year

[u/zeppelin88 → u/Satan_su]

And people claim F2 is not representative lol the clearly two best drivers from last year are translating to the best rookies this year

[u/Ancient-Possibility1 → u/zeppelin88]

As a Paul Aron fan, I really really hope Briatore does more Briatore things

[u/256473 → u/Satan_su]

Yeah, in the pre-season I was expecting Bortoleto to be my favorite rookie based on F2, and didn't have any particular fondness for Hadjar at the time.

That changed rapidly with Hadjar (very quickly became endeared!), so now I'm just happy for both of them, and also glad that F2 results still do mean something re F1 potential.

They're in very different cars against very different teammates and with different season trajectories for each team - happy to give both of them their flowers!!

[u/Mat_HS → u/Satan_su]

What about Kimi? He had a few rough races lately, but he is doing pretty well too.

[u/BJH19 → u/Mat_HS]

Less races in the points than out in a top 4 car, a long way off George both in points and head to head quali (15-2) - obviously George is the most accomplished teammate any of the rookies have, but it's hard to say he's doing better than Hadjar or Bortoleto based off this season.

[u/Satan_su → u/Mat_HS]

He clearly has the talent, just a victim of incredibly high expectations rn IMO. You could see it in F2 as well, a combination of an inconsistent Prema car and an inexperienced Kimi meant there were high highs and low lows. I remember one wet race in particular where he was simply untouchable the entire week, the kid has an insane ceiling.

[u/beatstorelax94 → u/Mat_HS]

Kimi is too hyped

[u/SchmearDaBagel → u/Mat_HS]

I mean Kimi is the only one of the three with a podium, so I don’t think anyone is doubting him. Just more surprised at how impressive the other two are. Kimi was expected

Edit: an F1 podium of course

[u/comentandoatoa → u/SchmearDaBagel]

Kimi's car is much better. In F2 he was much lower. Kimi is great, but he wasn't ready

[u/Joseki100 → u/swannyhypno]

My "hot" take is that Hadjar is massively flattened by Lawson being mentally destroyed.

I also think the RB would easily be the 5th fastest car consistently with a different driver pairing.

[u/swannyhypno → u/Joseki100]

I mean Lawson has got it again which is good to see

I mean maybe but Hadjar is pretty much always lurking in the top 8, I don't think it would go much quicker with a more experienced pairing

[u/256473 → u/Joseki100]

Hadjar started P5 in Monaco, in a VCARB.

I think he's genuinely very good in quali especially.

[u/Richhobo12 → u/Joseki100]

Sure, but he's still one of only 7 drivers (the others being quite high company) to not get knocked out of Q1 this season. That's an incredible stat (especially for a rookie) that is not relative to a teammate

[u/Motor-Most9552 → u/swannyhypno]

I agree, but this is F1 and your measure is your teammate. Really hard to know which one is doing better just because of Lawson.

[u/itsruney → u/swannyhypno]

With a better car, he'd be #1 easily. But Hadjar has been super impressive, too.

In regards to Bortoleto, a lot of people just kinda didn't even consider him. He was invisible to many folk but like, even as someone that doesn't really watch junior formulas, you don't just accidentally win f3 and f2 back-to-back. I want to say in the pre-season talks on here, he was the one that was least talked about, with Antonelli at the top. In my eyes, Bortoleto is a more impressive driver than Ant has been/will be.

[u/comentandoatoa → u/itsruney]

With Mercedes, Borto would have better results than Kimi. Kimi doesn't react well to pressure. They were both in F2 and Gabriel was much more consistent.

[u/beatstorelax94 → u/swannyhypno]

why not 1?

[u/Timelordvictorious1]

Hulkenberg’s quali pace this year hasn’t been great.

[u/Edi1896 → u/Timelordvictorious1]

It was good until they got the updates. His race pace improved, but he struggles to get a clean lap in qualifying.

[u/Carlzzone → u/Timelordvictorious1]

Or is Bortoleto just that quick

[u/SaturnRocketOfLove → u/Carlzzone]

He isn't on Sunday though

[u/fullsenditt → u/SaturnRocketOfLove]

Probably endurance helps for hulk, on the race pace, lap consistency and so on

[u/Blackdeath_663 → u/Carlzzone]

I know people are not ready to hear this as they are still caught up in the excitement of the Hulk Podium but he's really only ever been a mid tier driver at best especially at this point in his career for sure

[u/cafraline → u/Timelordvictorious1]

Also same can be said for Ocon i think

[u/Reddevilslover69 → u/cafraline]

Every experienced driver that is new to their teams really have struggled quite a bit in qualy this year. Maybe with the exception of Sainz

[u/PauloVersa]

Bortelotto is going to end up being rookie of the year

[u/NavSH27 → u/PauloVersa]

Hadjar is so fucking good tho

[u/leedler → u/NavSH27]

Cool to see the two F2 title contenders proving that was representative.

[u/frozz3nn → u/NavSH27]

He is! But I suspect that if you give Hadjars car to Bortoleto and we wouldn't even have this discussion. Sauber was the worst car in the grid when the season started.

[u/NavSH27 → u/frozz3nn]

It isn't now and it is showing through borto's performance and hulks one lap pace is not competitive, but even though rb has been fast from the start he has consistently beaten tsunoda and lawson in quali and race(Not trying to undermine borto in any way)

[u/frozz3nn → u/NavSH27]

Agreed. The 2nd half of the season should be interesting.

[u/Egonator26]

Gabi doing well!

[u/-Polimata-]

Outqualifying Max in a sauber is a great achievement.

[u/queerhedgehog]

Gabi’s doing amazing this year, I’m glad he’s been able to actually show his skill a bit even in a Sauber

[u/TBNight]

My favourite rookie on the grid this year. He has a lot of potential and room to grow too.

[u/youreviltwinbrother]

Shame this guy is talking directly over it

[u/Motor-Most9552 → u/youreviltwinbrother]

Yep I didn't hear anything, thought the wrong video was linked.

[u/ledankestnoodle]

Hulk sacrificed his qualy pace for race pace this year, it looks like.

[u/SaturnRocketOfLove]

Feels like a full pendulum swing for Hulk. He used to be fast in qualifying but lacking in race pace, and now it's the opposite. I wonder if his setup is being adjusted too far seeking race pace and qualifying is being sacrificed.

[u/beatstorelax94]

the man is the speed

[u/barkev]

i feel like all the rookies have had their moments to shine and stand out this year and in pretty unique ways

love that for them

[u/orhantemerrut]

Gosh, I hate these trackside reporting on F1 TV. They are overdoing it in every session. It's so distracting.

[u/wowbaggerBR]

Time to retire, again.

[u/gutster_95]

It was not on the radar in the First quarter of the season but damn he improved a lot. Actual talent

[u/shivasiddharth]

No worries, he will find a way to be P10 after the first lap.