Sauber's curfew infringement enabling Gabriel Bortoleto's advancement to Q3 at Hungary race
Sauber Breaks Curfew in Hungarian GP, Bortoleto Shines
In the world of Formula 1, teams are bound by strict curfew rules designed to protect the health and well-being of personnel and maintain fair play. These rules, enforced by the FIA, limit overnight work on cars and regulate paddock access times.
During the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Sauber found themselves on the wrong side of these rules when they breached the curfew, working until 6:30am on Saturday morning. Despite this, the team's young driver, Gabriel Bortoleto, managed to put on a strong performance.
Bortoleto delivered his season-best qualifying result, securing seventh place on the grid. This places him ahead of reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, setting the stage for an exciting race. Bortoleto is eager about the prospect of racing against Verstappen, but he expects a tough contest. The two are friends, but Bortoleto knows that on the track, it's all business.
The qualifying session was affected by windy conditions, causing drivers' times to slow. Bortoleto finished Q3 with the seventh-fastest time of the session, a testament to his skill and adaptability.
Bortoleto's weekend started on a challenging note. He struggled with his car's balance during Friday practice, finishing in 17th place. However, he worked diligently with the mechanics and engineers throughout Friday night, improving the car's handling.
Bortoleto stated that he felt he had the "worst start of a weekend possible." Despite this, he made a strategic decision to change his approach for his new tyre run in Q3. This decision paid off, as he managed to navigate the windy conditions effectively.
Sauber's other driver, Nico Hulkenberg, has scored the majority of the team's points this season. However, in the Hungarian GP, it was Bortoleto who advanced to Q3, while Hulkenberg was knocked out in Q1.
Bortoleto believes the team has a chance to fight for points if inclement weather sets in during the race. With his consistent performance and strategic decision-making, he is certainly a contender.
The FIA's curfew rules, while designed to protect team personnel, can pose challenges for teams seeking to optimise their cars. Teams are allowed two exemptions per day throughout the season, but breaches can lead to FIA penalties, including fines or other sporting sanctions.
Despite Sauber's curfew breach, Bortoleto's performance in the Hungarian GP has shown signs of the team finding their feet. With Bortoleto's determination and the team's hard work, we can expect to see more exciting performances from Sauber in the future.
Sauber's curfew breach did not hindered Bortoleto's strong performance in the Hungarian Grand Prix. In spite of the team's violation of the curfew rules, Bortoleto delivered his season-best qualifying result, securing seventh place on the grid, even outperforming the reigning World Champion Max Verstappen.
