Gabriel Bortoleto chose to take the positives from his and Kick Sauber\u2019s performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the Brazilian rookie finishing one spot outside the points on what was always going to be a \u201ctough\u201d weekend.<\/p>\n
Bortoleto and Sauber headed to the Baku City Circuit off the back of a strong Q3 showing and points finish at Monza, only for Q2 in Qualifying and a run to 11th place in the race \u2013 almost 30 seconds off Racing Bulls\u2019 Isack Hadjar in 10th \u2013 to be the limit this time out.<\/p>\n
While he missed out on making it five top-10 results in seven events, Bortoleto knew the unique nature of the tight, twisty street track was never going to play to the strengths of Sauber\u2019s C45 package.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on his Sunday afternoon, he said: \u201cDefinitely an intense race, very close to the walls at all times \u2013 you need to keep your focus level very high the whole race.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy that we finished the weekend without any damage on the car and that we delivered everything the car had available.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really don\u2019t think we could have finished P10 today. Hadjar finished in P10 and was [half a minute] ahead. It\u2019s just not a weekend for us that we had the pace to fight with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bortoleto added: \u201cI\u2019m quite convinced that we can perform in other weekends. We knew this was going to be a tough track for us. There are weekends where we can fight for it and weekends where we cannot, so it\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bortoleto\u2019s team mate, Nico Hulkenberg, started the race in 17th after a Q1 exit and could only rise to 16th \u2013 having spent most of his day stuck behind Lance Stroll\u2019s Aston Martin.<\/p>\n
Asked if early contact with Haas\u2019 Esteban Ocon compromised his race, Hulkenberg said: \u201cNo, not at all. That was just Lap 1 racing. I think neither of us had a problem after that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just didn\u2019t get off to the best first lap, lost two or three positions. I got two back actually at the restart, a nice move into Turn 3, a double whammy \u2013 that was quite nice and rewarding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a long, long first stint behind Lance and unfortunately I couldn\u2019t get him. We lost a lot of race time there and that was make or break. Then obviously no Safety Car, nothing happening, so eventually pitted and came out far behind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the pace at the end was good, but obviously the damage was done yesterday already and early in the race. [I need to] try to be better and cleaner next time around.\u201d<\/p>\n