Hülkenberg helps Audi with a point as 250kW limit frustrates Bortoleto

The constructors’ championship has already been decided, but fierce battles continue further down the standings. Haas and Audi are fighting for seventh place and around €10 million in additional prize money. The German team moved closer to its target in Sao Paulo thanks to Nico Hülkenberg, who felt Audi had made the most of its opportunities.

Hülkenberg returned to the circuit where, sixteen years ago, he claimed his first and only Formula 1 pole position. He was not far off that spot on the grid, but could not hold on to fourth place, just as he had been unable to retain the lead from pole in 2010. Over the course of the Grand Prix, he was passed by all the top teams and Liam Lawson.

Audi has Nico Hülkenberg to thank for passing Arvid Lindblad in the final stint on intermediates. Jolyon Palmer described it as a “beautiful move”. “Yeah, I appreciate that. Yeah, it was a good move. Set him up a bit on the entry for the exit with an undercut. That felt nice and felt good, especially after the penalty, obviously, to fight back for that position.”

The German driver received a ten-second penalty for leaving the track at Turn 1 while battling Franco Colapinto and not giving the position back. Without what Audi considered an unfair penalty, as its team boss argued Colapinto had forced him off the track, Hülkenberg would have saved ten seconds and would not have needed to fight Lindblad in the final stint. It is therefore possible he could even have finished ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who would have rejoined behind him after a botched pit stop.

“I think that was the maximum possible really today. We didn’t have that much pace to offer on either the slick or the inter, so we’ll have to take that and review,” Hülkenberg continued.

Experience also played a part in Sao Paulo. “Yeah, it’s tricky. It’s always a thriller. A lot of curveballs out there, a lot of opportunity for mistakes, but obviously no major incidents for anyone, so manageable. But yeah, it was a fun race otherwise.”

Bortoleto rues MGU-K power limit

Gabriel Bortoleto failed to finish his first home Grand Prix. This year he made it to the flag, but had modest expectations after starting 19th. He took the chequered flag in 16th place.

“Yeah, I mean, when I was able to be in free air and put some pace out there, it was very positive. But obviously, you know, it’s a consequence of yesterday, starting from the back, you need to overtake people,” sighed Gabriel Bortoleto.

Audi did not have enough of an advantage to move up the order. The home driver was stuck in traffic for almost the entirety of his first two stints. MGU-K power is capped in changeable conditions. Formula 1 does not trust the “best drivers in the world” to control a car at full power, and therefore introduces safety measures such as these.

“It was not easy to overtake because obviously we are limited by the power that we have when it’s raining, so we’re limited on 250 kilowatt,” Bortoleto pointed out. “So, yeah, difficult to get some top speed difference at the end of the straight, and I got a bit stuck behind other cars.”

“And when I managed to put some free air, the pace was very positive, and also on the wets at the end that we put the inter was very good. So it’s a shame. I think, you know, home race was not how I expected,” he added.