Gabriel Bortoleto shares what he said to himself after seeing Sauber teammate Nico Hulkenberg on the F1 podium

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Nico Hulkenberg secured his first podium finish in F1 after 14 years of trying at the British Grand Prix in July, in one of the best feel-good stories of the 2025 season.

Sauber teammate Gabriel Bortoleto was one of the first drivers to congratulate the German on the feat.

The Swiss constructor had made massive strides in the weeks before the race, upgrading the Sauber C45 to a position where their drivers could fight for points at each Grand Prix.

It’s of stark contrast to the position the C45 was in at the beginning of the season. Before the cars took to the track for pre-season testing, it was speculated that Bortoleto would have the hardest job on the grid due to the performance forecast of the team’s car.

Former Red Bull director Jonathan Wheatley took the reins at Sauber after the Japanese Grand Prix and instantly made an impact on the team by improving the efficiency of their pit stops.

The team principal reportedly brought a number of personnel from Red Bull over to Sauber with him.

READ MORE: Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg’s life outside F1 from wife to height

Gabriel Bortoleto was ‘motivated’ by seeing Nico Hulkenberg on the podium at the British Grand Prix

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Bortoleto shared the emotions he had whilst watching Hulkenberg receive his first trophy on the F1 podium after 239 Grand Prix finishes, saying, “Nico is a great person and a great driver. When he crossed the finish line in third place at Silverstone, it was very emotional.”

“He is helping me a lot. I have learned and continue to learn a lot from him, and when you have a good relationship with someone, I think it comes naturally to share some of their joy, so it felt natural to go under the podium to celebrate with him.

“He had a great race, made the right decisions, and achieved a well-deserved result, and I wanted to be there at that moment to celebrate him.

“When I saw Nico lift the trophy, I said to myself, ‘Okay, I’ll give it my all, I want to be there too’. That image motivated me.”

READ MORE: Who is 2025 Sauber driver Gabriel Bortoleto? Everything you need to know

Gabriel Bortoleto found the opening rounds of his rookie F1 season ‘mentally difficult’

Fresh off the back of his championship-winning Formula 2 season in 2024, Bortoleto admitted that his poor results at the beginning of the season, resulting in his position at the bottom of the drivers’ standings, was a tough pill to swallow.

“The start of the championship was not easy,” Bortoleto said. “Within the team, my contribution has always been judged positively, but coming from two championship wins, finding myself fighting at the bottom of the standings was mentally difficult to accept.

“Ambition is always difficult to control, but then, race after race, the situation improved a lot, and I found myself in the top 10, which was a great feeling.”

Bortoleto has benefited from Hulkenberg’s experience, with the seasoned veteran providing invaluable advice to the 20-year-old, alongside Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen, who Bortoleto considers his mentors.