‘It’s always been a special place’ – Bortoleto reflects on Q3 appearance in Austria as he predicts challenging battle with Antonelli

Kick Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto progressed into the final segment of Qualifying for the first time this season at the Red Bull Ring, earning the P8 slot on the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Brazilian, who won last year’s F2 Championship, had experienced success at the circuit in his junior career. In 2023, he claimed second place in the F3 Feature Race, and followed that up with an F2 race win the following year – his first of the season.

Bortoleto is one of two drivers (the other being fellow F2 graduate Franco Colapinto) without a point this year, but this round offers his greatest opportunity yet to cross the line in the top 10.

He has achieved this feat in every session of the weekend so far, finding his rhythm quickly at a track that has produced so much success for him in recent years as he also finished each practice hour in sixth, eighth and 10th respectively.

Speaking after Qualifying, he said: “I’m very pleased – first Q3 of my career in such a special place like the Red Bull Ring. It’s always been a track I loved.

“In F3 I finished in second I think, fighting for the win. In F2, winning – not only in the series but also in other series, it’s always been a special place. Making it to Q3 at this track is a very special thing for me.”

Outqualifying his Kick Sauber team mate Nico Hulkenberg, who is set to start the race from P20, Bortoleto will face the challenge of lining up alongside an out of position Max Verstappen at lights out.

With Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli just behind him in ninth place, he was asked about the prospect of taking the fight to the more traditional frontrunners in a car that has thus far failed to finish higher than P12.

The 20-year-old said: “I think it will be difficult with Max, you know? I think he got the yellow flag on his lap and he should be in the top three, top four where he always is, making miracles sometimes with the car he has.

“He has more potential than the result he got today but only because he got unlucky. Kimi, I think he’s also doing a very good job and I don’t know, let’s see tomorrow how the race pace is.

“I think I can maybe fight with him for sure. I think the whole weekend I have been strong and compared to him as well, I don’t remember exactly the positions but I know we were very close to each other the whole weekend.”