2025 Austrian Grand Prix – Sunday
Spielberg, 29 June 2025 – Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber continued its run of points-scoring races as Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg finished the Austrian Grand Prix in eighth and ninth places respectively. It was a brilliant result for the team, which hit several milestones – Gabriel's first Formula One points, the first double-points finish since Qatar 2023, and the first time scoring in three consecutive races since early in the 2022 season.
Gabriel, who started from within the top ten for the first time in his career, had a flawless race and never looked like he’d miss out on the points, with a performance that earned him the F1 Driver of the Day award. Nico started from P20, defying the odds to climb through the field and finish right behind his team-mate.
The results deliver six valuable points to the team, lifting our total to 26 but, most importantly, confirming the status of Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber as a credible competitor in the battle at the top of the midfield as the season approaches its midway point.
Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal: "A fantastic result for the team here in Austria. Nico becomes the first Sauber driver since Valtteri in 2022 to score points in three consecutive races – and it’s only the eighth time in our 32-year history that a driver has climbed from 20th or lower to finish in the top nine. We hadn’t finished in the top eight here since 2001 – so this result is something very special for the team.
“Gabriel was on a medium – medium – hard strategy and showed strong pace but, unfortunately, got caught in traffic and lapped by the McLarens near the end – otherwise, I think he could have finished higher. He’s shown impressive pace and consistency all weekend and truly deserves his first points in Formula One. With Nico, we took a bold approach on a soft – medium – medium strategy, and his smart, measured drive delivered our first double points finish of 2025.
“Huge credit to everyone at the factory – Mattia and the whole team have done an outstanding job bringing these upgrades. The tools are correlating well, the car is responding, and the team is executing to increasingly high standards. We leave Austria energised for Silverstone and ready to fight for every place and for every point."
Nico Hulkenberg (car number 27):
Race result: 9th
Fastest lap: 1:09.459 (Lap 57)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Soft) – Lap 13 (New Medium) – Lap 43 (New Medium)
“It’s a great feeling to be in the points for the third time in a row – especially after a tough qualifying yesterday. We executed a solid race today: aggressive strategy, early first stop, and we managed to make the tyres last while keeping the pace strong. That paid off. I’ve always felt even more confident with our race pace, and today we were able to make the most of the opportunities. Since Barcelona, we’ve found a better balance with the car and the performance is coming together more consistently. That’s encouraging. We've shown consistent good performance three times in a row now on different track layouts. Double points for the team is a fantastic result – and I’m really happy for Gabi scoring his first points in F1. Big congratulations to him, well deserved. Another six points in the bag, a happy team, and positive momentum. Let’s keep pushing.”
Gabriel Bortoleto (car number 5):
Race result: 8th
Fastest lap: 1:09.247 (Lap 60)
Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Medium) – Lap 22 (New Medium) – Lap 50 (New Hard)
"What a race! I am thrilled to have scored my first points in Formula One, especially as we achieved a double points result, too. It was an amazing race – super intense from start to finish, and I am really proud of what we have done today, together, as a team. The pace was strong, the strategy worked out just right, and the whole team did an incredible job. We put the weekend together, stayed sharp in every moment, and I finally got my first points. This is a testament of how much progress we have made and of what we are capable when everything clicks. This is just the beginning, though: for me, it means to keep pushing, keep improving, and aim for even bigger results. The battle with Fernando [Alonso] at the end was a fun one – he didn’t make it easy! – but today was really about the team and taking this important step forward together."