2025 Spanish Grand Prix – Friday

Barcelona, 30 May 2025 – KICK Sauber F1 Team got its Spanish Grand Prix weekend underway with a constructive day of running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. In challenging conditions with high track and air temperatures, the team focused on optimising setup and collecting valuable data.

The latest upgrade package—fitted exclusively to Nico Hulkenberg’s car for Friday’s sessions—showed encouraging early signs. Gabriel Bortoleto, meanwhile, completed a solid day of data gathering and will join his teammate in running the updated components from Saturday onwards, as preparations ramp up for what promises to be a tightly contested qualifying session.
 

Nico Hulkenberg (car number 27):
FP1: 14th / 1:14.865 (21 laps)
FP2: 12th / 1:13.592 (30 laps)

"It was a solid Friday overall. No major issues throughout the sessions, although the track conditions were among the hottest we've experienced this season so far. The car felt good right from the start. The upgrade package we brought for this weekend appears to be working as intended — the balance has improved, and I felt more confident behind the wheel straight away. Tonight, we’ll go through our usual routine: analyse the data, fine-tune the setup, and look for any further gains. The midfield is extremely tight once again, so every tenth will count. It’s going to be a close fight tomorrow in qualifying."

 

Gabriel Bortoleto (car number 5):
FP1: 16th / 1:15.155 (23 laps)
FP2: 17th / 1:13.959 (27 laps)

"Overall, it’s been a straightforward Friday: we went through the full programme without any issues, which is always a positive way to start the weekend. I haven’t had the new parts on the car yet; I have been running the same package we used in previous races, while Nico tested the updated specs. From what we have gathered so far, the upgrades look promising, which is definitely encouraging for the rest of the weekend. As always, the field is incredibly close: hopefully, the new parts and a clean, strong lap will help us unlock that extra bit of performance and put us right in the fight."