Saturday: Hülkenberg and Sauber fail at the doorstep of Q3

Nico Hülkenberg – 17th and 11th:

« It was another tricky day with qualifying taking place in such conditions. This morning, I struggled a bit with the mediums. This afternoon, it wasn’t easy, but I think it was the same for everyone with the weather, as it’s always a challenge. It was wet in Q1, which was exciting, but I think we did a good job. We only missed Q3 by 3 tenths. The 11th place seems to stick to me. But it’s a good position for tomorrow. I hope we have a good race pace, so we can score some points. »

Esteban Gutiérrez – 7th and 21st:

« I am much happier with the car today. We were able to solve the problems we had during free practice 2 yesterday. Everything seemed good until the end of Q1. We put on a new set of intermediates too early, and it turned out to be the wrong choice. The track was drying, and those tires were worn out after one lap, which was the main problem. We couldn’t do much at that moment once the decision was made, but I did my best with what I had. In these weather conditions, it’s all about choosing the right tires. Tomorrow it will also be a lottery if the weather is changeable. It will be about strategy, so we will have to be flexible, open to everything, and efficient. Whether it’s dry or wet, we need to manage things well. »