Gabriel Bortoleto pointless despite Sauber’s quantum leap in the Fastest Pit Stop standings

The ninth Formula 1 race of the season in Barcelona presented the teams with strategic challenges. In the practice sessions, it became clear that the hard tires on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya were not coming into the working window.

As a result, the drivers had to make do with softs and mediums and adopt two-stop or even three-stop strategies, which meant that the pit crews had to maintain maximum concentration throughout. On this occasion, it was the Sauber team who executed the fastest pit stop.

On lap 19, they swapped Gabriel Bortoleto’s worn soft tires for new mediums in 2.13 seconds. Sauber’s second DHL Fastest Pit Stop of the year catapulted them from fifth to third in this particular competition, taking them above Red Bull and Mercedes.

Sadly, the DHL Fastest Pit Stop did not bring Bortoleto any points in the main championship. The rookie was stuck behind the safety car after his second tire change and, unlike the opposition, he was unable to pick up a new set of rubbers. Nevertheless, he achieved his career best with twelfth place.

“The team did a good strategy. It is just the last safety car. It wasn’t so much on our side,” said Bortoleto with regret. Team-mate Nico Hülkenberg’s fifth place at least provided some consolation: “Nico scoring points shows the potential of the car.”