Sauber boss Jonathan Wheatley believes the mutual trust between Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg has allowed their relationship to flourish in Formula 1.
The pair have already established one of the most fruitful partnerships Sauber has possessed in recent years.
With 55 points on the board, the Hinwil-based squad has comfortably eclipsed the meagre four points it managed across the entire 2024 campaign.
For Bortoleto, 2025 marks his debut F1 season. The Brazilian entered the top tier as the Formula 2 champion and took a measured approach to adapting to the sport.
While his early races yielded modest results as he got up to speed, his methodical progression has since paid off, securing four points finishes in his last six outings.
But despite seeing the Brazilian gain the upper hand in recent races, Hulkenberg has continued to lavish praise on his rookie team-mate and been willing to help him.
Speaking after Monza – where a hydraulics failure sidelined Hulkenberg before the race had begun – Wheatley highlighted how genuine the rapport between his drivers has become.
“I enjoy it while it lasts! No, there’s a genuine friendship,” Wheatley told media including Motorsport Week.
Wheatley, who joined Sauber earlier this year, stressed that the harmony between the two drivers is not something that can be manufactured but rather a natural result of their approach.
“You can’t make people be friends. I think they’ve established a relationship based on trust from the very beginning,” he continued.
“And Gabriel, as we’ve seen, is more than open to trying to learn from everyone around him, try to improve his performance, whatever he can take on board. And I think Nico takes a genuine pleasure in trying to help him.”
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