Hülkenberg set to start fourth after wet São Paulo qualifying
The Audi driver recorded the sixth-fastest overall time in qualifying, then gained two grid places as a result of penalties for George Russell and Charles Leclerc.
Nico Hülkenberg qualified sixth overall for the Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix, but is set to start the race from fourth after grid penalties for George Russell and Charles Leclerc.
The wet qualifying session at Autódromo José Carlos Pace followed a Friday in which the Audi driver completed no running because of technical problems. Formula 1 reported that the Grand Prix was still to come.
Audi’s strongest result of the season
Hülkenberg moved through the first two qualifying segments with the fifth-fastest time in each, before ending the session sixth overall. Formula 1 described the result as his and Audi’s best of the season.
Rain delayed the start of qualifying. Hülkenberg said the changing showers were characteristic of São Paulo and that the conditions helped him recover some of the track time he had missed on Friday. He said he felt confident with the car and was pleased with his laps.
Hülkenberg has previously taken his only Formula 1 pole position at the circuit, in a rain-affected session in 2010. He said Audi had a strong starting position for the upcoming race and that the team would aim to race cleanly and make the most of it.
Bortoleto’s qualifying ends in Q1
Audi team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto did not reach Q3. He crashed during the opening segment, running off at Turn 12 and crossing the wet grass before hitting the tyre barrier.
Bortoleto returned to the pits, but damage to the car, including to the rear wing, prevented him from continuing. He said he was disappointed with his mistake.
Newsroom
This report covers qualifying, not the Grand Prix result. Hülkenberg’s fourth-place starting position reflects the penalties applied to Russell and Leclerc; no race result is reported here.
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Sources
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Formula 1
Official source · 07/11/2026 22:47
