Sauber boss Jonathan Wheatley has explained the subtle tweaks behind major F1 improvement.

The much-maligned team were bottom of the constructors’ championship last year, and waited until the 2🐟3rd grand prix for their first point.

But now with ex-Red Bull chief Wheatley a🍌s their 𒅌team principal there are obvious signs of growth.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Nico Hulkenberg’s brillꦫiant P5 finish last weekend at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix, from 15th on the grid, was their best result since Valtteri Bottas three years ago at Imola.

Hulkenberg even overtook Fer𝓡rari’s Lewis Hamilt♊on to underline his incredible drive.

Wheatley also noted how their pitst🦩ops - which blighted them last season - have become quicker.

“As a team we performed at the highest level,” Wheatley told the F1 Nation p🍨odcast in Barcelona.

“I was so impressed with our communication, conversations with t✨he factory, the strategies, the car hꦚad pace across both tyre types. Nico has a point to prove after qualifying!

“It’s great ⛄to be motor racing again and to be genuinely competitive.

“I thought we had a pretty solid car in qualifying, both drivers were ca💦pable of getting into Q2. Nico just didn’t do that. To do that at this track? It’s an aero track. It’s hugely encouraging.

“It delivered what our t꧑ools said it would. I sit here tonight like we’re on the rig♋ht track.

“I’ve been here eight weeks and done 🥂seven 𓆉races, like your feet don’t touch the ground!

“I’ve tried🥃 to listen to people and understand how we’ve go🃏t here.

“I am starting to get a good feel fo💛r what we can do. We have changed a few things about how we communicate. I feel that we’re in the right direction.

“Pit ൩stops are a manifestation of team 𒉰spirit. So, to do a 2.1s pit stop… I am very proud.

“It was strange to see us chasing two Ferraris!”

More F1 joy for Sauber predicted as new package looms

Sauber named a new-look driver partnership this season, pairing veteran Hulkenberg with rookie 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Gabriel Bortoleto.

Brazilian journalist Julianne Cerasoli provided insight into Bortoleto: “He is loving the car. He says it is much ꦡbetter in traffic which was a problem in the first few races.

“They have a lot more usable downforce. They went to make the car more driv🌌able, not to add more downforce. It is more predictable.

“Think about Sauber - they went through a very dif♕ficult year, mo𝕴ving from Sauber to Audi management.

“Their last package, at the end of 2024𓃲, worked well when 🎀Guanyu Zhou got points.

“They are coming from very low positions but they ไwere a bit better༒, in the mix for Q1 and some Q2s.

“T✅his package [in Spain] worked and t♕hey will have another before the summer break so it’s looking good for them.”

Jesús Balseiro added to the F1 Nation podcast: “Normally you see good results from the midfield teams and there are Safety Cars, raꦏ♏in or crashes.

“The thing we have in mind 🌃is Hulkenberg overtaking Hamilton ♛in a Ferrari!

“😼It’s exciting to see the cars at the end of the grid doing good res﷽ults.

“Everybody believes that Barcelona is a reference track. They did really good 💮so they can have a good summer.”