Hulkenberg feared Austin practice pace was ‘too good to be true’

Nico Hülkenberg delivered a standout performance at the United States Grand Prix, securing a season-best P4 for Kick Sauber in Sprint Qualifying. The German driver, who had expressed doubts about his practice pace being "too good to be true," impressed by maintaining his form to start behind only Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri. Hülkenberg credited the team for finding the "sweet spot" with their setup but acknowledged the challenge of holding off faster cars during the Sprint. Conversely, his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto endured a difficult session, failing to register a valid lap and will start from the back of the grid.