Audi Revolut F1 Team claimed a spot in the top ten on the grid for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, as Nico Hulkenberg equalled the team's best qualifying result of the year with ninth place. The team delivered performance on both sides of the garage, with Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly missing out on Q3 and setting the 12th fastest time of the session, as both R26 fought at the front of the midfield in a close battle on Saturday afternoon.

The high temperatures that have accompanied the action so far this weekend will play a role in tomorrow's race, as tyre degradation will be one of the key elements of the strategic chess game to unfold on track. With Nico in P9 and Gabi one row behind, and good pace on the demanding Catalonian circuit, the team has given itself a good opportunity to be in the fight for points from lights to flag.

Allan McNish, Racing Director: "Overall, it was a very positive day for the team. Nico delivered a strong performance to reach Q3, showing impressive consistency throughout the session and matching our best qualifying performance of the year. Gabi also demonstrated excellent pace: unfortunately, he was unable to put together a clean final lap in Q2, but his performance level was very much in line with Nico, and he'll be in a good position to aim for points tomorrow.

"When we look at the bigger picture, the most encouraging aspect is that we have taken another step forward as a team. We have been able to convert the pace we knew was in the car into a stronger qualifying result, which is a clear sign of the progress we are making. That gives us confidence heading into the race tomorrow."

Nico Hulkenberg: "I'm happy with the result. P9 is a good outcome for us, and I don't think there was much more left on the table today, so that's definitely a positive.

"Qualifying wasn't completely straightforward. I had a moment in Turn 3 on my first run in Q1, my laptime was deleted and that meant we had to use an extra set of tyres to get through. That left us a bit compromised later on, but we stayed calm, executed well and managed to make Q3.

"The field is very tight, so securing my best qualifying result of the season so far is satisfying. Tomorrow will be the first really hot race of the year, so tyre management and degradation will be key. Our car tends to perform quite well when we look at long-run performance, and I felt confident with the car this weekend, so hopefully we can put ourselves in the fight for some points."

Gabriel Bortoleto: "It was a decent Qualifying session overall. My final push lap was okay, although I could have made up a little more time in the last sector. The field has been very tight all weekend, so it was important to put together a clean lap and maximise what we had.

"Looking ahead to tomorrow, I think there are some opportunities out there for us. A lot will depend on our race pace, but I'm confident we can do a good job and progress into the top ten."