Allan McNish, Racing Director: "I think it is fair to say it has been quite a challenging weekend for everybody: coming to a new circuit, getting up to speed and finding the right car balance and feeling has not been easy in these conditions.

"For us, it all came together in qualifying, where I think we extracted the best performance from the car. The new package was working very well, and Gabi delivered some absolutely fantastic laps throughout the session to get into Q3 and secure a good starting position for tomorrow.

"Nico was on exactly the same pace but unfortunately locked up into Turn 14 on his final lap: he will start 15th after the penalties to Colapinto and Lindblad are applied. Knowing the race pace he has shown, and how well he can fight his way through, I think we have two cars very much in the game tomorrow."

Nico Hulkenberg: "It was a disappointing end to qualifying because the lap was coming together well until the lock-up in the final sector. The margins are so tight these days that you need to get every corner right, and unfortunately that cost us a significant amount of lap time."

"Tomorrow will be a demanding race with high tyre degradation, and the weather could add another element. Starting further back is never ideal, but there are plenty of variables here, so we'll give it our best shot and try to make our way forward."

Gabriel Bortoleto: "I'm very happy, I think it was a mega lap - overall, all the laps in qualifying were very good and I felt really at ease with the car.

"After a tough weekend in Baku, I think this is a very strong response, and it shows the quality of the upgrades package we brought. The whole midfield has closed the gap now, so hats off to the team for the incredible job they've done, putting the car in the right window and giving us the confidence to push. If I was able to deliver this today, it's thanks to them, and I really appreciate that."

"There's going to be a lot of degradation tomorrow, but that's the same for everyone. Hopefully we can put together a good race, keep the tyres alive and go for the points."