Allan McNish, Racing Director: "The first part of Sprint Qualifying is always a busy session for everybody, particularly with the red flag confining the crucial part to the final five minutes of action.

"We got through SQ1 reasonably comfortably and, while the first lap in SQ2 was good, the second wasn't quite optimal for either one of our drivers. Ultimately, Nico and Gabi were left in 12th and 14th respectively, with very little separating the two of them.

"I think we ultimately had the performance to be inside the top ten, and we were only a small margin away from achieving that. From a pure performance perspective, we have a clear focus for tomorrow's main qualifying session and will aim to make it one step further. However, before that we have the Sprint race, and we need to make sure we are in ready to make the most of any opportunity in that one, too."

Nico Hulkenberg: "It was a decent Sprint Qualifying. We had a very strong run in SQ1, and while SQ2 wasn't quite as competitive, I think it reflected where we are at the moment. Considering we had limited running in FP1, I'm reasonably satisfied with how the session went.

"It's going to be a tough weekend: hot, humid and physically demanding. We'll take what we've learned today, see where we can make some improvements overnight and then focus on getting the most out of the Sprint tomorrow."

Gabriel Bortoleto: "Everything was very close in SQ2. I feel my final lap was decent, but I left a little bit on the table in the last sector, with a big snap at the second-to-last corner. With such small gaps between cars, that makes a difference. Overall, it's been an interesting day. We started well in FP1, but towards the end of practice we had a few issues, and I wasn't as happy with the car. At the start of qualifying, we were also off the pace we expected, but we managed to make a step forward and I felt more confident as the session went on. Still, it wasn't quite enough for SQ3. It's still early in the weekend and we're far from having everything optimised, so there's plenty to work on."