Nico Hulkenberg’s long-awaited and – on the face of it – incredibly unlikely breakthrough podium finish at Silverstone was hailed by many as the ‘feel-good’ moment of the season.
Nico Hulkenberg
| Best | Worst | |
|---|---|---|
| GP start | 11 | 20 |
| GP finish | 3 | 16 (x2) |
| Points | 37 | |
However the 15 points he picked up that day accounts for less than half of his total so far. It goes to show that when circumstances have given him a chance to score points, Hulkenberg has risen to the occasion, particularly since Sauber’s successful recent upgrade package.
A tricky race in changeable conditions at Melbourne allowed Hulkenberg to exploit the benefit of his experience and deliver points in the season-opener. He made up 10 places on his way to seventh.
However the next seven rounds offered few such chances again. The C45’s handling proved increasingly critical as its drivers got close to the limit and Hulkenberg stumbled in qualifying at times, notably at Suzuka and Imola.
Although he was usually able to work his way forwards, a spate of Q1 exits left him facing an uphill struggle in the grand prix. There were other setbacks, too: He damaged his floor at the start in Shanghai, was disqualified due to plank wear at Suzuka and failed to exploit the opportunity to pit during the Virtual Safety Car periods in Miami.
But once Sauber brought an upgrade which made the C45 more forgiving to drive, Hulkenberg delivered. He produced an excellent fifth place in Spain, which has since been eclipsed by his Silverstone feat, but at the time was widely hailed, not least after he used fresh tyres in his final stint to pass Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari.
More points followed in Canada and Austria, though Hulkenberg slipped up in qualifying both times. He took eighth at Montreal and ninth at the Red Bull Ring after passing the likes of Oliver Bearman, Pierre Gasly and Isack Hadjar.
Then came his day of days at Silverstone. Hulkenberg impressively took matters into his own hands during the tricky opening laps, twice rebuffing his team’s tactical calls and making his own decision when to change tyres. From there he picked off Lance Stroll and resisted Hamilton for a brilliant podium finish.
But the two races since then should give Hulkenberg pause. While he hasn’t added to his points tally since then, his rookie team mate Gabriel Bortoleto has looked increasingly rapid, beating him to the tune of half a second at the Hungaroring. Though he undoubtedly deserved high praise for his performances so far, Hulkenberg increasingly looks like he has a fight on his hands.
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