Nico Hulkenberg – From being left out of an under-performing Renault outfit in 2020 to being signed by a potential title contender Audi in 2025; what an eventful journey it has been for the 36-year-old Formula One driver! The German driver recently signed an insane multi-year deal with the Stake F1 team (Audi) for 2025 and beyond, making it his fifth unique team since his debut in 2010.
However, one might wonder if Hulkenberg deserves a potentially title-contending team like Audi. Hulkenberg has spent his entire motorsport career stuck in the midfield, driving for decent teams and never really managing to grab the attention of kingpins like Mercedes, Ferrari, or Red Bull. In fact, Hulkenberg’s longest stint came in the 2010s with Force India, a mid-field outfit that failed to record a single win in its decade-long career.
*Hülkenberg has been added to the group chat* 💬 💚
We’re excited to announce Nico Hülkenberg will join Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber for the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/1DLNcBBL8j
— Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) April 26, 2024
However, don’t let such statistics mislead you. Hulkenberg may have failed to secure a podium in his entire racing career and is inching towards the end of his career in Formula 1. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the German doesn’t deserve the precious seat at Audi. This is nothing but a reward for Hulkenberg’s hard work since his downfall in 2019.
After the prolonged stint with Vijay Mallya’s outfit, Hulkenberg opted for a move to Renault in 2017, but the move soon proved to be insignificant. There was hardly ever a standout performance from Hulkenberg during his tenure at the French outfit, subsequently forcing him into the shadows of his rivals. Eventually, Hulkenberg lost his seat at Renault, and Red Bull picked Sergio Perez over him as Max Verstappen’s teammate in 2020.
How ex-teammate Sergio Perez gifted Nico Hulkenberg with a lifeline
In 2020, it almost felt that Hulkenberg could soon retire from Formula 1, considering the lack of vacancies on the grid and the highly competitive drivers’ market. However, then arrived the pandemic which proved to be a blessing in disguise for Hulkenberg. Racing Point announced that Perez had tested positive for Covid-19, leaving Hulkenberg with a lifeline to prove his worth to the racing world.
every day new excitement here at Silverstone 🤠 P3 in Quali!! thanks to the boys for making me feel at home.. big fight ahead tmrw! 👊🏼 #F170 pic.twitter.com/zc5R9reAI2
— Nico Hülkenberg (@HulkHulkenberg) August 8, 2020
And rightfully so, Hulkenberg delivered strong performances in Silverstone and later that year in Nurburgring. Out of the three races he took part in 2020, he managed to score 10 points. A year later, Hulkenberg secured a full-time seat at Haas for 2023. Two years of over-performing with a slow Haas car, and now, here he stands with a glorious opportunity at Audi.
But, can he make a good use of it and end his motorsport career on a high note?
Sara Chavan