Nico Hülkenberg’s 2025 season in Formula 1 has been nothing short of memorable.
The Sauber driver single-handedly catapulted the team to 6th place in the Constructors’ Championship with 41 points, and currently sits at 9th place in the Drivers’ Championship with 37 points; Hülkenberg has not only contributed to Sauber’s strong midfield battle this season, but also concluded several bad-luck streaks for the team.
His recent momentous achievement comes from a podium position at the iconic Silverstone track, marking his first F1 podium after 239 races and Sauber’s first podium since 2012. A representation of his grit and determination, the German driver holds a 2025 turnaround nobody saw coming.
A memorable season opener in Australia
After an early exit in qualifying, he was knocked out of Q1 and was starting in 17th place on the grid. However, he delivered an outstanding performance during the challenging wet conditions, gaining 10 positions and finishing in seventh place, securing six points for Sauber.
This result outscored the team’s grand total from the entire 2024 season in just one afternoon. Hülkenberg scored more points in this race than the team managed to accumulate in an entire year during their troubled and disappointing 2024 season.
Going forward into the season, the spotlight was on Hülkenberg; after showing promising signs of performance in a machine that struggled throughout 2024, the early positives from Melbourne put the driver at center stage for a team that finally had the opportunity to be on par with other competitive midfield teams.
A seven-race dry spell
Following an impressive season opener, many believed the driver had found a winning formula to carry him through the rest of the season. However, the team quickly hit a wall; what transpired from China to Monaco was a complicated stretch of seven races in which he failed to score any points, alongside his rookie teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto.
This wasn’t just a slump, but a question of whether this success was a one-hit wonder as Sauber did not have a particularly great package. Hülkenberg often found himself in a midfield battle, struggling to fight to the top and finishing just outside the top 12.
During this period, several critics judged their performance, questioning whether the surprise result in Melbourne was based on luck and good calls on tyres rather than actual progress. On the other hand, Hülkenberg’s rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto was also adapting to Formula 1 and the car, unable to bring a breakthrough performance to support the team.
Redemption in Barcelona
Barcelona saw Hülkenberg outqualified by his rookie teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto, as he advanced to Q2. On the other hand, the early rounds of qualifying eliminated Hülkenberg, causing him to begin Sunday’s race in 15th place.
But the team opted for a bold strategy that turned things around for the German driver. After making an early pit stop during lap 9 for medium tyres, he executed several overtakes, and a safety car, he gradually climbed his way into P6.
In what many are labelling a career “pinch-yourself” experience, the driver overtook Lewis Hamilton, crossing the line sixth on track and moving up to P5 after Verstappen received a 10-second penalty.
It marked one of Hülkenberg’s best race finishes in recent times. This pushed Sauber up in the Constructors’ battle while the driver was building momentum and delivering impressive and unexpected results.
A tight battle in Canada
The Canadian Grand Prix marked a third back-to-back points finish in a row for Nico Hülkenberg; a first time for the team where a driver has scored consistent points since 2022, while pushing the team up to P6 in the center of a tight midfield battle in the Constructors standings.
Qualifying P12, the driver transformed his position in a points finish at P8 after making it through the midfield pack following a one-stop strategy that saw him preserve his tyres for 51 laps — displaying precision and patience, not only in tyee management, but also aiming to capitalise in a midfield battle between the Haas, Aston Martin and Williams drivers which saw him gain positions and perform a few more overtakes.
His teammate, Bortoleto, also praised Hülkenberg as “getting more out of the car than he should,” crediting his experience and race awareness that led to progress rather than a stagnant race.
A masterclass in Austria
After qualifying right at the back of the grid at P20, Sauber noted that the car was not built for the Red Bull Ring layout, especially the high-speed corners.
Despite the setback, the driver did what he did best so far this season, which was capitalising on the chaos that unfolded through the midfield pack. There was room for a solid recovery drive that pushed him to gain 11 positions at P9, scoring two points.
Meanwhile, Hülkenberg’s teammate Bortoleto landed in P8, marking his first points in Formula 1 and a double point streak for Sauber; a key milestone that showed the upgrades were good enough to support both drivers, setting them up for Silverstone, which was one for the history books.
History made in Silverstone
Nico Hülkenberg’s performance at the British Grand Prix gave joy all around the world as they rooted for the German driver to get his first-ever podium finish in Formula 1.
After 239 races and 15 years spent racing, Hülkenberg made his way from P19 to P3, gaining sixteen positions in a career-defining moment. In a race that was impacted by seriously wet conditions and multiple safety cars as several drivers DNF’d, Hülkenberg climbed through the pack patiently and without errors.
The nail-biting moment was a tight battle for third place between the Sauber and the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton, who tried to clinch a podium at his home race; eventually, the Ferrari driver finished fourth place behind Hülkenberg.
The result wasn’t just a personal milestone for Hülkenberg; it was also Sauber’s first podium since 2012, and the best result of their season by far. Team boss Jonathan Wheatley called the drive “one of the best under pressure” he’d seen all year. It also helped Sauber pull clear of Haas and Alpine in the Constructors’ standings, placing the driver with the current Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship contenders at McLaren.
The second half of the season
With 12 races left in the season, a lot of eyes are on Nico Hülkenberg, the man who’s steadily making his way through the hurdles with Sauber’s extremely promising updates; the veteran has settled it, once and for all, that he is capable of podiums and points finishes a few more times before the season ends.
The podium at Silverstone wasn’t luck, it was execution from team and driver. As Audi prepares to take full control of the team in 2026, performances like these could help shape who stays, who leads, and how this project builds toward long-term success.
With improved performances and stunning recovery drives, the potential remains for the team and Hülkenberg to propel forward before the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The main goal would be to maintain consistency and adaptability, especially optimising in circuits that aren’t the team’s strong suit, as seen in Austria.
