Nico Hulkenberg’s experience in a chaotic Australian GP and his eventual sixth-place finish allowed Sauber to earn 6 points: after just one race, the team already has more points than in the entire 2024 season.
In his first race with Sauber after 12 years, Nico Hulkenberg climbed from 17th to 7th, securing 6 precious and unexpected points for the Hinwil team ahead of the race. The 37-year-old German drew on all his experience in a race that was highly challenging due to the track conditions.
While other drivers, both experienced and less so, made mistakes and were forced to retire, Hulkenberg stayed error-free, bringing Sauber to sixth place in the constructors’ standings. Of course, it’s only the first race of the season, but the 6 points earned in a challenging race, compared to the 4 points from the entire 2024 season, reflect the good work done by the team and the former Haas driver.
“We didn’t expect it in the first half of the race, it didn’t seem to be going very well, but then things got a bit more fun towards the end,” Hulkenberg commented, as stated in the Sauber press release. “We made some good decisions and reaped the rewards. We were there when it mattered, I’m really happy to have earned these points. The first race is like the first finish line, you learn a lot,” Hulkenberg added. .
The same fate, however, did not befall his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto, despite a strong start to the weekend in which he beat Hulkenberg in qualifying, even making it into Q2 ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Liam Lawson. The race, however, was not as positive: when the rain intensified, he spun, and the resulting suspension damage forced him to retire.
“Unfortunately, the race didn’t end as we hoped; it’s a shame, as things were going quite well,” explained the Brazilian rookie. “Once the Safety Car period ended, I found myself at the back of the grid, I tried to recover, but I hit the curb and ended up against the wall. I knew that in conditions like these, anything could happen; I gave it my all, but maybe I pushed a little too hard.”
“On the other hand, I’m happy for Nico and the team for earning the points today: he did an amazing job. They all deserve it, both those on track and those working at our HQ in Hinwil. Overall, my debut weekend went well, especially considering the result in qualifying. It was a learning weekend, to get to know the team and its dynamics even better.” .
Despite Bortoleto‘s retirement, his strong performance and Hulkenberg’s points bring a smile to the team, as testified by the words of team principal Beat Zehnder. “Today’s race showcased everything that makes Formula 1 so special: unpredictable weather, exciting overtakes, spectacular maneuvers, and, unfortunately, some accidents as well. A huge compliment to both drivers for their performances, and especially to Nico for securing his first points for the team.” .
“It was a great collective effort throughout the weekend. The team performed really well, making the right choices in changing conditions and laying the foundation for this result. Although this is a big step forward, we remain focused on addressing the challenges we encountered to ensure we can consistently fight for points.” .
Photo: Sauber Group, F1.com
