Nico Hülkenberg

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Lore & Background

Hülkenberg's F1 career began with Williams in 2010, where he claimed his maiden pole position at the Brazilian Grand Prix. After being replaced by Pastor Maldonado, he joined Force India as a reserve driver in 2011, then raced for Force India (2012), Sauber (2013), and back to Force India (2014-2016). He switched to Renault for 2017, but was replaced by Esteban Ocon at the end of 2019. He returned as a reserve driver for Force India (then Racing Point, later Aston Martin) from 2020 to 2022, substituting for Sergio Pérez, Lance Stroll, and Sebastian Vettel at five Grands Prix. He returned as a full-time driver with Haas in 2023 and 2024 alongside Kevin Magnussen. Hülkenberg re-joined Sauber for 2025, where he achieved his maiden podium at the British Grand Prix, ahead of their acquisition by Audi in 2026. He is contracted to remain at Audi until at least the end of the 2026 season.

In Their Own Story

The 2025 British Grand Prix at Silverstone marked a turning point. After 239 Grands Prix without a podium — the longest such streak in F1 history — Hülkenberg finally stood on the rostrum, finishing 3rd behind race winner Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in 2nd. The German driver, who had been written off by many after losing his Renault seat in 2019, had clawed his way back through reserve roles at Racing Point and Aston Martin, then two seasons at Haas, before landing at Sauber for their transition into Audi. His persistence, built on years of technical feedback and substitute appearances, had finally paid off.

Reader's Guide

Hülkenberg's career path offers a masterclass in resilience. After winning the GP2 Series in his rookie season (2009) — the third driver to do so after Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton — he entered F1 with Williams in 2010. Despite taking pole in Brazil that year, he was dropped for 2011. He rebuilt his career at Force India, Sauber, and Renault, but was replaced again in 2019. Rather than retire, he accepted reserve roles at Racing Point and Aston Martin from 2020 to 2022, substituting at five Grands Prix. This patience led to a full-time return with Haas in 2023-2024, then a move to Sauber for 2025, where he finally scored his maiden podium. His story shows that F1 careers can have multiple acts.

Did You Know?

• Hülkenberg won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015 with Porsche.
• He holds the F1 record for most starts without a win (260) and most starts before a podium (239).
• He won the GP2 Series in his rookie season (2009), becoming the third driver to do so after Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.
• He achieved his maiden F1 pole position at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix with Williams.
• He is married to Lithuanian fashion designer Eglė Ruškytė and they have one daughter born in 2021.