NICO HULKENBERG: WHERE HAS HIS PERFORMANCE GONE AFTER HIS PODIUM AT SILVERSTONE
Where has the German’s performance gone after his podium at Silverstone and his many top 10 finishes? That’s the question many are asking since Hulkenberg finally broke his long wait and stood on a Formula 1 podium for the very first time.
The British Grand Prix looked like the start of a dream story for Hülkenberg and Kick Sauber: a veteran near the end of his career, a team preparing for Audi’s arrival, and a result nobody expected. But as the season has gone on, the joy of the top 10 finishes and the podium at Silverstone has turned into a reality check, his year has been more about ups and downs than steady progress.
He used every opportunity to his advantage, climbing from the back half of the grid and holding off champions in tricky conditions. For a driver who had waited more than 200 races for this moment, it was proof that he still had what it takes.
But since then, he hasn’t been able to repeat that form. The numbers tell the truth: after Silverstone, no points were scored. More often, he has been stuck outside the points, either let down in qualifying or losing out in messy races. Singapore was just one more of those races. He did not lack pace in qualifying, he starting in a position to fight for points, but a spin in the race ruined his chances. In track such as Singapore, where track position is so important, mistakes like that are very costly.
Qualifying could well be one of the issues. The Sauber C45 has improved since the start of the year, but its one-lap speed still isn’t perfect, and Hülkenberg hasn’t always been able to squeeze the last thousandths from it. Too often he starts outside the top 10, leaving him with too much to do on Sundays. In a midfield where a tenth of a second can change everything, that is a big problem. His young teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto, is winning the qualifying head to head with his team mate, having a score of 11-7 in favour of the Brazilian.
Sauber Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley also addressed the topic, noting that Hülkenberg’s recent struggles in qualifying shouldn’t be viewed as a real issue, but instead as evidence of how even the tiniest factor can dramatically alter the course of a race weekend.
“It’s a question I’m being asked more and more often. Personally, I don’t think there’s any underlying issue. Nico is an extremely experienced and fast driver. Many, many times he’s been beaten in qualifying by thousandths, by hundredths. It’s not always a drama. We spent years talking about the fact that Nico had never stood on the podium.”
“Now we’ve achieved that. Honestly, I think this is just a transitional phase. Gabriel is fast too, if one of them nails the lap, it’s normal for him to end up ahead of the other. I think Gabriel has raced on a number of circuits he knows better. For Nico there’s nothing to worry about; he’ll put it all together,” Wheatley explained to Motorsport.com Italia.
Execution has also been an issue. Silverstone worked because both Hülkenberg and the team made the right calls. But in later races, that hasn’t always been the case. Strategy has sometimes gone against him, and when he has had the chance, small mistakes like the Singapore spin or messy wheel-to-wheel battles have cost points. In the fight for midfield positions, where Aston Martin, Haas, and Racing Bulls are all chasing the same handful of points, those slip-ups make a big difference.
Hulkenberg sits 10th in the championship with 37 points, which is not bad for the car he has. The podium is still the standout moments of the season.
At 38, Hülkenberg probably will be the main driver for Audi once they arrive in 2026. His job is to use his experience to help Sauber build toward the future and to score points when possible. The podium was an added bonus, but week-to-week he is expected to be reliable and consistent. By that standard, his recent results have been underwhelming compared to the hope that Silverstone created.
In the end, Hülkenberg’s 2025 season shows how tough Formula 1 really is. One great result can change the story of a driver, but keeping that level going is far harder. Silverstone may remain the best day of his career, but if he cannot follow it up with more solid results such as in Spain or Australia, it risks being remembered as a lone highlight rather than the start of something bigger. For a driver who wanted his late career to be defined by a comeback, that would be a tough reality to accept.
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