Nico Hulkenberg spent 2021 and 2022 as a reserve driver for Racing Point, which later became Aston Martin. With little hope of making an F1 return, he was given a second chance when Haas signed him for 2023.
After two years with the team, Hulkenberg chose to embark on a new journey at Sauber, but not without dwelling on what had been a bittersweet four years
“A lot of positive emotions, a lot of joy, and a lot of fun — that’s how I look back on the last two years,” Hulkenberg reflected in a recent interview.
After finishing 11th in the championship in 2024 for a backmarker team like Haas, Hulkenberg believes he exceeded his own expectations, considering he was away from the sport for two years.
Asked about his two years at Haas [before moving to Sauber/Audi], Nico Hulkenberg says: “It was a very positive experience. A lot of positive emotions, a lot of joy, and a lot of fun – that’s how I look back on the last two years.”
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“I think we grew together during that time and became quite strong. It’s been a very nice ride,” he added. “I think, at least for me personally, we exceeded expectations. After two years away, I didn’t think my career would go like this either“.
With Haas finishing rock-bottom in the standings in 2023, not many expected them to perform well in 2024. But thanks to the German driver’s remarkable consistency in qualifying and strong race pace, he scored 41 points, allowing the Kannapolis-based squad to finish ahead of RB, Williams, and Sauber in the Constructors’ standings.
However, with his future team finishing last in 2024, Hulkenberg will have his work cut out for him next year. 2025 is likely to be another year of struggle for the Hinwil-based squad as the same set of regulations will carry forward. However, 2026 could be the season that Sauber, which will rebrand to Audi, targets to return to the front of the grid.
In order to help them with this, they signed Hulkenberg, who not only has more than a decade of experience competing in F1 but has also witnessed various regulation changes along the way. Therefore, his experience will come in handy to help Audi design a strong car for the new regulations.
