Nico Hulkenberg F1

Hulkenberg made his debut in karting in 1997 at the age of 10 and worked his way up through the ranks to eventually reach Formula 1. After his time in karting, the German began racing in the German Formula BMW in 2005. He dominated the championship and easily won the title. He won the world final but was later disqualified after it was ruled that he had slowed down his opponents under the safety car. In the 2006/07 season, Hulkenberg joined the German A1 Grand Prix team. He won nine race victories in his debut season, making him the most successful young driver in A1GP history. The next step in his racing career was participating in Formula 3. He ended the season in fifth place, scoring several race victories. In his debut season in GP2, Hulkenberg won the series and immediately caught the attention of people in Formula 1. He won the title with two races to spare, becoming the first driver to do so in GP2. ‘The Hulk’ was managed by the famous manager Wili Weber, who also managed Michael Schumacher’s career. Weber stated that Hulkenberg would be in Formula 1 by 2008 and described the driver as an “incredible talent.”

Formula 1 Career

Hulkenberg first drove a Formula 1 car in 2007 when he tested for Williams. Initially, Wili Weber tried to get Hulkenberg a test role at Renault, but the deal fell through. Hulkenberg impressed so much during a two-day test with Williams that they officially signed him as their test driver. In 2010, he received a full-time race seat at Williams. Hulkenberg performed well for the team and secured Williams' first pole position since 2005 at the Brazilian Grand Prix. However, Frank Williams announced that Hulkenberg would not continue with the team in 2011 because other drivers were able to bring more money. In 2011, Hulkenberg became the reserve driver for Force India and frequently tested for the team during Friday practices. It was announced that he would join Paul Di Resta for a race seat at the team in 2012. Hulkenberg was consistently faster than his teammate and had a strong season for Force India, finishing 17 points ahead of Di Resta and beating him 12 times in qualifying. For the 2013 season, Hulkenberg would race for Sauber, and once again had a solid season, proving that he deserved his place in Formula 1. In 2014, he returned to Force India and stayed with the team for three seasons. Hulkenberg raced alongside Sergio Perez, and each year the team improved their position in the constructors’ standings. In 2016, Hulkenberg was still with the team and helped them achieve the status of ‘best of the rest,’ finishing the season in fourth place in the constructors’ championship.

Move to Renault

For the 2017 season, Nico Hulkenberg signed with Renault and raced alongside Jolyon Palmer. In 2018, Hulkenberg remained with the team and raced with Carlos Sainz as his teammate. For the 2019 season, Daniel Ricciardo joined the team, and the two hoped to bring Renault back to the top of Formula 1. However, this was not the case, and Hulkenberg ended up sidelined.

Departure from F1 and New Opportunities

Hulkenberg did not achieve his dream results with Renault in 2019. He was overshadowed by Ricciardo and had to settle for 14th place in the overall standings, his second-lowest result in his F1 career. He did not return to the French team the following year. It seemed that Hulkenberg’s F1 adventure was over, but his status as a reserve driver for all teams with Mercedes engines gave him some unexpected opportunities. The first came in 2020 when he substituted for Sergio Perez, who had contracted COVID-19. Later that year, he was called up again when Lance Stroll also tested positive. A new opportunity arose at the start of the 2022 F1 season. This time, Sebastian Vettel had to miss the first two races of the year, and Hulkenberg was called up to replace him in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Nico Hulkenberg and Audi

With the arrival of the Volkswagen Group under the name Audi in Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport will welcome a great car manufacturer in 2026. Audi is taking over the Swiss Sauber team, led by former Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto. Due to significant changes in the regulations for next year, where both the chassis and engines will change, the German brand may have an advantage since they will not be the only team without data on the new generation of F1 cars. The engines will also be developed by the Volkswagen Group, and the rules will mainly change regarding electric power, which will almost triple in 2026. Audi and Volkswagen have vast experience in electric motors, having participated in Formula E from 2014 to 2021 and set many electric car track records with the Volkswagen IDR. A major German brand naturally deserves a driver from its own country, and Nico Hulkenberg, with all his experience, could be of great importance in the development of this project.

Nico Hulkenberg in 2025

After Audi’s announcement of the takeover of Sauber from 2026, it was revealed that Hulkenberg would swap the American Haas team for Sauber for the 2025 F1 season. Last year, Sauber only managed to score points once and finished last in the championship. As a result, many questions remain about the form of the Swiss team this season. The 2024 Formula 2 champion, Gabriel Bortoleto, will take the seat alongside Hulkenberg. Sauber’s goal for 2025 will primarily be to avoid finishing last again, but they are mainly looking ahead to the new regulations and their rebranding to Audi in the 2026 F1 season. It will therefore be highly unlikely that Hulkenberg will shed his status as the driver with the most races without a podium in 2025.

Nico Hulkenberg in 2024

After three years of sporadically filling in for sick drivers, Hulkenberg got the chance to return full-time to Formula 1 with the Haas F1 Team in 2023. He immediately defeated his teammate Kevin Magnussen in 2023, and in 2024, the German scored 41 of Haas’s 58 points. Especially in qualifying, he shone, often needing to look in his mirrors during the races. The Hulk once again showed in 2024 that he remains one of the better drivers in the midfield.

Nico Hulkenberg Salary and Net Worth

With his new multi-year deal with Sauber, which will become Audi in 2026, Hulkenberg will earn 6.5 million euros per year. His total net worth is estimated to be around 10 million euros.

Nico Hulkenberg’s Girlfriend

Since 2015, Nico Hulkenberg has been in a relationship with Lithuanian Egle Ruskyte. They married in 2021, and later that year, the couple welcomed their first child, Noemi Sky, in September.

Nico Hulkenberg Age, Nationality, and Height

Nicolas Hulkenberg was born on August 19, 1987, in Emmerich, Germany. He is 37 years old and will celebrate his 38th birthday on August 19, 2025. Hulkenberg is among the tallest F1 drivers, with a height of 1.84 meters (6 feet), and weighs around 78 kilograms.

Nico Hulkenberg News

Stay updated on the latest news about Nico Hulkenberg and his team, Sauber, via this page. From official announcements, updates, and on-track performances to preparations and other activities outside the F1 season, you can read it all first on GPblog.com.