Forward of the upcoming season, Nico Hulkenberg expects that his new workforce Sauber will be capable of proceed to make inroads, constructing on the enhancements it achieved within the closing phases of final season.
Following check driver roles from 2007 to 2009, Nico Hülkenberg made his F1 debut with Williams in 2010. After claiming his maiden pole place on the Brazilian Grand Prix, he was changed by Pastor Maldonado on the finish of the season. He joined Power India as a reserve driver in 2011, who promoted him to a full-time seat for the 2012 season.
In 2013, he competed for Sauber, earlier than returning to Power India in 2014 to accomplice Sergio Pérez. After three additional seasons at Power India, Hülkenberg switched to Renault for 2017. On the finish of the 2019, he was changed by Esteban Ocon for the 2020 season, and he returned to Power India as a reserve driver from 2020 to 2022.
Throughout the coronavirus-affected 2020 F1 season, Hülkenberg substituted for Pérez and Lance Stroll at three Grands Prix in 2020, and for Sebastian Vettel at two in 2022.
He returned as a full-time driver for the 2023 season, driving for Haas alongside Kevin Magnussen. Hülkenberg will now re-join Sauber for his 2025 marketing campaign, forward of their acquisition by Audi in 2026.
The German racer was granted an early launch from Haas after the season-closing race in Abu Dhabi. It enabled the Emmerich-born racer to place in his first laps with Sauber throughout the post-season Pirelli tyre check on the Yas Marina Circuit.
Reflecting on his first day with the Hinwil-based outfit, Hulkenberg added: “Such a workforce change, it isn’t only a new automotive. There are 80 new faces, new names on the again. After which the automotive. It all the time feels unusual at first. Similar to if you get a automotive on the rental automotive counter each week that you’ve got by no means pushed earlier than.
“It takes a second to get into the groove and really feel comfy. However the check was constructive, as constructive because it could possibly be. It was priceless to assemble preliminary impressions, to get a really feel for the automotive, just because I additionally imagine that Sauber has taken step one in the fitting route with the improve from Las Vegas.
“That was a significant enchancment. And for the final three races, the automotive was clearly extra aggressive and nearer to the sector. That was additionally my impression throughout the check. The premise shouldn’t be so mistaken. Nonetheless, there may be nonetheless lots that may be accomplished within the diesel, and there may be nonetheless lots to optimize.”
Requested about his impressions relating to his new team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto, Hulkenberg claimed that he expects the Brazilian to rapidly set up himself as a powerful competitior on the pinnacle of motorsport.
“He gained System 3 and System 2 as a rookie. He is aware of the place the gasoline pedal is and appears to be taught rapidly. Like many others, he’ll now begin subsequent 12 months as a rookie and has lots to stay up for.
“I’m wanting ahead to working with him and can help him wherever I can as a result of I need us to develop as a workforce as rapidly as doable. The Audi F1 workforce might be based mostly on that workforce.
“Audi is a significant model, a giant title. System One is way larger now than it was then. I’m wanting ahead to the problem and am excited to see what time will convey. We’re getting a whole lot of reinforcements. There are nonetheless a whole lot of gifted individuals becoming a member of the workforce,” Hulkenberg is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport.
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