Since achieving a significant podium finish at the British Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg’s performances have noticeably declined, sparking discussions about a potential Nico Hulkenberg form slump. The German driver last scored points at Silverstone, with more recent races failing to produce strong results.
In Azerbaijan, Hulkenberg finished 16th, trailing his rookie Sauber teammate Gabriel Bortoleto by five positions. During the Italian Grand Prix, a hydraulic failure forced Hulkenberg out before the start, while his finishes in the three races before that did not improve beyond 12th place. Meanwhile, Bortoleto secured three top-10 finishes over five races, accumulating 14 points.
Sauber’s team principal Jonathan Wheatley addressed questions about Hulkenberg’s dip in form:
“It’s a question I’m being asked more and more often now,”
Jonathan Wheatley, Sauber team boss
Wheatley emphasized that there is no major underlying problem affecting Hulkenberg.
“Nico is a tremendously experienced and fast racing driver. And many, many times he’s been outqualified by a thousandth, or hundredth. Do you know what I mean? It’s not always like a big thing.”
Jonathan Wheatley, Sauber team boss
He suggested the fluctuations in Hulkenberg’s results illustrate how intense and closely matched the midfield battle remains this season. Sauber currently holds eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship with 55 points, just seven behind Aston Martin and ten behind Racing Bulls, which is placed sixth.
Current Midfield Competition Heightens Pressure on Sauber Drivers
The midfield pack continues to be exceptionally tight, with teams like Haas only 11 points adrift in ninth place and Alpine occasionally securing valuable points finishes. Given this challenging environment, capitalizing on opportunities during race weekends is crucial.
Wheatley believes Hulkenberg’s recent inconsistency is temporary and expects an upturn soon:
“We spent a lot of time talking about Nico had never been on the podium, and we’ve done that now, and I honestly think it’s just a transient thing,”
Jonathan Wheatley, Sauber team boss
He acknowledged that Bortoleto has shown considerable speed and familiarity with recent circuits, which has allowed him to occasionally outqualify Hulkenberg. Wheatley is confident this is not a major issue and anticipates Hulkenberg will regain form.
Reflecting on Hulkenberg’s qualifying attempts, Wheatley pointed out the critical importance of a clean initial lap:
“He had a great run in [final practice in Baku], we had every confidence going in, but then that bump into the wall meant that he didn’t have a baseline for his next run.”
Jonathan Wheatley, Sauber team boss
“That’s the trouble, if you want to progress through qualifying at the moment, you need to get Run 1 right, in the bank, and then you can start chipping away at your lap time.”
Jonathan Wheatley, Sauber team boss
Implications for Sauber and Future Prospects
Sauber’s position in the Constructors’ Championship highlights the challenging nature of competing in Formula 1’s midfield this season. With narrowly spaced points among several teams, every race weekend presents an opportunity for significant gains or losses.
Wheatley’s defense of Hulkenberg underlines the team’s belief that the German’s recent difficulties are temporary rather than indicative of a lasting decline. Considering Hulkenberg’s experience and prior performances, there is anticipation within Sauber that he will return to scoring form soon, which would be valuable in the ongoing tight competition.
