Nico Hulkenberg delivered an impressive performance at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, achieving Sauber’s best Formula 1 finish in three years despite qualifying struggles. Driving the slowest car on the grid in 2025, Hulkenberg’s clever strategy and skill enabled him to finish fifth, just three seconds shy of the podium.
After a difficult qualifying session where Hulkenberg failed to progress beyond Q1, he overcame a challenging start to climb through the field at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, showcasing resilience and racecraft under tough conditions.
Early Challenges and Strategic Adaptation in Qualifying and Race Start
Hulkenberg’s race weekend began on an unsteady note as he was eliminated in Q1 on Saturday, marking the fifth time this season he was outqualified by his rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto in single-lap performance. This made his prospects difficult, especially at a track that often penalizes overtaking.
Starting the race from 16th position, Hulkenberg took a cautious yet effective approach off the line, using the escape road at Turn 1 to avoid contact and advancing to 11th by the end of the first lap. On the next lap, he overtook Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, moving Sauber into the points.
There was a car coming sliding across so both Gabi and I had to avoid turn two and avoid some car, I’m not sure who it was,
Hulkenberg explained.
Had a bit of fight with Fernando also, I think for one or two laps, but wrestled him down in the end. That was good.
—Nico Hulkenberg
Key Strategy Calls and Tyre Management Propel Hulkenberg Forward
Sauber’s tactical decisions played a crucial role in Hulkenberg’s climb through the field. The team brought him in for an early pit stop on lap 9, countering Haas driver Oliver Bearman’s strategy, which initially placed Bearman 14th.
Facing a high-degradation circuit and a 66-lap race, Hulkenberg was on a three-stop plan. However, he extended his medium tyre stint impressively to 36 laps before making a second stop on lap 45. For context, race winner Oscar Piastri completed his pitstops on laps 22 and 49.
This approach allowed Hulkenberg to minimize time loss behind faster cars and placed him ninth after the second pit cycle, ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Pivotal Moments: Mechanical Retirement and Safety Car Benefit
Kimi Antonelli’s mechanical failure removed a competitor in front, triggering a safety car that reshaped the race dynamics. Hulkenberg’s earlier Q1 exit became an advantage here, as he still had a fresh set of extra soft tyres available.
At the restart on lap 61, Hulkenberg quickly passed Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and began chasing down seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
With just two laps remaining, Hulkenberg used DRS to overtake Hamilton, a rare moment witnessed in Formula 1 where a Sauber passed a Ferrari at speed.
He only had a used soft left,
Hulkenberg said.
That’s what you see even though he’s in a Ferrari with how important and how powerful the tyres are. He was just sliding around a lot and I had new boots which made all the difference.
—Nico Hulkenberg
Final Classification and Hulkenberg’s Reflection on the Race
Hulkenberg crossed the line sixth, but the placement was elevated to fifth after Max Verstappen received a 10-second time penalty. Celebrating the outcome, Hulkenberg described the race as one where all elements aligned perfectly.
It was a great race, just one of them races where everything seemed to click and work out,
he recounted.
Beautiful when it happens, doesn’t happen that often, unfortunately, but today it did.
He acknowledged that having fresh tires due to his Q1 exit turned out to be advantageous, allowing him to reset his race after a strong start and compete for a top result.
Obviously the late safety car and then having another set of softs did the rest of it. So very happy and obviously we take that. But, you know, that’s just if you bring updates and performance that works, you know, you can help yourself.
—Nico Hulkenberg
Technical Updates Boost Sauber’s Competitiveness at Barcelona
Sauber introduced significant upgrades to their car in Barcelona, including a new front wing, floor, and engine cover. Despite expectations that a new technical directive limiting front wing flexing would level the playing field, Hulkenberg felt the C45’s improved performance resulted mainly from the upgrades.
To be honest I think it’s more the updates,
Hulkenberg commented.
Maybe it’s the technical TD, the flexi wing stuff that others paid more of a price than us because honestly, I feel for us it didn’t change that much.
He added,
I don’t feel much different in high speed and to be honest high speed so far has been not our strongest point so I tend to believe it is the update.
—Nico Hulkenberg
Sauber’s Strong Finish Highlights Potential for Midfield Fight
Totaling fifth place in Barcelona with Bortoleto finishing just outside the points in 12th, this result marked a remarkable achievement for Sauber, who had not been near the top 10 since Hulkenberg’s seventh place in Australia’s rain-affected race at the start of the year.
The team last saw a top-five finish at the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, when it was competing under the Alfa Romeo name.
It’s obviously a very sweet moment,
said Hulkenberg, a 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours winner.
Second time with points this year but only since Melbourne, it’s obviously been a bit of a dry patch.
It’s been difficult but I believe it puts us more on the map in the midfield fight. We’ve found the connection to that train.
Hulkenberg added.
In quali, things are very tight and everything needs to be right, but I feel like in the races hopefully we can be there and push into it and fight with all these other guys more.
—Nico Hulkenberg
Looking Ahead: Sauber’s Prospects in the 2025 Season
This strong showing underlines Sauber’s latent potential and signals an encouraging step forward as the team works to close the gap with its midfield competitors. Hulkenberg’s steady performances and astute racecraft, combined with ongoing technical developments, may help Sauber sustain momentum in upcoming Grands Prix.
As the 2025 season unfolds, all eyes will be on the Hinwil-based squad to see if they can build on their progress and consistently challenge for points and higher finishes amid a fiercely competitive field.
