Latest news with #NicoHulkenberg
CNN
2 days ago
- Sport
- CNN
Lando Norris wins controversial British Grand Prix after Oscar Piastri incurs penalty and heavy rain wreaks havoc on the race
Lando Norris won a chaotic British Grand Prix on Sunday, safely navigating a rain-hit race punctuated by several safety cars and taking advantage of his teammate Oscar Piastri incurring a 10-second penalty when one of those safety cars pulled off the track. Norris only led for the last few laps at Silverstone, having remained largely anonymous for much of the race. It was Piastri who set the pace almost all afternoon until his challenge was undone when he slammed on the brakes too forcefully as the safety car peeled off and picked up a 10-second penalty from the stewards. That left Norris as the winner-elect, providing he could complete the race cleanly – a difficult task in the inclement weather conditions that caused several drivers to lose control and spin off the track. 'It's beautiful,' he told broadcaster Sky Sports afterward. 'Everything I dreamed of, I guess. Everything I have ever wanted to achieve. Apart from a championship, I think this is as good as it gets in terms of feelings, in terms of achievement, being proud, all of it. 'This is where it all started for me, was actually watching you on TV many years ago. And now, thankfully, I've been able to have my go.' By finishing first, Norris closed the gap to Piastri in the drivers' world championship and is now only eight points behind his teammate. Piastri held on for second while Kick Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg claimed his first ever F1 podium in his 239th race, despite starting in 19th on the grid. 'Nico, Nico, Nico,' his team shouted as they mobbed him afterwards, finally celebrating a podium for the German driver who holds the record for the most races completed without ever finishing in the top three. 'What a race, coming from virtually last,' he told Sky Sports. 'It's pretty surreal, to be honest. Not sure how it all happened, but obviously crazy conditions, mixed conditions. It was a survival fight for a lot of the race.' From the very start, it was an action-packed race with Mercedes' George Russell and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc among those pitting to change their tires before the race began. On pole, Max Verstappen started cleanly but, behind him, Liam Lawson and Esteban Ocon collided, sending Lawson spinning off the track and causing a virtual safety car to be deployed. As soon as that virtual safety car ended, another one started when Gabriel Bortoleto had to abandon his car as he tried to limp back to the pits. Once that one finished, and the racing got going, Verstappen and Piastri battled for first place – Verstappen ducking and weaving all over the track to defend his position, though ultimately Piastri passed the Red Bull driver relatively easily. Rain began falling shortly afterwards and, after complaining about his tires not gripping the track, Verstappen slid wide, letting Norris through as well. All top three drivers pitted shortly afterward but Norris endured a slow pit stop, conceding second place back to Verstappen. The rain got heavier, the cars kicked up so much spray, and the conditions deteriorated so much that a full safety car was deployed. Then, as the race got back underway, visibility remained so poor that Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar accidentally drove into the back of Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli, crumpling the Frenchman's car and causing yet another safety car to come out. Led by Piastri, with Verstappen close behind, the drivers bunched up again. As the safety car began pulling off, Piastri started trying to outfox Verstappen but he braked so sharply that the Dutchman accidentally overtook him. Then, Piastri accelerated away and Verstappen spun out trying to match the Australian, slipping from second to 10th place. The stewards noted the controversial incident and hit the McLaren driver with the penalty that cost him the race. 'I'm not going to say much. I'll get myself in trouble. Well done to Nico, I think that's the highlight of the day,' Piastri told Sky Sports. 'Apparently you can't brake behind the safety car anymore.' Although Piastri remained running out front, his days as the race leader were numbered as he was unable to build up an advantage of more than 10 seconds over Norris. Eventually, McLaren pitted him and Norris took the lead, becoming tearful over the radio when he won his home race. Verstappen moved himself back up and finished in fifth place while Lewis Hamilton finished in fourth. This story has been updated with additional developments.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
FIA Issue Ruling on Hülkenberg and Stroll Pit Lane Collision
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg was handed a decision on his collision with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll. At the start of Q1 on Saturday, Hulkenberg lined up his car to get out quickly at the beginning of the session. He put one of his wheels in the fast lane as he waited for the car in front to make space. Stroll continued forward and made contact with the Sauber, resulting in front wing damage to the Aston Martin and prompting an investigation by the FIA. Nico Hulkenberg of Germany driving the (27) Kick Sauber C45 Ferrari in the Pitlane during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 25, 2025 in Spa, Belgium. Nico Hulkenberg of Germany driving the (27) Kick Sauber C45 Ferrari in the Pitlane during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 25, 2025 in Spa, Belgium. Photo byThe official found Stroll already had the right of way, and Hulkenberg was at fault for the collision, though no penalty was issued to either driver for the contact. In document 49 from the Belgian Grand Prix, the FIA gave its explanation of the events. "The Race Director's notes state 'any car driven to the end of the Pit Lane prior to the start... of a session must form up in a line in the fast lane and leave in the order they got there. "It is noted that the car will be considered to be in the fast lane when a tyre has crossed the solid white line separating the fast lane from the inner lane. In this context 'crossing' means that all of the tyre should be beyond the far the line..... "In this case, no tyre of Car 27 complied with the above prior to the start of the session, in which case, Car 18 is considered to have priority in the line. Therefore Car 27 should have merged into the line when there was a 'suitable gap' and in this case no such gap existed. "At all times the driver of Car 27 was following team instructions either by radio or hand signal from a team member. "Accordingly, Car 27 breached Article 34.8 and the penalty is applied to the team. "In relation to the subsequent collision that occurred, both cars appeared to move, under instructions from their team, at the same time and inadvertently collided. We consider that no driver was wholly or predominantly to blame and hence take no further action in relation to Causing a Collision." Belgium Grand Prix Qualifying Results Lando Norris (McLaren) Oscar Piastri (McLaren) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) Alex Albon (Williams) George Russell (Mercedes) Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) Esteban Ocon (Haas) Ollie Bearman (Haas) Pierre Gasly (Alpine) Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) Carlos Sainz (Williams) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) Franco Colapinto (Alpine) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nico Hulkenberg: ‘F1 podium talk was cold coffee – but I'm not done yet'
In modern-day Formula One, there aren't too many narratives which could have compensated for Lewis Hamilton missing out on a Silverstone podium for the first time. Nor one which sparked more acclaim than Lando Norris winning his home grand prix. Yet Nico Hulkenberg's tense and glorious third-place finish last time out – ending the sport's longest podium-less streak, 239 races and no more – was just that. From last on the starting grid in P19, the German driver and his Sauber team, now pivotally led by ex-Red Bull guru Jonathan Wheatley, executed every call and nailed every pit-stop in the dry-wet chaos to leapfrog 16 cars and finish on the podium, staving off Hamilton in the process. A podium for Hulkenberg in a Sauber before Hamilton claims a podium for Ferrari? Nobody had that on their 2025 F1 bingo card. Hulkenberg's glistening beam as he stood on the podium, rather amusingly holding aloft a trophy made out of Lego, will be one for the season picture-book come December. It was, without a doubt, one of the stories of the year so far. 'It's confirmation of the hard work that the team is putting in,' Hulkenberg tells The Independent, amid a run which now stands at four point-scoring finishes in a row, heading into this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. 'The update in Barcelona [round nine] has made a really big difference. It was a big turning point in our season. 'The magnitude of the step we've made is a surprise. It's really delivered. Before, it was difficult to do anything in races but now, it's very, very positive.' A Silverstone weekend which concluded with such unbridled joy for the 37-year-old, nicknamed 'The Hulk', started with a five-hour delay at Nice Airport due to air traffic control strikes, down the coast from his home in Monaco. As such, this one-on-one chat with Hulkenberg in the uniquely transparent Sauber motorhome, somewhat isolated at the far end of the Silverstone paddock, was delayed by several hours. Who knows what might have happened over the subsequent days had he not been asked for the umpteenth time about his excruciating podium-less run? Funny how things work out. 'It's not something I think about,' Hulkenberg says about the preceding 238 F1 race starts, which included 112 top-10 finishes, 608 points but astonishingly, zero podiums. The German even has a pole position to his name, taking advantage again of some wet weather in his rookie season at Williams in Brazil, back in 2010. 'I don't really care or pay attention to it [podium-less streak], it's cold coffee, honestly. We're all trying to chase the best possible result. We believe that crazy things can happen, with the weather or whatever. 'You've just got to be here and ready for it. And when the day comes, take it.' The foreshadowing is uncanny. For Hulkenberg, this 2025 mid-season surge represents the zenith of his career renaissance. Hulkenberg was brought up in Germany's most populous region, the North Rhine-Westphalia, in the city of Emmerich am Rhein on the Netherlands border. Yet quickly, his talent looked certain to cross boundaries. NICO HULKENBERG'S F1 CAREER (2010-CURRENT) Races: 239 Points: 608 Top-10 finishes: 113 Wins: 0 Podiums: 1 Pole positions: 1 Best drivers' championship finish: 7th in 2018 (Renault) Rated extremely highly as a youngster – in 2009 he became the third driver after Nico Rosberg and Hamilton to win GP2 (now F2) in his rookie year – F1 stints at Williams, Force India and Renault gave him the pinnacle class of racing he craved. In fact, former manager Willi Weber compared 'The Hulk' to fellow German Michael Schumacher, a seven-time champion of the world. His results in F1, as you will have gathered by now, were consistently impressive, without reaching stratospheric levels. Indeed, his only victory in this period was a stunning win for Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans event in 2015. In doing so, Hulkenberg became the first active F1 driver to win the prestigious endurance race since Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot in 1991. But after nine years in F1, Hulkenberg was dropped at the end of 2019 and spent three seasons on the sidelines as a reserve. A second bite at the cherry, for most onlookers, did not seem forthcoming. Except, perhaps, for the man himself. 'My F1 comeback in 2023 is my biggest achievement to date,' he says, surprisingly, when asked if his Le Mans triumph was his best career accomplishment. 'As a result? Yes, sure, Le Mans. But now, to have this opportunity with Sauber and Audi next year and to still be here, keeping up with the youngsters, pushing to be in F1. 'I did need a break and a bit of a detox. It put a lot of things into perspective. But I had that feeling that I wasn't done yet. I had the desire to jump back in and be competitive again.' An understated figure in the current driver staple of social media stars and fashion icons, Hulkenberg is now one of the sport's senior men. Alongside Max Verstappen, he is one of just two fathers on the grid, with four-year-old daughter Noemi sometimes seen tottering around the garage in search of her dad. His rock-star spiky hair look is in deep contrast to his mellow tone; he is rarely one for exaggeration or hyperbole. Yet amid Sauber's current resurgence with Hulkenberg and F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto at the wheel, and with German giant Audi soon taking over the reins, an outfit so defeated last year looks very much revitalised under the guidance of Wheatley and ex-Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto, as we head into the second half of the season and new regulations in 2026. With the podium 'cold coffee' finally swallowed, there remains one obvious goal for Hulkenberg to crack. Now, the unwanted record is that he is the driver who has the most F1 races to his name without a victory. 'You always want to achieve more until you're winning,' he sums up. 'I haven't been there or done that. 'But in F1, it's not always easy. You need to be in the right spot with the right people. I'm in a big project now and it's a very exciting opportunity. 'Next year is a reset and offers an opportunity for every team. Audi are very serious whenever they enter any motorsport competition. Hopefully we can be a very big contender in the next few years. 'F1 is all about timing. For me, in my career, it hasn't clicked. Well, not yet.'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Nico Hulkenberg: ‘F1 podium talk was cold coffee – but I'm not done yet'
In modern-day Formula One, there aren't too many narratives which could have compensated for Lewis Hamilton missing out on a Silverstone podium for the first time. Nor one which sparked more acclaim than Lando Norris winning his home grand prix. Yet Nico Hulkenberg 's tense and glorious third-place finish last time out – ending the sport's longest podium-less streak, 239 races and no more – was just that. From last on the starting grid in P19, the German driver and his Sauber team, now led by ex-Red Bull guru Jonathan Wheatley, executed every call and nailed every pit-stop in the dry-wet chaos to leapfrog 16 cars and finish on the podium, staving off Hamilton in the process. A podium for Hulkenberg in a Sauber before Hamilton claims a podium for Ferrari? Nobody had that on their 2025 F1 bingo card. Hulkenberg's glistening beam as he stood on the podium, rather amusingly holding aloft a trophy made out of Lego, will be one for the season picture-book come December. It was, without a doubt, one of the stories of the year so far. 'It's confirmation of the hard work that the team is putting in,' Hulkenberg tells The Independent, amid a run which now stands at four point-scoring finishes in a row, heading into this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. 'The update in Barcelona [round nine] has made a really big difference. It was a big turning point in our season. 'The magnitude of the step we've made is a surprise. It's really delivered. Before, it was difficult to do anything in races but now, it's very, very positive.' A Silverstone weekend which concluded with such unbridled joy for the 37-year-old, nicknamed 'The Hulk', started with a five-hour delay at Nice Airport due to air traffic control strikes, down the coast from his home in Monaco. As such, this one-on-one chat with Hulkenberg in the uniquely transparent Sauber motorhome, somewhat isolated at the far end of the Silverstone paddock, was delayed by several hours. Who knows what might have happened over the subsequent days had he not been asked for the umpteenth time about his excruciating podium-less run? Funny how things work out. 'It's not something I think about,' Hulkenberg says about the preceding 238 F1 race starts, which included 112 top-10 finishes, 608 points, but astonishingly, zero podiums. The German even has a pole position to his name, taking advantage again of some wet weather in his rookie season at Williams in Brazil, back in 2010. 'I don't really care or pay attention to it [podium-less streak], it's cold coffee. We're all trying to chase the best possible result. We believe that crazy things can happen, with the weather or whatever. 'You've just got to be here and ready for it. And when the day comes, take it.' The foreshadowing is uncanny. For Hulkenberg, this 2025 mid-season surge represents the zenith of his career renaissance. Rated extremely highly as a youngster – in 2009 he became the third driver after Nico Rosberg and Hamilton to win GP2 (now F2) in his rookie year – F1 stints at Williams, Force India and Renault gave him the pinnacle class of racing he craved. Results, as you will have gathered by now, were consistently impressive, without reaching stratospheric levels. Indeed, his only victory in this period was a stunning win for Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans event in 2015. In doing so, Hulkenberg became the first active F1 driver to win the prestigious endurance race since Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot in 1991. But after nine years in F1, Hulkenberg was dropped at the end of 2019 and spent three seasons on the sidelines as a reserve. A second bite at the cherry, for most onlookers, did not seem forthcoming. Except, perhaps, for the man himself. 'My F1 comeback in 2023 is my biggest achievement to date,' he says, surprisingly, when asked if his Le Mans triumph was his best career accomplishment. 'As a result? Yes, sure, Le Mans. But now, to have this opportunity with Sauber and Audi next year and to still be here, keeping up with the youngsters, pushing to be in F1. 'I did need a break and a bit of a detox. It put a lot of things into perspective. But I had that feeling that I wasn't done yet. I had the desire to jump back in and be competitive again.' An understated figure in the current driver staple of social media stars and fashion icons, Hulkenberg is now one of the sport's senior men. Alongside Verstappen, he is one of just two fathers on the grid, with four-year-old daughter Noemi sometimes seen tottering around the garage in search of her dad. His rock-star spiky hair look is in deep contrast to his mellow tone; he is rarely one for exaggeration or hyperbole. Yet amid Sauber's current resurgence with Hulkenberg and F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto at the wheel, and with German giant Audi soon taking over the reins, an outfit so defeated last year looks very much revitalised as we head into the second half of the season and new regulations in 2026. With the podium 'cold coffee' finally swallowed, there remains one obvious goal for Hulkenberg to crack. Now, he is the driver who has the most F1 races to his name without a victory. 'You always want to achieve more until you're winning,' he sums up. 'I haven't been there or done that. 'But in F1, it's not always easy. You need to be in the right spot with the right people. I'm in a big project now and it's a very exciting opportunity. 'Next year is a reset and offers an opportunity for every team. Audi are very serious whenever they enter any motorsport competition. Hopefully we can be a very big contender in the next few years. 'F1 is all about timing. For me, in my career, it hasn't clicked. Well, not yet.'
Newsweek
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Nico Hulkenberg Makes Big Claim About Sauber After Maiden F1 Podium Finish
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sauber Formula One driver Nico Hulkenberg has made a significant claim about his team, stating that it is now a "serious competitor" in the midfield. The German driver made the admission after securing his first podium finish in F1 at the British Grand Prix. Hulkenberg's P3 finish at Silverstone reportedly made bigger headlines than Lando Norris' race win at his home venue. The last stage of the British GP saw Hulkenberg fend off seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in his Ferrari in the fight for the third spot. Sauber, which is set to be taken over by Audi, is a classic example of what teams can do when the regulations remain consistent over multiple F1 seasons. Hulkenberg has scored points in five races thus far, while his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto secured a points finish in Austria. This has elevated Sauber's position in the championship standings to P6, a stark contrast to its last position finish from last year. Sauber is currently ahead of Alpine, Haas, Aston Martin, and Racing Bulls in the championship. Speaking on his Silverstone race finish, Hulkenberg acknowledged that the situation would have been different if the British GP had been a dry race. He said: Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber answers questions in the TV media pen during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 5, 2025... Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber answers questions in the TV media pen during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 5, 2025 in Northampton, United Kingdom. More"I think that's pretty good for starters today. If we had a dry race, it would have been a very different day and outcome for us." The 37-year-old driver admitted that the team made significant improvements after the Spanish Grand Prix. He added: "Whilst we've made some really good improvements since Barcelona, today [at Silverstone] is obviously circumstantial, and the conditions made this race and this result possible. "But I feel in the midfield fight we've definitely gained some momentum, and we are a serious competitor there. That's where our fight is, but it's always about maximising every race, every weekend, and just trying to do well." Newsweek Sports reported Hulkenberg's comments on his podium finish. He said: "I always knew, you know, we have it in us, I have it in me somewhere. "I mean, what a race, coming from virtually last, doing it all over again from last weekend. It's pretty surreal, to be honest. "Not sure how it all happened, but obviously, crazy conditions, mixed conditions. It was a survival fight for a lot of the race. "I think we just were really on it, the right course, the right tyres, in the right moment, made no mistakes. And, yeah, quite incredible."
