Nico Hülkenberg emphasizes that he is still enjoying Formula 1 in 2026 and is not shying away from the technical challenges of the new generation
Despite frequent criticism of the 2026 Formula 1 cars, Nico Hülkenberg still enjoys Grand Prix racing: “Yes, I’m having fun,” says the Audi driver. He doesn’t really notice the major differences from last year while in the cockpit.
“I don’t know, I don’t really notice [the difference],” explains Hülkenberg when asked whether you still feel as much control in the car as you did in 2025, for example. After all, the new hybrid engines, along with AI systems, continue to cause headaches for many drivers.
“Of course, cornering speeds are slower,” says Hülkenberg. “But we already knew that before the season. And to be honest, I think cornering speeds were sometimes a bit out of control last year.”
“Sometimes,” says the Audi driver, “it was maybe a bit too much. But everyone had to learn energy management to put themselves in a better position, especially during the race. As I said, sometimes it’s a little less dynamic.”
“But I think,” as Hülkenberg emphasizes, “it’s still fast. It’s not as if we’re incredibly slow. And the driver can still make the difference.”
When asked about the unpredictability of the power units’ power delivery—an issue raised by drivers like Oscar Piastri—Hülkenberg explains: “It depends on the track, but there are some differences, especially in qualifying.”
“From Q1 to Q2 to Q3, you usually get faster. When you get faster, you spend more time at full throttle and regenerate less energy. So you have to make that up somewhere, and of course that affects your deployment plan.“
”Top speed can vary a bit from session to session. So that’s part of it, but that’s just part of the sport and a new challenge.”
Teammate Gabriel Bortoleto echoes this sentiment, emphasizing: “Well, we’re in Formula 1, aren’t we? We’re developing the future of technology. If we don’t use all the tools available to us worldwide, then I don’t know what Formula 1 is all about.”
Before the summer break, the team with the four rings scored points three times in a row. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg managed to score his first World Championship points for Audi’s works team. In the Constructors’ Championship, the team is in eighth place heading into the race weekend at Zandvoort.
