From frustration on Saturday to jubilation on Sunday: Nico Hülkenberg finishes in a sensational fifth place in Barcelona – thanks to updates, a tire gamble, and a strong start
A spectacular Sunday for Nico Hülkenberg: The Sauber driver catapulted himself from a disappointing 16th place on the grid to an outstanding fifth place at the Spanish Grand Prix – and that on a track that traditionally offers little room for overtaking maneuvers. It was a race that felt like a release: “A very conciliatory day,” said Hülkenberg after the race. “Especially after the miserable Saturday.”
The day before, the veteran driver had been extremely frustrated. In the first qualifying session, he made a costly mistake in the final sector. The mistake cost him two tenths of a second, resulting in his elimination in Q1. He could easily have finished eighth in this section. “I was angry, especially at myself,” Hülkenberg admitted honestly. “The timing was disastrous – especially in the sector that was supposed to be my strongest.”
But on Sunday, the frustration turned into pure drive. Hülkenberg made up several positions in the first lap, thanks in part to a wild scramble in turns one and two. “A bit dynamic,” he commented dryly on the scene. Hülkenberg held his own and used the chaos to reset his race: “The poor qualifying result was immediately reset.”
A car with new substance
From then on, everything came together: the updates on the Sauber worked right away. According to Hülkenberg, the stability of the rear axle and the basic handling improved noticeably. His confidence in the car had already increased significantly on Friday. “You can rely on the car much more, it’s not so snappy anymore,” he says. “I think it’s really down to the updates – not the characteristics of the track.”
At the same time, the FIA’s new technical directive – keyword: flexi-wings – is also likely to have played a role. While other teams such as Williams may have lost out, Sauber seemed largely unaffected. “To be honest, it hasn’t changed anything for us,” said Hülkenberg. This may be a small but decisive advantage in a tight midfield.
The combination of a successful update and a predictable car put Hülkenberg in a position where he could finally compete on equal terms with his midfield rivals – something that had not been possible in recent races.
Safety car luck and the tire joker
The final impetus for the sensational result came from a late safety car: engine failure for Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli brought the field back together. Hülkenberg took the opportunity to make a final tire change – and still had an ace up his sleeve. Thanks to his early exit in qualifying, he still had several fresh sets of soft tires available. “The new tires were kind of the golden ticket today,” he said.
And the gamble paid off: in the final laps, Hülkenberg not only overtook Isack Hadjar in the Racing Bulls, but also Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari – with fresh grip and determined driving. “Sometimes it’s ironic how things turn out,” said the German with a laugh. “Yesterday I was completely frustrated – and today everything just clicked.”
Without Antonelli’s retirement and the safety car, he would probably have “only” finished ninth – but that would still have been his first points since the season opener in Australia. The fact that he ended up in P5 on the scoreboard is a minor masterpiece.
A glimmer of hope for Sauber
The result is not only a late but significant success, but also the first World Championship points since Melbourne. For the struggling Sauber team, which is in the midst of a major restructuring, it is a much-needed boost. “I think this puts us more on the map,” said Hülkenberg. “Qualifying is very close, but hopefully we can now fight again in the races.”
Despite all the joy, the German remains realistic: “We can’t stand still—nobody does that in Formula 1. We need more of this.” But one thing is clear: in Barcelona, Sauber showed that a functioning update package can still pay off even in the ultra-compact Formula 1 midfield.
