Despite an encouraging start, Sauber’s lead driver reminds fans and team alike: consistency in dry races will define their 2025 season.
Sauber’s return to the F1 spotlight was nothing short of a surprise. At the season opener in Australia, the team scored six points, already surpassing its entire tally from last season. All thanks to a smart, steady drive by Nico Hülkenberg.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
As the Chinese Grand Prix showed, the green-liveried car is still one of the slowest on the grid. Despite offseason updates and solid execution in Melbourne, the pace just isn’t there, at least not consistently.
“We always measure against past benchmarks, last year, years before,” Hülkenberg admitted. “Right now, we just have to work with what we’ve got.”
So, is this year’s Sauber a solid foundation for development?
“There are pros and cons, like with any car. The key is to break it all down and understand what’s working and what’s not.”
“Will we leave these early races smiling or slightly frustrated? We’ll see. What matters now is staying focused, working hard on what’s in our control, and squeezing every bit out of the opportunities we get.”
Scoring points in race one? That always helps morale.
“The conditions were tricky, but we kept it clean and made the most of it. Hats off to the team for making the right calls at the right time, that’s what put us in that position.”
But can Sauber avoid finishing last in the Constructors’ Championship? For now, it’s Alpine at the bottom, but Hülkenberg isn’t overly optimistic.
“Of course, it felt great to bring home points in Melbourne,” he said. “But we need to stay grounded.”
“There’s still a long road ahead before we’re competitive in normal, dry conditions.”
Despite the challenges, Hülkenberg appears to be settling in well. He’s no stranger to Hinwil, he raced for the team back in 2013, and that familiarity helps, even if the team has changed.
“This is a phase of getting to know the car, building that connection, really understanding it,” he explained. “New car, new team, it takes time, effort, and attention to detail. It doesn’t just click overnight.”
“You can’t shortcut this with simulations. You need to be on track. We’ve started that journey.”
“There are a few familiar faces from my time here over a decade ago, but most of the race team is new. We were busy over the winter, prepping as much as we could, but I’m more of a hands-on guy. So I’m happy to be back in the car, doing the real work. It’s early days. A long journey ahead. Work in progress, that’s the motto.”
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Reality Check: Hülkenberg on Sauber’s True Pace
Reality Check: Hülkenberg on Sauber’s True Pace
