Nico Hülkenberg — 2025 season

Nico Hülkenberg's 2025 Formula 1 season was defined by a standout podium finish at Silverstone and a consistent ability to extract points from the Kick Sauber C45, culminating in 11th in the Drivers' Championship with 51 points.

Going in

Heading into 2025, the ground-effect era, characterized by tunnel-floor aerodynamics and 18-inch wheels, continued to evolve. After Red Bull's dominance in 2022–2023, the field had notably tightened in 2024. Kick Sauber, while not a front-running contender, aimed to leverage Hülkenberg's extensive experience and race craft to capitalize on any opportunities. The expectation was for the team to consistently fight for points in a competitive midfield, building on previous seasons where Hülkenberg had shown his capacity to deliver with varied machinery, as seen in his 2024 season.

How it played out

The season started promisingly for Hülkenberg, securing a P7 finish at the Australian Grand Prix, earning 6 points. This initial performance suggested a car capable of points on its day. However, the subsequent races proved challenging, with a series of finishes outside the points, including a disqualification at the Bahrain Grand Prix due to illegal skid block wear. The mid-section of the calendar saw a resurgence, starting with a strong P5 at the Spanish Grand Prix, followed by an P8 in Canada and a P9 in Austria. This period demonstrated Hülkenberg's capacity to navigate complex race scenarios and extract maximum performance. Despite a period of zero points finishes after the British Grand Prix, he rallied in the final third of the season, consistently adding points in the United States (P8), São Paulo (P9), Las Vegas (P7), and Abu Dhabi (P9). His 51 points and 11th place in the Drivers' Championship represented a solid return for Kick Sauber.

Defining moments

The undeniable highlight of Hülkenberg's 2025 campaign was his podium finish at the British Grand Prix. Starting from P19 on the grid, he expertly navigated the unpredictable conditions at Silverstone to secure a P3 finish, adding 15 crucial points to his tally. This result was not only his first podium of the season but also a significant morale boost for Kick Sauber. Beyond Silverstone, his P5 at the Spanish Grand Prix demonstrated the car's potential on more traditional circuits. Conversely, the season also saw its share of setbacks, including four DNFs. The disqualification in Bahrain, a hydraulics issue at Monza, handling problems in Mexico, and a collision in Qatar underscored the challenges faced by the team in maintaining reliability and avoiding incidents in a tightly contested field. For context on other drivers navigating this era, one might look at .