The 2025 F1 Australian GP was a chaotic affair, with risky conditions and multiple retirements shaking up the order. Amid the action, Sauber driver Nico Hülkenberg delivered a solid drive to secure valuable points for his team, finishing P7.
The right strategy call for Sauber
Hülkenberg admits that his strong finish was unexpected, given how qualifying looked on Saturday with a Q1 exit. The German driver started outside the top ten but managed to capitalise on the challenging conditions and decisions made by the team.
He was running in a solid P12 when the chaos kicked off on lap 44 as Leclerc and Piastri spun with the rain returning. The former Haas driver boxed at the end of that lap for inters, jumping Hamilton, Tsunoda and Gasly in the process as they stayed out. It moved him up five spots.
The 37-year-old managed the closing laps perfectly to finish 7th, just behind Lance Stroll.
“It’s nice to have that, especially when you don’t really expect it or when it doesn’t look like that on Saturday night. It was obviously a very special race, special circumstances. The first half of the race didn’t look very good, to be honest, but obviously, then the race circumstances made our race.
“The team made a really good call on the strategy to pit off the slick, which ultimately made this possible. We owe it to this. Still, on the operational side, everything was good and clean, so that’s obviously positive.”
Car performance
Despite the positive result, Hülkenberg acknowledged that Sauber still has work to do when it comes to raw car performance as they were only faster than Haas. However, he noted some improvements compared to the opening race in Bahrain.
“Car-wise, performance-wise, we definitely got work to do, but I think we knew that. It’s not really a surprise. It seemed like there was a decent step from Bahrain in terms of making the most of the car with a few tweaks.”
He also pointed out that the Albert Park circuit seemed to suit the car better than Bahrain, which could indicate the team’s strengths in certain track conditions.
“It’s obviously a very different circuit, much quicker, much more flowing, and the car seems to feel a bit happier in a track like this. That’s obviously one thing we learned.”
Navigating mixed conditions
The Australian GP saw multiple drivers struggle in the wet conditions. Hülkenberg detailed the challenges of driving on a wet street circuit, particularly with the inconsistent grip levels caused by painted road markings.
“Yes, it was a challenging race as they come in conditions like this, on a street circuit, with all the white road marks, which are largely painted with non-slip paint, but for us, the grip level is not the same as on tarmac. You get this inconsistency, which is very hard to deal with and can really catch you off guard.”
One of the more debated aspects of the race was the timing of DRS activation, which came earlier than usual despite the damp conditions. Hülkenberg was cautious about its effectiveness in such tricky conditions.
“I think it was okay, but it was definitely pushy. I think down from Turn 8 to 10, I sometimes couldn’t use it, because it’s too sketchy around there when it’s still damp. But at the end of the day, as a driver, we have a choice, we are not forced to use it.”
As the safety car bunched up the field for a final sprint to the finish, Hülkenberg managed to hold his position and cross the line in P7, securing Saubers’ first points of the season. While it was a race of survival, his execution and the team’s strategic decisions ultimately made the difference.
Shifting focus to Shanghai
With the Australian GP behind him, Nico Hülkenberg now turns his focus to the Chinese GP. While Sauber still has work to do in terms of outright car performance, the team will be hoping to build on the momentum gained in Australia.
“Having done all weekend, a lot of data now to analyse, to go through, process, digest this race, a couple of days, regroup and go again.”
