Is Hulkenberg a ‘Silly Season’ Driver? Ralf Schumacher Speaks Out
Jun.10 – Nico Hulkenberg could find himself with a starring role in a future round of Formula 1’s driver ‘silly season’.
The 35-year-old German’s F1 career looked over when he lost his Renault seat at the end of 2019. He served as a part-time substitute driver between 2020 and 2022, and returned full-time with Haas in 2023 and 2024.
At Haas, Hulkenberg impressed Audi, the new owner of the Sauber team, with the outfit announcing that the win-less driver has signed a “multi-year contract”.
Prior to the Audi rebranding, Sauber is currently at the back of the grid – but Hulkenberg impressed with a P5 finish in Barcelona recently.
It earned plaudits up and down pitlane, with Dr Helmut Marko even admitting that Hulkenberg had once been in the running for a Red Bull seat.
Former F1 driver and fellow German Ralf Schumacher says Hulkenberg displayed “super speed” in the Spanish GP.
“Especially with regard to Audi, it means that they at least have some direction in the development of the new car for 2026,” he told Sky Deutschland.
Schumacher even thinks Hulkenberg could still be a player in forthcoming rounds of Formula 1’s recurring and notorious driver move ‘silly season’.
“It always depends a bit on what happens next. What happens to these rookies?” the German said. “Will they all stay where they are? What’s Flavio Briatore up to? Although I think he’s probably looking for someone younger.”
Schumacher continued: “But the dynamics of the driver market are sometimes difficult to explain. And if he continues to achieve results like this, he’ll certainly stay for a while. He’s still got the speed.”
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He’ll almost certainly end his F1 career for good at Audi, just like Alonso at Aston Martin, & Hamilton at Ferrari without making another team change anymore.
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