Nico Hülkenberg delivered an impressive performance at the United States Grand Prix. The German driver started in eleventh place and ultimately crossed the finish line in eighth. Thanks to Hülkenberg, Sauber collected four crucial points in the battle for the midfield in the Constructors’ Championship.
The weekend started well for Hülkenberg, who secured a strong fourth place in the sprint qualifying on Friday. Unfortunately, the German was involved in an incident in the sprint race on Saturday, which resulted in both McLarens retiring. “It was a tough day yesterday,” he reflected after the race on Sunday. “The incident in turn 1 felt like a slap in the face, it was quite disappointing. But today we were determined to fight back.” In the race, Hülkenberg drove a strong first stint and benefited from incidents between Carlos Sainz and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as well as Oliver Bearman’s spin after an overtaking attempt on Yuki Tsunoda. Hülkenberg seized his opportunities, managed to overtake, and did not relinquish his positions thereafter.
“Of course, we got a bit of help from Carlos (Sainz), which allowed us to achieve more than just tenth place,” Hülkenberg said with a wink. “But we also simply had a good pace, drove a clean race, and everything fell perfectly into place. It was actually a nice end to a turbulent weekend.” The German could use the points finish; these were his first points since his remarkable podium finish in Silverstone in early July.
Battle for the Constructors’ Championship
The four points that Hülkenberg earned are extremely welcome for Sauber. The Swiss team currently ranks eighth in the Constructors’ Championship with 59 points. Rival Haas follows with 48 points. Aston Martin (P7) and Racing Bulls (P6) are still within sight, with 69 and 72 points respectively. In this battle, every point counts — and Hülkenberg’s eighth place could make all the difference at the end of the season. Formula 1 now travels to Mexico City, where Sauber hopes to score again in the pursuit of a higher position in the championship.
