Returning to the grand prix grid after three full seasons away in 2023 with solely sporadic one-off appearances as a reserve driver over that point, few anticipated something particular from Nico Hulkenberg’s return to the grid with Haas.
However in his first full 12 months again within the sport since 2019, Hulkenberg impressed many by being the perfect performer and better scorer out of him and Kevin Magnussen – even when neither might forestall the group from slipping to the underside of the standings.
To this point in 2024, Hulkenberg has solely develop into higher than final 12 months. A lot so, he often is the most excellent driver among the many decrease 5 groups within the championship.
It’s honest to say that Hulkenberg has comprehensively outperformed his group mate up to now this season. Throughout the 13 rounds wherein each he and Magnussen have completed, Hulkenberg has solely didn’t be the lead Haas within the first spherical in Bahrain and the final race earlier than the break in Belgium. The qualifying battle between the pair isn’t any contest both – with Hulkenberg up by an eyebrow-raising rating of 11-3 up to now this season.
However in addition to displaying his group mate a clear pair of heels most of the time, Hulkenberg has been constantly in and across the prime of the midfield. Between the second spherical in Jeddah and spherical ten in Spain, Hulkenberg’s ending file was virtually metronomic in consistency: tenth, ninth, eleventh, tenth, eleventh, eleventh, retired, eleventh, eleventh. Even only one or two retirements from the highest groups might have seen Hulkenberg recording excess of simply the six prime ten finishes he’s already achieved on Sundays up to now this season.
Hulkenberg’s well-rounded skillset sees him present up on each Saturdays and Sundays. He has reached Q3 slightly below half the time over the season up to now – a powerful ratio for somebody driving for a group that completed final within the earlier 12 months’s championship. Though he hasn’t had any blockbuster performances the place he was the perfect within the area, he’s succeeded in going by way of the primary half of the season with none poor weekends the place he deserved to return away sad with the work he had put in or ended his race by way of an avoidable error – one thing that may’t be stated for a lot of of these forward of him within the standings.
Nico Hulkenberg
| Greatest | Worst | |
|---|---|---|
| GP begin | 6 | 19 |
| GP end | 6 (x2) | 18 |
| Factors | 22 | |
As a substitute, Hulkenberg’s consistency and often reliable race tempo have allowed him to take advantage of the alternatives which have come Haas’ method over the opening 14 rounds and rating the overwhelming majority of the 27 factors the group has sitting seventh within the standings simply after the mid stage of the championship. Though he does owe some credit score to Magnussen’s ‘artistic’ defensive driving in Jeddah and Miami, Hulkenberg has put himself within the higher positions than his group mate has far most of the time.
He scored 16 factors over back-to-back weekends on the Crimson Bull Ring and Silverstone because of the upgrades the group launched, doing an commendable job to carry off Sergio Perez within the closing laps in Austria to complete sixth. However after one other sixth place in Silverstone, he bought off to an underwhelming begin in Hungary to fall out of competition for factors, then appeared to battle within the final race earlier than the break in Spa, slipping backwards by way of the race.
However on the entire, Hulkenberg may very well be delighted along with his driving over the primary a part of the 2024 season. Regardless of his age and lack of podiums, Audi noticed Hulkenberg as the driving force they needed to guide their System 1 cost in 2026. Based mostly on his season up to now, it’s not laborious to grasp why.
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