🇩🇪 German · Audi
Nico Hülkenberg
Experienced German who took his long-awaited maiden podium at the 2025 British Grand Prix after a record wait. He leads the team as it becomes the Audi works entry in 2026.
Career & profile
- Car number
- 27
- Team
- Audi F1 Team
- Nationality
- 🇩🇪 German
- Born
- 19 August 1987 (39)
- Place of birth
- Emmerich am Rhein, Germany
- F1 debut
- 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix
- Championships
- 0
- Career wins
- 0
- Career podiums
- 1
- Career poles
- 1
The story of Nico Hülkenberg
Nico Hülkenberg, born in Emmerich am Rhein, Germany in 1987, arrived in Formula 1 with a glittering junior record, including the 2009 GP2 title. He took a stunning pole position for Williams as a rookie at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, and went on to drive for Force India, Sauber and Renault across a long midfield career.
For years he carried the unwanted record of the most Grand Prix starts without a podium, a streak finally and emotionally broken at the 2025 British Grand Prix. Reliable, quick and hugely experienced, he became a sought-after stand-in before settling at Haas and then the Sauber team.
In 2026 Hülkenberg leads that squad as it becomes the Audi works entry, anchoring the German manufacturer’s arrival in Formula 1 alongside Gabriel Bortoleto.
Teams Nico has raced for
- 2010WilliamsA sensational maiden pole position in the wet at Interlagos as a rookie.
- 2011Force IndiaTest and race duties with the ambitious midfield outfit.
- 2013SauberA standout single season with the Swiss team.
- 2014 – 2016Force IndiaA consistent points-scorer through the team’s strongest years.
- 2017 – 2019RenaultLead driver for the returning works manufacturer.
- 2023 – 2024HaasA full-time comeback after several years of reserve and substitute roles.
- 2025 – presentSauber / AudiTook his long-awaited maiden podium at Silverstone 2025 as the team transitioned into Audi.
Team-mate: Gabriel Bortoleto