Nico Hülkenberg says improvements « are paying off » at Sauber

Nico Hülkenberg is getting used to scoring points, as the Sauber driver finished eighth in Canada, following an excellent fifth place in the last race in Spain.

Solid performances for Sauber

This series of results has allowed Sauber to climb from the bottom of the constructors’ championship standings, and the team is now just eight points from sixth place, as the midfield pack tightens once again.

For Sauber, it’s further proof that their direction of improvement is the right one, with Nico Hülkenberg able to take advantage of his updated car to effectively battle against his mid-field rivals. While he didn’t quite have the speed needed to catch up with the Ferraris, as in Barcelona, the German is nonetheless proud of a race that included some entertaining overtakes.

“Well, twice in a row in the top 10, it’s nice!” said Hülkenberg after the race in Montreal. “It would be good to continue this trend, but there is clearly a positive momentum on our side. A bit as I thought, in race mode the car comes to life a bit more, the improvements are really paying off, with better consistency and better balance of the car, so yes, it was quite pleasant, I made some good progress.”

« Franco [Colapinto] and Alex [Albon] fought at turn 9 on the first lap, I managed to take advantage of it, and it was quite a clean race. A few overtakes to do, it was quite fun, and tire management was essential », he explains.

Nico Hülkenberg optimistic for the future

Nico Hülkenberg’s racing instincts remain sharp: the German did not hesitate to take advantage of the chaos on the first lap to gain positions, before executing a one-stop strategy that saw him make his hard tires last for 51 laps.

If his race lacked the spectacle of the one in Barcelona, where he had overtaken Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, it was nonetheless his third points finish of the season, and the first in a race without contingencies like rain or a safety car.

We therefore hope for new points in the upcoming races, regardless of the circuit profiles. Asked about his ability to continue scoring, Hülkenberg was confident: he sees no reason not to appear more often in the top 10.

« We had two very different circuits here and in Barcelona, » he explained. « On both, we were competitive in the middle of the pack, so I don’t see why that wouldn’t continue. »

The team director Jonathan Wheatley also praised Nico Hülkenberg’s performance in Montreal, calling the one-stop strategy perfectly suited, and described the atmosphere in the team as fantastic.

Read also: Nico Hülkenberg achieves a surprise fifth place in Spain