Nico Hülkenberg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nico Hülkenberg
Hülkenberg at the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix
Born	Nicolas Hülkenberg (1987-08-19) 19 August 1987 (age 37) Emmerich am Rhein, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Spouse(s)	Eglė Ruškytė ​ (m. 2022)​
Children	1
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	German
Car number	27
Entries	235 (232 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	577
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	2
First entry	2010 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last entry	2019 Monaco Grand Prix
2024 position	11th (41 pts)
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	2015
Teams	Porsche
Best finish	1st (2015)
Class wins	1 (2015)
Previous series
2009 2008–2009 2007–2008 2006–2007 2006 2005	GP2 Series GP2 Asia Series F3 Euro Series A1 Grand Prix German F3 Formula BMW ADAC
Championship titles
2009 2008 2005	GP2 Series F3 Euro Series Formula BMW ADAC
Medal record Formula racing Representing Germany A1 Grand Prix Winner World Cup 2006–07 Gold 2006–07 Netherlands Feature Gold 2006–07 Malaysia Feature Gold 2006–07 New Zealand Sprint Gold 2006–07 New Zealand Feature Gold 2006–07 Australia Sprint Gold 2006–07 Australia Feature Gold 2006–07 South Africa Sprint Gold 2006–07 South Africa Feature Gold 2006–07 Great Britain Feature Silver 2006–07 Malaysia Sprint Silver 2006–07 Indonesia Feature Silver 2006–07 Great Britain Sprint Bronze 2006–07 Shanghai Sprint Bronze 2006–07 Shanghai Feature

Nico Hülkenberg (born 19 August 1987) is a German racing driver. He currently races in Formula One for the Sauber team. Nico is also famous for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2015 with Porsche.

Nico grew up in Emmerich am Rhein, Germany. He started kart racing when he was just 10 years old. He quickly became a champion in karting. Later, he moved up to bigger racing cars. In 2005, he won his first championship in Formula BMW. He also won the A1 Grand Prix series in 2006–07, racing for Germany.

After winning more championships, Nico joined the GP2 Series in 2009. He won the championship in his very first season! This made him one of only three drivers to win the GP2 title as a rookie. The other two were Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, who are also very famous F1 drivers.

Nico became a test driver for Formula One teams from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, he got his first full-time F1 seat with Williams. He even got a pole position at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, which means he started the race from the very front. Since then, he has raced for teams like Force India, Sauber, Renault, and Haas. He has also been a reserve driver for Racing Point and Aston Martin.

Nico Hülkenberg holds a special record in Formula One. He has started the most races without getting a podium finish (a top-three spot) or a win. But he is a very skilled driver. He will join Sauber again for the 2025 season. This is exciting because Sauber will become the Audi team in 2026.

Nico's Early Life & Family

Nico Hülkenberg was born in Emmerich am Rhein, Germany. His parents are Klaus Dieter and Susanne Hülkenberg. Nico's father owns a shipping company.

Nico trained to work in his father's company. He can speak German, Dutch, French, and English. Today, Nico lives in Monaco. He is married to Eglė Ruškytė, a fashion designer from Lithuania. They have a daughter who was born in 2021.

Nico's former manager, Willi Weber, also managed Michael Schumacher. Weber called Nico an "unbelievable talent." He even nicknamed him "The Hulk" because Nico's personality changed when he was racing.

Racing Before Formula One

Karting Days

Nico started kart racing in 1997 when he was 10. In 2002, he became the German Junior Karting Champion. The next year, he won the German Kart Championship.

Formula BMW Success

In 2005, Nico joined the German Formula BMW series. He was amazing, winning the championship easily. He even finished first in the Formula BMW world final. But he lost that win because of a rule violation.

A1 Grand Prix Champion

Hülkenberg, as a driver for A1 Team Germany, in 2006

Nico also raced for the German A1 Grand Prix team in the 2006–07 season. He won nine races, which was a record for A1GP. His wins helped Germany win the championship! They scored 128 points, much more than any other team.

Formula Three Wins

Hülkenberg won seven races en route to the 2008 Formula 3 Euro Series title.

In 2006, Nico finished fifth in the German Formula Three Championship. In 2007, he moved to the Formula 3 Euro Series. He won four races and finished third in the championship.

Nico also won the Masters of Formula 3 race in 2007. In 2008, he won the Formula 3 Euro Series championship. He won seven races that year.

GP2 Series Champion

Hülkenberg driving for ART Grand Prix at the Monaco round of the 2009 GP2 Series

Nico started racing in the GP2 Asia Series in 2008–09. He got pole position in his first race. He even won a night race in Qatar, leading by a lot!

In 2009, Nico continued with ART Grand Prix in the main GP2 Series. He won his first race at his home track, the Nürburgring. He won both races that weekend, which was a rare achievement. Nico won the GP2 title with two races left in the season. He was the first driver to win the championship without needing the final race. He became the third rookie to win the GP2 title, after Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

Nico's Formula One Journey

Hülkenberg scored his first World Championship point at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Nico first drove a Formula One car for Williams in 2007. His manager arranged the test. Nico was very fast, almost as quick as Nico Rosberg. Because of this, Williams signed him as a test driver. He helped the team test their cars.

Williams (2010)

In 2010, Nico became a full-time F1 driver for Williams. His teammate was the experienced Rubens Barrichello. Nico's first race was in Bahrain. He scored his first F1 points in Malaysia, finishing tenth. He also got points in Hungary, Italy, Singapore, and Korea.

At the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, Nico achieved his first F1 pole position! He was much faster than anyone else in the rainy qualifying session. This was Williams's first pole position since 2005. He finished the race in eighth place. After the season, Williams decided to change drivers, and Nico left the team.

Force India (2011–2012)

2011 Season

Hülkenberg as Force India's third driver at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix

In 2011, Nico became a reserve driver for Force India. He drove the car during Friday practice sessions at most races. This helped him stay sharp and learn more about the team.

2012 Season

By the time of the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg had been promoted to a full-time race seat.

Force India promoted Nico to a full-time race seat for 2012. He scored his first points for Force India in Malaysia. He had his best F1 finish yet in Belgium, coming in fourth place. He was even running in second place for a while!

Hülkenberg at the 2012 United States Grand Prix

In the last race of the season, the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, Nico had an amazing performance. He started sixth and quickly moved up to third. He even led the race for many laps! But he had a collision with Lewis Hamilton and got a penalty. He finished fifth, missing out on his first podium. Still, he ended the season in 11th place in the drivers' standings. He also out-qualified his teammate, Paul di Resta, 12 times.

Sauber (2013)

Hülkenberg at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Nico joined the Sauber team for the 2013 season. He had some bad luck at the first race in Australia and couldn't start. But he quickly bounced back, scoring points in Malaysia and China.

At the 2013 Italian Grand Prix, Nico qualified an impressive third. He finished fifth in the race, holding off Nico Rosberg. His best finish that year was fourth place at the Korean Grand Prix. He showed great skill in defending his position against top drivers like Hamilton and Alonso.

Return to Force India (2014–2016)

2014 Season

Hülkenberg at the 2014 Singapore Grand Prix

Nico returned to Force India in 2014, partnering Sergio Pérez. He started the season strong, finishing sixth in Australia. He followed this with fifth places in Malaysia and Bahrain. This put him in third place in the drivers' standings early in the season!

Nico consistently scored points throughout 2014. He finished the season in ninth place overall with 96 points, his best career result. He helped Force India finish sixth in the Constructors' Championship. His best result was fifth place, which he achieved four times.

2015 Season

Hülkenberg at the 2015 Canadian Grand Prix.

In 2015, Nico finished seventh in the first race in Australia. However, the Force India car was not as competitive early in the season. He had some tough races and even a big crash in Hungary when his front wing broke. He also had several retirements due to car issues or race incidents.

He finished the season tenth with 58 points. Force India secured fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. Nico's best result was sixth place, which he achieved three times.

2016 Season

Hülkenberg at the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Nico continued with Force India in 2016. He finished seventh in Australia. He had a strong qualifying in Monaco, starting fifth, and was set for a podium finish. But a slow pit stop and traffic dropped him to sixth. He passed Nico Rosberg on the last lap!

He also qualified third in Austria, which became second on the grid. However, he had a bad start and later retired due to brake failure. His best result of the season was fourth place in Belgium. Nico finished ninth in the Drivers' Championship with 72 points. He helped Force India achieve fourth place in the Constructors' Championship, their best result yet.

Renault (2017–2019)

2017 Season

Hülkenberg driving for Renault at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix.

In 2017, Nico joined the Renault Sport Formula One team. He scored his first points for the team in Bahrain, finishing ninth. He then had a great sixth-place finish in Spain, Renault's best result since returning to F1.

Nico had some bad luck with retirements, including in Monaco and Azerbaijan. At the 2017 British Grand Prix, a new car upgrade helped him qualify and finish sixth. In Singapore, he was running in third place after a chaotic start. It looked like he might get his first F1 podium! But a safety car and a strategy mistake dropped him back. He later retired due to an oil leak. This race made him the record holder for most F1 starts without a podium finish.

He finished the season tenth in the standings with 43 points. He consistently out-qualified his teammates throughout the year.

2018 Season

Hülkenberg in the pre-season testing, Barcelona

Hülkenberg at the 2018 Spanish Grand Prix.

Nico stayed with Renault for 2018. He started the season well with three top-seven finishes. In Baku, he crashed out from fifth place. He also had a crash in Spain on the first lap.

In Monaco, he finished eighth. He continued to score points in Canada and France. He had a strong fifth-place finish at his home race in Germany. By the summer break, Nico was seventh in the championship. Many people called him the "leader of the midfield" because he was the best driver outside the top three teams.

In Belgium, Nico caused a big first-corner crash. He hit Fernando Alonso, whose car flew over Charles Leclerc's car. Luckily, the new halo safety device protected Leclerc. Nico admitted the halo was "pretty useful" after the crash.

He finished the season as the "champion of the rest" in seventh place with 69 points. Renault also secured fourth place in the Constructors' Championship.

2019 Season

Hülkenberg driving during 2019 pre-season testing

Hülkenberg at the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix.

For 2019, Nico was joined at Renault by Daniel Ricciardo. Nico started the season well, finishing seventh in Australia. But he had bad luck with engine problems in Bahrain and China, retiring from points-scoring positions.

In Spain, he crashed in qualifying and had to start from the pit lane. In Monaco, Charles Leclerc hit him, causing a puncture. He then scored points in Canada and France. At his home race in Germany, Nico crashed out in wet conditions while running in fourth place.

Before the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix, Renault announced that Esteban Ocon would replace Nico for 2020. Nico said the decision was not just about his performance. He suggested Renault wanted a French driver.

Nico finished the second half of the season strongly. He finished fifth in Italy, Renault's best result since returning to F1. He also scored points in Singapore, Russia, Mexico, and the USA. In Japan, both Renault cars were disqualified for a technical rule violation.

He finished the season 14th in the standings with 37 points. The 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was possibly his last F1 race at the time. Fans voted him "Driver of the Day."

Racing Point Reserve Driver (2020)

Nico did not have a full-time F1 contract for 2020. However, he got a chance to race for Racing Point. He replaced Sergio Pérez at the British Grand Prix and the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix after Pérez tested positive for COVID-19. He qualified an amazing third at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix and finished seventh.

He later replaced Lance Stroll at the Eifel Grand Prix, also due to COVID-19. He started last (20th) but finished eighth, earning him another "Driver of the Day" award from fans.

Aston Martin Reserve Driver (2021–2022)

Racing Point became Aston Martin in 2021. Nico was signed as their reserve and development driver.

In 2022, he replaced Sebastian Vettel at the first two races (Bahrain and Saudi Arabia) after Vettel tested positive for COVID-19. He finished 17th in Bahrain and 12th in Saudi Arabia. He also helped Aston Martin test new tyres later in the year.

Haas (2023–2024)

2023 Season

Hülkenberg at the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix

In 2022, Haas F1 Team announced that Nico would drive for them in 2023, partnering Kevin Magnussen. He qualified tenth in Bahrain. In Australia, he was running fourth when a red flag was shown, but he was moved back to seventh.

At the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, Nico qualified an incredible second in wet conditions! However, he received a penalty and started fifth. In the race, tyre wear and a safety car hurt his chances, and he finished 15th. At the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, he qualified fourth for the Sprint race and finished sixth, scoring three points for Haas. He qualified eighth for the main race but retired early with an engine issue.

Nico often qualified very well, making it into the top 10 many times. But the Haas car struggled with tyre wear in races. He finished 16th in the championship with 9 points.

2024 Season

Hülkenberg at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix

Haas kept Nico and Magnussen for the 2024 season. He scored his first point in Saudi Arabia. He continued to score points in Australia and China. At the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix, he finished sixth, holding off Sergio Perez. Magnussen finished eighth, making it Haas's best team result of the season.

He repeated this sixth-place finish at the 2024 British Grand Prix. He also finished ninth in Singapore and eighth in the United States. In Brazil, he was disqualified for getting help from marshals after being stranded. He finished eighth in Las Vegas. In the final race in Abu Dhabi, he qualified an amazing fourth, ahead of Max Verstappen! He started seventh due to a penalty and finished eighth. He ended the season 11th in the standings.

Return to Sauber (2025–Present)

Nico left Haas at the end of the 2024 season. He will return to Sauber for 2025. This is a big move because Sauber will become the Audi team from 2026. He will race alongside Gabriel Bortoleto, a young driver who won the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship.

Other Racing Adventures

Sportscar Racing

Left photo: Hülkenberg's No. 19 Porsche 919 Hybrid, which won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Right photo: Hülkenberg (right) on the podium alongside his teammates Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber

In 2014, it was announced that Nico would race in the famous 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He drove a Porsche 919 Hybrid. He also raced in a World Endurance Championship event to prepare.

On June 14, 2015, Nico won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race! He raced with teammates Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber. They completed 395 laps, one lap ahead of another Porsche team. This was Porsche's first win at Le Mans since 1998. Nico became the first active Formula One driver to win at Le Mans since 1991.

IndyCar Test

In 2021, Nico tested an IndyCar at a track in Alabama. He completed over 100 laps and was quite fast. He was considered for a part-time racing spot in 2022. However, Nico decided not to race in IndyCar. He said he didn't want to race on oval tracks. He also found the IndyCar physically harder to drive than F1 cars.

Other Projects

Nico Hülkenberg has his own team in the eSkootr Championship. It's called "27X by Nico Hülkenberg."