Nico Hülkenberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nico Hülkenberg
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![]() Hülkenberg at the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Born |
Nicolas Hülkenberg
19 August 1987 Emmerich am Rhein, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
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Spouse(s) |
Eglė Ruškytė
(m. 2022) |
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Children | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Formula One World Championship career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | ![]() |
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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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Championship titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Nicolas Hülkenberg (born August 19, 1987) is a German racing driver. He competes in Formula One for the Sauber team. In endurance racing, Hülkenberg won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2015 with Porsche.
Nico grew up in Emmerich am Rhein, Germany. He started kart racing at age 10. He won several national titles before moving to bigger racing cars in 2005. Hülkenberg won his first championship in Formula BMW ADAC that year. He then won the A1 Grand Prix series in 2006–07, racing for Germany. After winning the 2007 Masters of Formula 3 and the 2008 Formula 3 Euro Series, Hülkenberg moved to the GP2 Series in 2009. He won the championship in his first season. This made him one of only three drivers to win the GP2 title in their first year. The others were Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.
Hülkenberg was a test driver for Formula One from 2007 to 2009. He then joined Williams in 2010. He made his Formula One debut at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix. He earned his first ever pole position at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix. After that season, he was replaced by Pastor Maldonado. In 2011, he became a reserve driver for Force India. They promoted him to a full-time driver for the 2012 season. In 2013, he raced for Sauber. He then returned to Force India in 2014 to race alongside Sergio Pérez.
After racing for Force India in 2015 and 2016, Hülkenberg moved to Renault for 2017. He was replaced by Esteban Ocon at the end of 2019. He then returned to Force India, which was later called Racing Point and then Aston Martin. He was a reserve driver from 2020 to 2022. Hülkenberg filled in for Pérez and Lance Stroll at three races in 2020. He also raced for Sebastian Vettel at two races in 2022. He returned as a full-time driver with Haas in 2023 and 2024, racing with Kevin Magnussen. Hülkenberg rejoined Sauber for his 2025 season. He achieved his first podium finish at the 2025 British Grand Prix. This happened before Audi takes over the team in 2026.
As of the latest Grand Prix, Hülkenberg has achieved one pole position. He also has two fastest laps and one podium finish in Formula One. He holds the Formula One records for the most races without a win (230 starts). He also holds the record for the most starts before getting a podium (239).
Contents
- Early Life and Family
- Junior Racing Career
- Formula One Career
- Other Racing Ventures
- Other Projects
- Images for kids
- See also
Early Life and Family
Nico Hülkenberg was born in Emmerich am Rhein, West Germany. His parents are Klaus Dieter and Susanne Hülkenberg. His father, Dieter, owns a shipping company. Nico trained to be a freight forwarding agent at his father's company. He can speak German, Dutch, French, and English very well.
Hülkenberg lives in Monaco. He is married to Eglė Ruškytė, a fashion designer from Lithuania. They have been together since 2015 and have one daughter, born in 2021.
Nico was once managed by Willi Weber. Weber also managed the famous driver Michael Schumacher. Weber believed Hülkenberg was an "unbelievable talent." He said Nico reminded him of Schumacher when he was young. Weber even nicknamed him "The Hulk" because of how his personality changed when he was racing.
Junior Racing Career
Karting Success
Hülkenberg started karting in 1997 when he was 10 years old. In 2002, he became the German Junior Karting Champion. The next year, he won the German Kart Championship.
Formula BMW
Hülkenberg made his debut in German Formula BMW in 2005. He was very dominant and won the championship easily. He finished first in the Formula BMW world final. However, he lost the win because he was accused of brake-testing other drivers during a safety car period.
A1 Grand Prix Wins
Hülkenberg also joined the German A1 Grand Prix team for the 2006–07 season. He won nine races in his first season. This made him the most successful driver in A1GP history. He almost single-handedly won Germany the championship. They scored 128 points, 35 more than Team New Zealand.
Formula Three Championships
Hülkenberg finished fifth in the German Formula Three Championship in 2006. For 2007, he moved to the Formula 3 Euro Series. He joined the ASM team, which had helped Lewis Hamilton and Paul di Resta win championships. His first win came at the Norisring. He started 18th on the grid and won. He won again in the rain at Zandvoort and a third time at the Nürburgring. Hülkenberg finished his first season third in the championship. He had four wins and 72 points.
Hülkenberg won the non-championship Masters of Formula 3 race at Zolder. He won the Formula 3 Euro Series championship in 2008. He earned 76 of his 85 points during the main races on Saturdays. He took seven wins during this time.
GP2 Series Success
Hülkenberg made his GP2 Asia Series debut in Bahrain in 2009. He replaced Pastor Maldonado and took pole position on his first try. He finished both races in fourth place. His second race weekend in Qatar saw him become the first driver to get pole position in a night race. He then won the race, becoming the first winner under lights. He finished third in the sprint race, bringing his points total to 27 from just four races. He finished sixth in the championship.
Hülkenberg continued with ART into the 2009 GP2 Series. He scored his first points in Monaco. He also got a podium finish in the sprint race. At Istanbul Park, he took his first pole position. At Silverstone, he scored points in both races. He took his first win at his home race, the Nürburgring. He started from pole position and had the fastest lap. In the sprint race, he rose from eighth to win with the fastest lap. This made him the first driver to win both races in a weekend since 2006.
Hülkenberg won again at the Hungaroring and at Valencia. He secured the title with two races to spare. He finished third in the Monza sprint race. This gave him a big lead in points. He became the third rookie GP2 champion, after Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. A fifth win followed at Algarve. Hülkenberg won the title by 25 points over Vitaly Petrov.
Formula One Career
Hülkenberg first drove a Formula One car in a test for Williams in 2007. His manager, Willi Weber, arranged the test. Hülkenberg was faster than Williams' driver Kazuki Nakajima. He was only 0.4 seconds slower than Nico Rosberg. Because of his performance, Williams signed him as a test driver. He took part in several test sessions. His test contract was extended for 2009. Hülkenberg also served as the team's reserve driver.
Williams (2010)
On November 2, 2009, Hülkenberg was confirmed to race for Williams in 2010. His teammate for his first season was the experienced driver Rubens Barrichello.
Hülkenberg made his debut at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix. He recovered from an early spin to finish fourteenth. At the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg reached Q3 for the first time. He qualified fifth, out-qualifying Barrichello. He finished tenth in the race, scoring his first Formula One points. He was tenth again at Silverstone. At the 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix, he finished sixth, his best result so far. He also scored points in Italy, Singapore, and Korea.
On November 6, Hülkenberg achieved his first Formula One pole position. This happened at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix in a rainy qualifying session. It was Williams' first pole position since 2005. He finished the race in eighth place. After the 2010 season, team boss Frank Williams confirmed that Hülkenberg would not drive for the team in 2011.
Force India (2011–2012)
2011 Season

On January 26, 2011, Hülkenberg was confirmed as Force India's reserve driver for the 2011 season. He drove for the team in Friday practice sessions. He replaced Paul di Resta, who became a full-time driver. Hülkenberg participated in practice sessions for most races.
2012 Season
On December 16, 2011, Force India announced Hülkenberg would be a full-time driver for the 2012 season. He qualified ninth for the 2012 Australian Grand Prix. His race ended on the first lap due to damage. He scored his first points for Force India at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix, finishing ninth. He achieved his best Formula One finish with a fourth place at the 2012 Belgian Grand Prix. He was running second in the race at one point.
In the last race of the season, the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg qualified seventh. He moved up to third place by lap five. He took the lead on lap 19. He led until Lewis Hamilton passed him on lap 49. On lap 55, he collided with Hamilton while trying to pass. This ended Hamilton's last race for McLaren. Hülkenberg received a penalty and finished fifth. This result allowed him to finish 11th in the Drivers' Championship. Hülkenberg finished the year 17 points ahead of his teammate Paul di Resta. He out-qualified him 12 times.
Sauber (2013)
On October 31, 2012, Sauber confirmed they had signed Hülkenberg for the 2013 season.
Hülkenberg could not start the 2013 Australian Grand Prix due to a fuel system leak. He had qualified eleventh. At the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg qualified twelfth and finished eighth. He had his best qualifying performance of the season at the 2013 Italian Grand Prix, starting third. He finished fifth, holding off Nico Rosberg. His best finish was fourth at the 2013 Korean Grand Prix. He showed impressive defending skills in a close battle with Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
Return to Force India (2014–2016)
2014 Season
On December 3, 2013, Force India confirmed Hülkenberg would return for 2014. He raced alongside Sergio Pérez. In the first race, the 2014 Australian Grand Prix, he finished seventh. He was promoted to sixth after Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified. He finished fifth at the 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix. Another fifth place at Bahrain put Hülkenberg third in the drivers' standings.
At the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix, Hülkenberg took sixth place. He fell to fourth in the Drivers' Championship. He consistently scored points throughout the season. Hülkenberg finished the season ninth in the Drivers' Championship with 96 points. This was his career best. He helped Force India finish sixth in the Constructors' Championship. His best result of the season was fifth place, which he achieved four times. In October 2014, Force India confirmed they had re-signed Hülkenberg for 2015.
2015 Season
In the opening race in Australia, he finished seventh. He did not score points again until Canada. In Hungary, he had a big crash when his front wing detached. This cost him a potential fourth place. He failed to finish five of the next seven races. He finished the season tenth with 58 points. He helped Force India secure fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. His best result of the season was sixth, which he achieved three times.
2016 Season
Hülkenberg raced for Force India again in 2016 with Sergio Pérez. In the opening race in Australia, he finished seventh. He retired from the 2016 Russian Grand Prix after being hit by Esteban Gutiérrez. A podium finish escaped Hülkenberg's grasp in Monaco. He qualified fifth and was set to finish on the podium. However, he got stuck in traffic after his pit stop. His teammate jumped him for the final podium spot. He eventually finished sixth.
He had another strong qualifying performance at the 2016 Austrian Grand Prix, qualifying third. However, he had a poor start and retired when his brakes failed. This was followed by five straight points finishes. This included fourth at the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, his best result of the season. He was initially running second after the first lap. Hülkenberg scored 72 points in the season. He finished ninth in the Drivers' Championship. He helped Force India finish fourth in the Constructors' Championship.
Renault (2017–2019)
2017 Season
On October 14, 2016, Renault Sport announced Hülkenberg had signed a multiyear agreement. He would race with the Renault Sport Formula One team. He got his first points for the team at the third race in Bahrain with ninth place. This was followed by eighth in Russia. Hülkenberg then finished sixth in Spain. This was Renault's best result since returning in 2016. His point-scoring streak ended in Monaco when he retired with gearbox issues.
A new Renault upgrade brought big improvements at the 2017 British Grand Prix. Hülkenberg qualified and finished sixth. At Singapore, he found himself in third place after a first-corner collision. He looked set to get his first podium finish. However, a safety car and a strategy mistake by Renault left him in fifth. An oil leak forced him to retire. This made him the record holder for most starts in Formula 1 without a podium finish. He finished the season tenth in the standings with 43 points. He out-qualified his teammates 19-1 and outscored them 43–14.
2018 Season
For the 2018 season, Hülkenberg stayed at Renault with Carlos Sainz.
Hülkenberg and Renault started the season well. They had a seventh and two sixth places in the first three races. The first race in Australia was Renault's first double points finish since 2011. At the Baku race, Hülkenberg crashed on lap 10 and retired. This ended his five-race point-scoring streak.
Hülkenberg's bad luck continued at the next race. He went out in Q1 for the first time in 59 races due to a fuel pressure problem. Then he was taken out by Romain Grosjean on the first lap. In Monaco, he finished eighth. He followed this with another point-scoring finish in Canada. Hülkenberg finished ninth in France. He then retired from ninth in Austria with an engine failure. He finished the triple header strong, finishing sixth at the 2018 British Grand Prix. Hülkenberg achieved his best result for Renault at his home grand prix in Germany with fifth place. He entered the summer break with 52 points and seventh in the championship.
In Belgium, Hülkenberg caused a big first-corner collision. He out-braked himself and hit Fernando Alonso. Alonso's car was launched over Charles Leclerc's Sauber. One of Alonso's tires hit the new safety device, the halo. Hülkenberg was given a 10-place grid penalty for the next race. He later admitted the halo was "pretty useful."
Hülkenberg had a tough period of results. He only scored one point in the next four races. He bounced back with a sixth-place finish at the 2018 United States Grand Prix. This was Renault's best team result since rejoining the sport in 2016. His season ended with two retirements. Nevertheless, he finished the season as the "champion of the rest" in seventh place with 69 points. Renault also secured fourth place in the Constructor's Championship.
2019 Season
For the 2019 season, Hülkenberg was joined at Renault by multiple Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo. Hülkenberg had not yet scored a podium in 158 races. He said his "future in the sport depends on the outcome of the duel." Renault managing director, Cyril Abiteboul, believed they had "one of the strongest" driver line-ups.
Hülkenberg started the season well. He out-qualified Ricciardo at his home race. He finished the race in seventh. However, he had bad luck in the next race in Bahrain. Both Hülkenberg and Ricciardo retired with engine issues. Abiteboul called Renault's engine problems "unacceptable." Hülkenberg again retired from a points-scoring position in China due to a software issue. In Spain, Hülkenberg crashed in qualifying. He had to start the race from the pit lane and finished 13th.
In Monaco, Charles Leclerc hit Hülkenberg. Both drivers got punctures. Hülkenberg recovered to 13th. He then finished the next two races in seventh and eighth place. At the 2019 British Grand Prix, he recovered to a tenth-place finish. Hülkenberg then crashed out of his home race in wet conditions. He was in fourth place, having been as high as second. He crashed at Turn 16. At the next race, Hülkenberg had another engine problem. He finished 12th.
Just before the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix, Renault announced that Esteban Ocon would replace Hülkenberg for the 2020 season. Hülkenberg said the decision was "not only about performance." He hinted that Renault wanted a French driver. Hülkenberg started the second half of the season strong. He qualified seventh in Belgium. He finished eighth after a grid penalty and a two-stop strategy. In Italy, both Renaults had a very strong weekend. Ricciardo and Hülkenberg qualified fifth and sixth. They finished fourth and fifth. This was Renault's best points haul since returning in 2016.
In Singapore, Hülkenberg was involved in a first-lap collision. Both drivers suffered punctures. He managed to recover to ninth place. He started the next race in an impressive sixth place. However, his race was hurt by a bad start and a pit stop mistake. He eventually recovered to finish tenth. Further bad luck hit Hülkenberg in Japan. He was disqualified from the race. This was his first disqualification in his F1 career.
He then managed to get a point at the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix with tenth place. He was spun into the wall by Daniil Kvyat on the last lap. He followed this with another points finish in the 2019 United States Grand Prix with ninth place. He had a difficult race in Brazil. He was penalized for overtaking before the safety car line. He was voted Driver of the Day in the season finale in Abu Dhabi. He finished 12th in what was possibly his last Formula One race. He finished the season 14th with 37 points.
Racing Point / Aston Martin Reserve Driver (2020–2022)
Hülkenberg did not have a contract for the 2020 F1 season. He replaced Sergio Pérez at Racing Point for two races in 2020. Pérez tested positive for COVID-19. For the British Grand Prix, Hülkenberg qualified 13th. However, he did not start the race due to an engine failure. At the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, he surprisingly qualified third. He finished seventh behind teammate Lance Stroll. Hülkenberg later replaced Stroll for the Eifel Grand Prix. Stroll felt unwell and later tested positive for COVID-19. Hülkenberg finished the race eighth after qualifying 20th. He won the fans' vote for "Driver of the Day."
Racing Point, now Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, signed Hülkenberg as a reserve driver for the 2021 season. He kept his role as reserve driver in 2022. He replaced Sebastian Vettel at the season-opening 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. Vettel tested positive for COVID-19. Hülkenberg started and finished the race 17th. Hülkenberg returned to Aston Martin for the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He started 17th and finished 12th.
Haas (2023–2024)
2023 Season
In November 2022, Haas F1 Team announced Hülkenberg had signed to drive for them in 2023. He partnered Kevin Magnussen and replaced Mick Schumacher. The first race at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix saw Hülkenberg qualify tenth and finish 15th. He received a 15-second penalty for exceeding track limits. In the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg was running fourth when a red flag was shown. However, he was moved back to seventh. Haas protested this decision but it was unsuccessful.
At the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg qualified second in a wet session. He benefited when Oscar Piastri crashed, causing a red flag. Hülkenberg received a three-place grid penalty for a red flag rule break. He started the race in fifth. In the race, high tire wear meant he finished 15th. At the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg qualified an impressive fourth for the Sprint race. He finished sixth, securing three points for Haas. For the main Grand Prix, Hülkenberg qualified eighth. However, he had to retire early with an engine issue. By the summer break, Hülkenberg had qualified in the top 10 six times. Haas struggled with tire wear and did not score more points after Austria. Hülkenberg finished 16th in the championship with nine points. He was praised for his qualifying performances.
2024 Season
In August 2023, Haas announced Hülkenberg and Magnussen would stay for the 2024 season. He earned his first point of the season by finishing tenth at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. He continued to score points in Australia and China. He finished sixth at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. He held off Sergio Perez at the end of the race. Magnussen finished eighth, making it Haas's best result of the season. He repeated this result at the 2024 British Grand Prix, qualifying and finishing sixth. He qualified sixth again at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, finishing ninth. He finished eighth at the 2024 United States Grand Prix. He took ninth at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix. Hülkenberg was disqualified from a rainy 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. He received help from marshals to rejoin the race. He finished eighth in Las Vegas. He failed to finish in Qatar. Hülkenberg qualified fourth at the season-ending 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He started seventh after a grid penalty. He finished eighth in the race. He ended the season 11th in the standings.
Return to Sauber / Audi (2025–present)
2025: Maiden Podium with Sauber

Hülkenberg left Haas for his 2025 season. Sauber signed him as they prepare for Audi's takeover from 2026. He is partnered by the 2024 Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto. They replaced Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. In a wet season-opening 2025 Australian Grand Prix, Hülkenberg finished seventh. He claimed six points, more than Sauber had in all of 2024. After seven races without points, including a disqualification in Bahrain, upgrades for the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix helped Sauber. Hülkenberg qualified 16th and finished fifth after a late safety car. He then claimed eighth at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix. He started 11th. He finished ninth in Austria after qualifying last.
At the rainy 2025 British Grand Prix, Hülkenberg finished third. This was his first podium finish in Formula One. It ended his record 239-race streak without a top-three finish. He used a "perfectly-timed" strategy. He held off Lewis Hamilton to claim Sauber's first podium in 13 years. His performance was highly praised by other drivers and critics. Many said his first podium was "overdue."
2026: Audi
Hülkenberg is set to keep his place alongside Bortoleto. They will race for the re-branded Audi team in 2026.
Other Racing Ventures
Sportscar Racing
Right photo: Hülkenberg (right) on the podium alongside his teammates Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber
In November 2014, it was confirmed that Hülkenberg would compete in the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans. He drove a third factory-backed Porsche 919 Hybrid. He also raced in the 2015 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps as practice.
On June 14, 2015, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He drove with Britain's Nick Tandy and New Zealand's Earl Bamber. They completed 395 laps. This win was Porsche's first overall victory in the event since 1998. Hülkenberg's win made him the first active Formula One driver to win at Le Mans since 1991.
IndyCar Testing
On October 25, 2021, Hülkenberg took part in a private IndyCar test. He drove the No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP (AMSP) car. AMSP team principal Taylor Kiel said Hülkenberg was being considered for a third part-time entry in 2022. Hülkenberg completed over 100 laps. He set a best time of 77.454 seconds. This was about a second off the fastest time. Hülkenberg decided not to pursue a career in IndyCar with McLaren. He stated he did not want to race on ovals. He also found the Dallara DW12 physically harder to drive than Formula One cars.
Even though he refused to race IndyCars on ovals, Hülkenberg has raced on a superspeedway before. As part of his 2006 German Formula Three Championship, he raced in the ADAC East Side 100. This was an oval race at the Eurospeedway Lausitz.
Other Projects
Hülkenberg has started his own team in the eSkootr Championship. It is called "27X by Nico Hülkenberg."
Images for kids
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Hülkenberg as Force India's third driver at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix
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Hülkenberg (pictured at the Japanese Grand Prix) returned to Sauber in 2025, ahead of their acquisition by Audi.
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Hülkenberg (right) on the podium alongside his teammates Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber
See also
In Spanish: Nico Hülkenberg para niños