Hülkenberg and Sauber: Podium boosts faith in Audi’s F1 future

Hülkenberg and Sauber Celebrate a Historic Podium at the British Grand Prix

Nico Hülkenberg’s podium finish at the British Grand Prix, representing Sauber, has injected optimism into the team, according to Jonathan Wheatley, the team principal. Hülkenberg, 37 years old, achieved third place at Silverstone, marking his first podium in 239 races. An achievement that many considered unattainable for a driver who debuted in Formula One 15 years ago. Hülkenberg’s performance was even more remarkable starting from the last position in a race marked by rain and uncertainty.

Really, what I take away from today is that people are starting to believe in us.

Jonathan Wheatley

Wheatley added that the team is gaining momentum and improving the car’s performance. He highlighted the hard work of Mattia Binotto, the operations director, and his team. Last season, Sauber finished in last position with only four points, after having finished ninth out of ten the previous year. However, the new management has managed to reverse the situation. Binotto, former Ferrari boss, is in charge of the project, while Wheatley, from Red Bull, runs the team on the track and prepares for the transition to Audi next season. Sauber has a new lineup this year, with Hülkenberg and the Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. Hülkenberg already achieved a fifth place in Spain, which took Sauber out of the bottom of the standings. In addition, he has scored points in the last four races, and the team is only 18 points away from fifth place, occupied by Williams. The 37 points scored by Hülkenberg in 12 races far exceeds the points obtained by the team in the last two combined seasons. Wheatley was cautious when asked if Sauber was further ahead than expected in its plan for the future. “You can think of the plan as a straight line, but there are sharp curves, traffic lights, and roadworks,” he commented. “It’s a great day for the team. Everyone is working very hard here. It was a mature race.”