Nico Hülkenberg showcased his strong qualifying prowess from 2023 in the season opener in Bahrain, starting 10th but slipping to 16th during the race due to a sluggish start and a collision with Lance Stroll of Aston Martin, which damaged his front wing.
However, in Saudi Arabia, the German driver made an impressive climb from 15th to secure a point in 10th position by adopting a unique strategy – opting not to pit during a safety car period caused by Stroll’s crash. His teammate Kevin Magnussen played a crucial role by impeding the pursuing cars.
Hülkenberg emphasized the growing necessity for unconventional strategies for lower-ranking teams to secure points in Formula 1, especially considering the dominance of the top-five teams. He stated, “You have to do something unorthodox… push your luck a little bit and do something different.”
Despite efforts to level the playing field with the introduction of ground-effect cars and the cost cap in 2022, the top half of the constructors’ championship remains largely dominated by Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Aston Martin. This leaves teams like Hülkenberg’s struggling to break into the top positions.
During the Jeddah race, Magnussen faced challenges, including two 10-second penalties and the task of holding back a queue of cars, including Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, Logan Sargeant, and Daniel Ricciardo, while running 11th and 12th.
Team principal Ayao Komatsu praised the remarkable team effort, highlighting Magnussen’s strategic delay of the pursuing cars while maintaining a target lap time and Hülkenberg’s flawless driving performance, ultimately securing a crucial point for the team.
Also read: Hulkenberg Promises to Reciprocate Magnussen’s Assistance in Jeddah F1 Race