Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) after retirement: “Something wasn’t quite right even before the start”

A disappointing British Grand Prix for the only German driver in the field, Nico Hülkenberg! After 36 of 52 laps, the Silverstone Grand Prix was already over for the Audi driver. Hülkenberg retired due to a gearbox problem.

The German summed up the weekend in England: “Things went against us right from the start of the weekend. It was a real character-building experience and, of course, it ended very frustratingly for us. Things didn’t really come together from the start.”

The German had already spotted a bad omen before the race even started: “Even on the way to the starting grid, I had the feeling that something wasn’t right. The start itself didn’t go as it should have either. That’s definitely an area we need to focus on.”

Gearbox caused retirement

Things didn’t get any better after that. Hülkenberg: “In the race, I had to push hard in the slipstream quite early on and had a minor spin, which made tyre management difficult, and then we had a gearbox problem that ultimately forced us to retire.”

It was particularly bitter for Hülkenberg, given that Silverstone was the venue of his great triumph the previous year. It was here, in the summer of 2025, that he secured the first podium of his long career. But in 2026, everything went against him. The German therefore remains without points in 2026. It is his fourth retirement of the season, counting only the Grands Prix.

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Teammate Bortoleto scored points

At least Hülkenberg’s team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto was able to finish the race and even scored points with an 8th-place finish. Hülkenberg: “The positive thing is that Gabi scored points. That’s a really strong result for him and for the team, and it shows the potential we have when everything comes together.”

So the German isn’t letting it get him down: “The competition is very close, and although we were close at times, we didn’t quite manage to capitalise on those opportunities. In this sport, the tide can turn quickly, and I’m confident that things will go our way again – we just have to keep working, stay focused and keep pushing as a team.”