Nico Hülkenberg insists ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix: “Audi’s pace is genuine”

Nico Hülkenberg just can’t seem to secure his first points of the season in the Audi: time and again, the 38-year-old narrowly misses out on a top-ten finish, often through no fault of his own.

Things should finally click at the Red Bull Ring, where Hülki has scored points in the past two years – finishing sixth with Haas in 2024 and ninth with Sauber in 2025.

Years ago, the driver with 256 Grand Prix starts to his name said of the Red Bull Ring: “A good, small circuit with a rather unique layout. It’s compact, has only a few corners and the lap times are short.”

“It’s reminiscent of a large go-kart track; from the grandstands, you have a good view of large sections of the circuit. I find it compact and easy to follow, but it’s more demanding than it looks.”

“There are some lovely corners and a few long straights with good overtaking opportunities. The last two corners, 9 and 10, are particularly lovely. They’re quite challenging as they alternate between banking outwards and then inwards. Because of the short lap time, the field is usually bunched up tightly. The circuit is also set in breathtaking countryside with mountains and rolling hills.”

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Now, at the Red Bull Ring, the 2018 World Championship seventh-place finisher talks about the upcoming Grand Prix days in Styria: “We’re making constant progress; we’re right up there with the midfield. We’re finishing in the top ten because our pace is genuine.”

“But due to various circumstances, we’ve been denied points. We’re not giving up; there’s a lot to be positive about – especially when I look at the car from the first few races and where we are today. We’ve worked our way out of that situation, but we’re still waiting for the fruits of our labour. I know it’s only a matter of time before that happens.”