Ralf Schumacher: Hulkenberg still has speed

      Nico Hulkenberg, a 37-year-old veteran of Formula 1, famous for the fact that in his 236 Grands Prix he has never reached the podium, finished fifth at the recent Spanish Grand Prix, and this achievement did not go unnoticed.

      And it's not just that this is the best result for Sauber in a long time. time, and shown on a track where the effectiveness of the car is truly tested: a couple of laps before the checkered flag, Nico famously overtook Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari, which greatly upset the seven-time world champion.

      According to Ralf Schumacher, a former Formula 1 racer and now a television expert, Hulkenberg's result cannot be called an accidental success.

      "Hulkenberg worked in That weekend was incredibly cool! – Ralph shared, taking part in the Backstage Boxengasse, a podcast of the Sky Deutschland TV channel. – He was a little lucky at the beginning of the race, but it also requires skill. He did everything right, pushed his way forward and showed great speed during the race.

      The Sauber team performed more or less confidently in Barcelona last year, but the recent result is especially important in the context of the Audi factory program, because it also means that the team has found a direction in the process of upgrading the chassis and will try to develop it by creating a car in 2026." 

      Of course, the most experienced Nico Hulkenberg has a key role to play in this project, but Schumacher was also asked if the German driver, who performs so well in a car that is far from the fastest, could be of interest to other Formula 1 teams?

      "It always depends on what's going on in the championship," Ralph replied. "How will the Formula 1 newcomers perform? Will everyone stay on their teams next year? What can you expect from Flavio Briatore? Although I think he's looking at younger drivers

      , it's sometimes difficult to rationalize the developments in the driver market. But if Nico continues to show such results, he will definitely remain in the ranks for some time. Despite the fact that he still has the speed."