{"id":34665,"date":"2025-06-02T07:24:04","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T11:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=34665"},"modified":"2025-06-02T07:25:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T11:25:24","slug":"hulkenberg-delivers-huge-points-in-spain-thanks-to-sauber-updates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/06\/02\/hulkenberg-delivers-huge-points-in-spain-thanks-to-sauber-updates\/","title":{"rendered":"Hulkenberg delivers huge points in Spain thanks to Sauber updates"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When Nico Hulkenberg claimed 7th place at the season opener in Australia, it was Sauber&#8217;s best result since the 2022 season.<\/p>\n<p>A combination of sensible driving and chaos further ahead allowed the German driver to secure this points haul.<\/p>\n<p>In the rounds since then, however, Sauber&#8217;s limitations in terms of raw performance became clear.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to the Spanish GP, the C45 was only capable of fighting for Q2 appearances.<\/p>\n<p>Points, except in the case of a chaotic race, were beyond <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2024\/08\/20\/jonathan-wheatley-could-drive-large-scale-audi-recruitment\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Jonathan Wheatley&#8217;s personnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This all changed last weekend, with Hulkenberg claiming a 5th place on merit &#8211; thanks to Sauber&#8217;s latest upgrade package.<\/p>\n<h2>Sauber upgrades exceed expectations<\/h2>\n<p>Towards the end of last year, an update package in Las Vegas pushed Sauber up the grid.<\/p>\n<p>Whilst still firmly in the midfield, the Swiss team were at least in contention for points &#8211; which Zhou Guanyu secured in Qatar.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"-Tmw3pfwRrxpTuLHb24b7g\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2218117028\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'-Tmw3pfwRrxpTuLHb24b7g',sig:'Cirhpkdeg9NxbpNX1yG2wCe8pzRVd3QQLztaAlDQ_xg=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'2218117028',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n<p>For the first eight rounds of the season, Sauber found themselves several steps away from points.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside more established midfield teams like <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/05\/29\/alonso-outlines-adrian-newey-impact-at-aston-martin\/\" target=\"_self\">Aston Martin<\/a> and Alpine, the ascendance of Williams, VCARB and Haas complicated life for Hulkenberg and Bortoleto.<\/p>\n<p>Because of this, there was a lot at stake when the C45 received its new components in Barcelona.<\/p>\n<p>When fulfilling his Thursday media duties, Gabriel Bortoleto was candid about the importance of this new package.<\/p>\n<p>For many reasons, as previously assessed on LWOS, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/05\/30\/why-spain-could-be-saubers-last-chance-to-recover-in-2025\/\" target=\"_self\">these upgrades would define the rest of Sauber&#8217;s 2025 season<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Their objective improvement last weekend, therefore, was welcome news throughout the team.<\/p>\n<p>Even without the late Safety Car, Hulkenberg was running comfortably in 9th &#8211; setting consistently faster laps than Alonso and Gasly.<\/p>\n<p>Only Hadjar was setting better times in the midfield, as the 37-year-old demonstrated his calibre once again.<\/p>\n<p>A sensible pit-stop under the Safety Car, followed by a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/06\/01\/nico-rosberg-verstappen-deserved-black-flag-for-russell-clash\/\" target=\"_self\">Verstappen<\/a> penalty, added the cherry on top to a dream weekend for the Swiss team.<\/p>\n<h4>Wheatley reacts to Sauber&#8217;s best result since 2022<\/h4>\n<p>It is no secret that Sauber are in a very demanding transitional period.<\/p>\n<p>They will become <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/05\/26\/mattia-binotto-audi-anticipate-engine-deficit-in-2026\/\" target=\"_self\">Audi<\/a> F1 Team in 2026, officially becoming a manufacturer team after over two decades as a customer outfit.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"p-oyux53Tht5yr57xZUshA\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2218104906\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'p-oyux53Tht5yr57xZUshA',sig:'0DFVR-VRTcr0cWWb3c7rHZ7fVzz2kBwg5IiVPmgWo7U=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'2218104906',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n<p>For obvious reasons, this change promises a huge increase in the team&#8217;s potential.<\/p>\n<p>Audi will provide the platform for a sizable boost in investment at the factory in Hinwil.<\/p>\n<p>Not only will creating an engine department require immense commitment, but Audi&#8217;s greater ambitions will require an expansion of Sauber&#8217;s aerodynamic force &#8211; who will continue their work in 2026 and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>To oversee these changes, the team have Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley at the helm.<\/p>\n<p>These two senior figures, formerly at Ferrari and Red Bull respectively, are tasked with transforming the Hinwil team.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Wheatley, who assumed the role of Team Principal a few months ago, gave his reaction to Hulkenberg&#8217;s P5 in Barcelona:<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Today was an outstanding performance for the team, and for everyone back at the factory who worked so hard to get the upgrades delivered&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Both cars had good starts, the car pace was strong during the race, and as a team we made some really good strategy calls, resulting in a great performance all round.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;I want to single out and congratulate the pit crew who worked so hard throughout the race, including an outstanding 2.1 second stop.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Having spent a very short time with the team, there are not many areas Wheatley could have impacted already.<\/p>\n<p>Then again, it cannot be a coincidence that Sauber&#8217;s pit-stops have already improved so rapidly since the arrival of <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/06\/01\/verstappen-red-bull-not-fast-enough-to-match-mclaren-in-spain\/\" target=\"_self\">Red Bull&#8217;s former sporting director<\/a> &#8211; who was integral to the Austrian team&#8217;s efficiency.<\/p>\n<p><em>Main photo: Andy Hone\/LAT Images (Sauber media gallery)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Nico Hulkenberg claimed 7th place at the season opener in Australia, it was Sauber&#8217;s best result since the 2022 season. A combination of sensible driving and chaos further ahead allowed the German driver to secure this points haul. In the rounds since then, however, Sauber&#8217;s limitations in terms of raw performance became clear. Prior [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4927,"featured_media":34666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[2452,256,345,510],"class_list":["post-34665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-formula-1","category-news","tag-f1-2025-season","tag-nico-hulkenberg","tag-sauber","tag-spanish-grand-prix"],"modified_by":"Jaden Diaz-Ndisang","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4927"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34665"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34678,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34665\/revisions\/34678"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}