Nico Hulkenberg

[Marcus666]

I want to make this Thread in appreciation of my idol Nico Hulkenberg as he enters his probably last GP.

I have watched f1 as a kid between 2003 and 2005 but the interest got reborn in 2011.

I still remember when i became a fan...
...Brazil 2012. After that race i rooted for him. It seems that he got a disadvantage when the 1.6l era came in and new Weight rules were against him.

He didnt make the podium or win despite many chances. But he tried his bloody best and didnt succed in the end. But i am still a proud fan of him, for battleing against a storm of bad luck and public pressure.

I want to Thank you Nico for having Someone to cheer on every weekend! The bravest are the Ones who fight the hardest towards success!

[steve_r]

There are certainly several drivers who WILL be on the grid next year who I rate as worse than him.

He has usally been equal or better than his team mates. Only ever driven in midfield cars, and time seemlngly has run out unfortunately.

[chillibowl]

i was also a fan and had a lot of respect because he, possibly to the detriment of his career, chose never to be a pay driver.

perhaps could have been a great had he arrived in a different era.

[Nikki Katz]

I think I’d rather see him on the grid than Ocon, though I guess that at this stage of his career hulkenberg was unlikely to achieve more, ocon i suppose could surprise. Maybe if hulkenberg had won that race instead of knocking Hamilton out of it his career would have been different. A bit disappointing that he’s not trying formula e or something. Or lower his wage demands for f1!

[bella]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

i was also a fan and had a lot of respect because he, possibly to the detriment of his career, chose never to be a pay driver.

perhaps could have been a great had he arrived in a different era.

it's always seemed a bit ironic, that, given he had some proper money on his way up to f1.

[S griffin]

It’s just a shame he was never able to break out of midfield teams, as given a car that could have won races and he would have done a brilliant job. Indeed, he almost didn’t need a winning car at Brazil 2012. That race counts as one of his great moments, along with his pole at the same circuit two years previously and qualifying the Sauber third at Monza in 2013

Check out Hulkenberg’s top ten moments on F1’s YouTube page and you will realise what a great talent we are losing. Seems such a shame he is leaving F1 this way, with still plenty to offer

[E.B]

I remember Hulkenberg from pre F1 when he was driving for Germany in A1GP, scoring many wins and the championship for Germany. He also won GP2 at the first go, not many can match that. Of course he also won Le Mans on debut. Throw in a GP3 championship and an F BMW one and his feeder years had him surely to be a potential F1 WDC or at least an F1 race winner.... It all seemed to go wrong for him in F1, sadly.

I wish him every success in whatever racing he ends up in.

[S griffin]

Now you mention Le Mans, it is a bit of a surprise he has been linked to DTM and Indycar but not a return to LM

[Aysedasi]

I can see him going back, but there's no big drive there for him....

[mountainstar]

As is inevitable to all, he eventually lost the musical chairs routine. He had his chances but in the end for whatever reason could not get it done.

[Mike Harte]

This thread reads more like an obituary than just comments on a driver who has only lost a drive in a championship!

[GT6]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I can see him going back, but there's no big drive there for him....

Not for 2020 but could something open up for him in the hyper car era to come?

[Theunser]

I think he may find a way back for 2021 into F1. Or even if someone really underperforms or injures next year Hülk could be the numer 1 choice.

[champcarman]

If he cannot be in F1 then I hope he turns up in DTM. Would be a good fit for Nico.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

As is inevitable to all, he eventually lost the musical chairs routine. He had his chances but in the end for whatever reason could not get it done.

His biggest problem is that he was too tall and too heavy in a formula that favoured the smaller lighter drivers.Newey said he had no interest in Hulkenberg because of his size. Given the disadvantage he was operating under he has done very well.