F1Weekly Podcast # 1007
Play Podcast: 08-29-23f1weekly1007mp3
NASIR AND THE HOST ARE STILL DANCING THE DUTCH DOSIDO! AS MAX WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE 2023 FORMULA 1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. MOTORSPORTS MONDIAL IS GORGED WITH FUN FACTS AND, THIS WEEK’S INTERVIEW AGAIN FROM THE F1WEEKLY ARCHIVES… NICO HULKENBERG FROM 2008
Nico Hulkenberg won the German Junior Kart Championship aged 15 and followed that up with victory in the German Kart Championship in 2003. After another year in the German Kart Championship, in which he finished second, Hulkenberg made the transition to motor racing.
It was a successful move – he won the German Formula BMW championship at the first time of asking in 2005. But after finishing first in the Formula BMW world final he was demoted to third after the stewards decided he had brake-tested other drivers during a safety car period.
Formula Three followed but Hulkenberg entered the German series in 2006 rather than the more prestigious European championship. He ended the year fifth, winning once at the Hockenheimring, but not scoring any further wins after a mid-season switch from the Dallara to the new Ligier chassis.
Hulkenberg enjoyed a successful winter campaign in the second A1 Grand Prix championship in 2006-07. He started all but two races for the German team, and the outfit that finished 15th in the previous season became champions thanks to Hulkenberg’s nine victories.
He returned to Formula Three for 2007, stepping up to the Euroseries with champions ASM. It was a year of inspiration and exasperation in equal measure.
He was second in the season opener at Hockenheim, sensationally won at the Norisring from 18th on the grid and added another fine win in the wet at Zandvoort.
But he crashed out of the first Norisring race, was penalised at Magny-Cours for passing the chequered flag twice in qualifying and collided with Filip Salaquarda in the race.
A strong end to the season saw him end the year third overall behind Romain Grosjean and Sebastien Buemi, with four wins.
In 2008 he returned to the F3 Euroseries while also joining Williams as a test driver. Hulkenberg won the title this time, and moved up to GP2 with his ART team.
At the start of 2009 Hulkenberg was the first driver to test Williams’ new FW30. He also impressed during the off-season with two appearances in GP2 Asia double-headers, setting pole position in both qualifying sessions and winning at Qatar in only his third start – stretching out a huge 45-second lead at one point.
He moved up to the GP2 main series with ART and after taking a few races to settle in he reeled off three wins in a row and rapidly ascended the championship order. He was already ahead of Grosjean in the championship when his closest rival graduated to F1 with Renault. By the end of the season Hulkenberg had become the first rookie to win the championship since Lewis Hamilton, with 100 points to Vitaly Petrov’s 75.