F1 star overshadowed by max verstappen did something not seen in six years

THE CONTROVERSY CREATED BY MAX VERSTAPPEN WHEN HE SLAMMED INTO GEORGE RUSSELL LATE IN THE SPANISH GRAND PRIX OVERSHADOWED AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT BY NICO HULKENBERG 13:39, 02 Jun 2025

Max Verstappen was named Driver of the Day by Formula 1 fans at the Spanish Grand Prix – though the outcome of that poll may have been very different if only the votes cast after the

Dutchman slammed into George Russell, seemingly on purpose, counted. And, in any case, the final classification makes it clear that one driver's extraordinary performance and result was

unfairly overlooked. Because in fifth place – nosebleed territory for a Sauber team which has struggled to make an impression in recent years – was Nico Hulkenberg. He finished sixth on the

road but, because Verstappen dropped down to 10th because of a penalty for his moment of madness, was promoted to fifth place. The last time the German finished a race that high, the year

was 2019 and he was driving for Renault at the Italian Grand Prix. It was also a landmark moment for the team, who haven't had anyone finish that high in a race since the 2022 Emilia

Romagna Grand Prix, when Valtteri Bottas managed it. The 10 points Hulkenberg scored on Sunday lifted Sauber off the foot of the constructors' standings to eighth place, level with

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below And Hulkenberg managed it despite an unspectacular qualifying result which meant he started 15th on the grid. But he got off to a stunning start by rising five positions on the opening

lap, which put him in points contention. He had been one of a few drivers who saved an extra set of soft compound tyres for the race, compromising his qualifying efforts as a result. But

the gamble paid off as a late safety car gave him the opportunity to put on a new set of softs for the six-lap sprint to the chequered flag. READ MORE: Max Verstappen is extraordinary and

infuriating in equal measure – we've seen this beforeREAD MORE: Lando Norris learns during live interview that his Max Verstappen comment was heard on TV Hulkenberg said: "It was

one of those Sundays where everything came together really well. Right from the beginning, we were in the mix – a strong start, a clean first lap, and we were immediately able to fight for

points. "Ironically, not having the best Saturday and saving a set of softs gave us a strategic edge with the tyre allocation. The safety car mixed things up a bit, and having those

fresh compounds turned out to be a golden ticket. There was a significant delta between used and new tyres today, so that really paid off." Sky Sports launches discounted Formula 1

package This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more £43 £35 Sky Get Sky Sports here Formula 1 fans can watch every

practice, qualifying and race live with Sky's new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in a new deal that saves £192. As well as Sky Sports access, this includes more than 100 TV channels

and free subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+. Rookie team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto did not score points but looked strong, qualifying 12th in an upgraded Sauber C45. The team introduced a

raft of upgrades in Barcelona which, based on the evidence they collected during the race, look to have given them a more competitive race car. Article continues below Hulkenberg added:

"The car felt good all weekend, and the updates clearly gave us a step forward in performance. We had strong pace throughout the race. Credits to the whole team, both at the factory and

trackside, for the hard work on the upgrades."