Nico Hulkenberg is assured that Kick Sauber are actually a “critical competitor” within the midfield struggle, with the workforce persevering with to realize “momentum” since first introducing important upgrades again at Spherical 9 in Spain.
Whereas Hulkenberg ended the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in P7, the squad then suffered a future with out factors – which was dropped at an finish when the German driver took a powerful P5 in Barcelona.
The workforce have gone on to assert a top-10 end at each race since, together with a double factors consequence for Hulkenberg and workforce mate Gabriel Bortoleto in Austria earlier than Hulkenberg clinched a surprising P3 one week later at Silverstone, marking his long-awaited first podium in F1.
After the race, Hulkenberg was quizzed on how rather more could be doable with the C45 automotive, main the 37-year-old to joke in response: “You need much more? Jesus!
“I believe that is fairly good for starters immediately. If we had a dry race, it will have been a really totally different day and end result for us.”
Regardless of acknowledging that the altering climate situations could have performed a hand in his result at the British Grand Prix, Hulkenberg additionally praised Kick Sauber for persevering with to progress throughout current races, placing them on the coronary heart of the midfield battle.
“While we have made some actually good enhancements since Barcelona, immediately [at Silverstone] is clearly circumstantial, and the situations made this race and this consequence doable,” the veteran driver stated.
“However I really feel within the midfield struggle we have undoubtedly gained some momentum, and we’re a critical competitor there. That is the place our struggle is, however it’s at all times about maximising each race, each weekend, and simply attempting to do properly.”
Hulkenberg’s rostrum at Silverstone has helped Kick Sauber to climb as much as P6 within the Teams’ Championship on 41 factors, placing them simply 18 factors adrift of Williams in P5.
