Hülkenberg's Silverstone podium a ‘belief booster’ for Sauber, says Wheatley
Nico Hülkenberg Secures Stunning Podium at British Grand Prix, Signals Sauber’s Promising Future
Nico Hülkenberg’s remarkable podium finish at the British Grand Prix is more than a career milestone—it’s a pivotal moment for Sauber as it transitions into Audi’s works Formula One team next season, according to team principal Jonathan Wheatley.
The 37-year-old German driver secured third place at Silverstone, marking his first Formula One podium after an astonishing 239 starts. The result stunned the paddock and fans alike, as Hülkenberg climbed from the very back of the grid in a rain-soaked and chaotic race to achieve what many thought was out of reach for the veteran, who made his F1 debut 15 years ago.
"Really for me, what I've taken from today is people start believing in us," Wheatley shared with a noticeably larger gathering of reporters outside the Sauber paddock post-race. "I can say the words, I can say we're gaining momentum, I can say we're putting performance on the car, I can say [chief operating officer] Mattia [Binotto] and all the hard work he's been putting in before I came here is coming to light. But it’s true."
A Step Toward Sauber’s Future
Wheatley acknowledged Sauber's long journey toward becoming a leading team but stressed that Sunday's success, in particular, reflects the progress they’ve been making. "We've got a very long journey towards where we need to be as a team, and it's a great step when you're starting on that journey."
Sauber’s recent performance is a far cry from the struggles of previous seasons. The team finished last in the constructors’ standings in 2022, managing just four points, and was ninth out of ten the year prior. But with new leadership under Wheatley and former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto overseeing operations, the trajectory is beginning to shift.
Turnaround Under New Leadership
Bolstered by an all-new driver pairing of Hülkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto—last year’s Formula Two champion—Sauber has demonstrated flashes of strong form this season. Hülkenberg’s fifth-place finish in Spain brought the team off the bottom of the standings earlier this year, and his consistent points-scoring form has Sauber now just 18 points shy of fifth-placed Williams in the constructors’ championship. With 12 races complete, Hülkenberg has already amassed 37 points—far surpassing the team’s combined tally over the past two seasons.
Wheatley stopped short of declaring Sauber ahead of schedule in its long-term plans, cautioning against reading too much into the results. "You can think of the plan as a straight line, and there's some hairpins on the way, and there’s some stoplights and traffic works," he explained.
Confidence for the Audi Era
Still, the atmosphere within the team is upbeat after what Wheatley described as a "mature race performance” at Silverstone. “It’s a great day for the team. Everyone’s working so hard here.”
The podium finish not only validates the hard work being done both on and off the track but also serves as a shot of confidence as Sauber prepares to usher in its next chapter under the Audi banner in 2024.
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