Pre Race
Recharged and ready!
Summer break is over – time to get back to work! Nico Hulkenberg and the Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber return this weekend to tackle the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season. After scoring points in five races and securing his first-ever podium – and the team’s first since 2012 – the German driver, born and raised near the Dutch border, is fired up for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
“It’s great to be back on track. I recharged over the break with family and friends, and now I’m ready for the battles ahead,” said Nico Hulkenberg.
“I have a lot of good memories from racing in the Netherlands during my karting days, and Zandvoort is the closest venue to my hometown on this year’s calendar, so it holds a special meaning for me. It’s a fun track with elevation changes and a mix of corners – a proper driver’s circuit. I’m motivated to build on the work we’ve done and push hard into the second half of the season.”
The Dutch Grand Prix weekend is already underway, with FP1 and FP2 completed on Friday. Saturday brings FP3 and Qualifying, before Sunday’s 72-lap race kicks off at 15:00 (CEST).
Want to follow the action live? Catch every session on the official Formula 1 app.
Zandvoort Facts:
- Like Silverstone, Zandvoort opened in 1948 amid Europe’s post-war motorsport boom. The original 4.2 km circuit combined permanent track with public roads through the dunes, with 1927 Le Mans winner Sammy Davis advising on its layout.
- ‘Crazy’, ‘insane’, ‘fast’ and ‘old-school’ are some of the words drivers use to describe the modern Zandvoort circuit, which returned to the F1 calendar in 2021 – featuring a spectacular 18-degree, Indianapolis-inspired banking.
- Fancy a dip in the sea? Zandvoort is one of the Netherlands’ most famous beach towns, and with the paddock just a short walk from the shore, there’s plenty of opportunity for a refreshing swim…
Qualifying
Time to push!
Update from the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, where Admin By Request ambassador and Formula 1 ace Nico Hulkenberg will start tomorrow’s race from P17 after an incredibly close qualifying – just eight tenths covering the top 18. The focus will now be on strategy and maximising opportunities to try and extend the team’s points-scoring streak to seven consecutive rounds.
“Missing out by a tenth is frustrating, but that’s how brutal qualifying can be. It ultimately came down to a couple of corners where we didn’t quite make it. There’s always something you want to improve, but you work with what you’ve got and focus on making the most of it,” said Nico Hulkenberg after the session.
“Looking ahead, overtaking around here is going to be tough – probably even harder than it was in Hungary. Track position will be key, and we may not be looking quite as strong on pure pace. We’ll look at all our options strategy-wise and see how we can recover.”
Big push tomorrow, Nico! The 72-lap Dutch Grand Prix kicks off at 15:00 (CEST).
Want to follow the action live? Catch every session on the official Formula 1 app.
Race Day
“A feeling of missed opportunity”
A frustrating Sunday at Zandvoort for Nico Hulkenberg and Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, who struggled for pace in a race where, despite interruptions and Safety Cars, neither the German nor his Brazilian teammate – finishing P14 and P15 – managed to score points.
“There’s definitely a feeling of missed opportunity today. We need to review everything in detail, but a lot was going on out there, and the timing of the two Safety Cars really didn’t play into our hands. It gave others a free stop and pushed us further back, which made an already tricky race even more difficult. From there, we were stuck in traffic and making progress was almost impossible,” said Nico Hulkenberg.
“It’s frustrating, especially when you see what some of our direct competitors managed to extract from the race. That obviously doesn’t help the mood, given how tight the Constructors’ fight is at the moment. Still, setbacks are part of the sport. It’s not the result we wanted, but we’ll analyse everything, reset, and go again in Monza.”
The good news? We don’t have to wait long to see the green cars back on track. The Italian Grand Prix at Monza takes place this coming weekend…
