Pre Race
All eyes on Monza!
After a challenging weekend in Zandvoort, Nico Hulkenberg and Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber are determined to bounce back at Monza. The historic 5.8-kilometre circuit once again hosts the Italian Grand Prix – the closest thing to a home race for the Swiss-based Formula 1 team.
“The last stretch of the season didn’t start the way we envisioned, but that’s in the past – all our energy is now on delivering at Monza. We showed encouraging form before the break, and the aim is to get back to that level already this weekend,” said Nico Hulkenberg.
“Monza is always special – the history, the fans, the atmosphere in the paddock. It’s also the final European round before we head overseas, so it’s important to finish this part of the season on a strong note. I’m confident we can put everything together again, return to our recent performance and fight for points.”
The weekend begins with free practice on Friday, followed by qualifying on Saturday afternoon. The 53-lap Italian Grand Prix goes green on Sunday at 15:00 local time (CEST).
Want to follow the action live? Catch every session on the official Formula 1 app.
Monza facts:
- Built in under three months and hosting its first race in 1922, Monza was the world’s third purpose-built race track, after Brooklands in the UK and Indianapolis in the US. Like those icons, the original Monza layout also featured steeply banked corners.
- Monza isn’t called the ‘Temple of Speed’ for nothing. Lando Norris’ pole position in 2024 was set at an average speed of 264 km/h – and as a rule of thumb, Formula 1 drivers spend around 80 percent of a lap with the throttle fully open.
- Monza has been a permanent fixture on the Formula 1 calendar since the sport’s debut in 1950, missing only once – in 1980, when the Italian Grand Prix was moved to Imola while the historic circuit underwent safety upgrades.
Qualifying
Ready to fight back!
Update from the ‘Temple of Speed’, where Nico Hulkenberg will start the Italian Grand Prix from 12th place after narrowly missing out on Q3 in Saturday’s qualifying. A result which the German feels doesn’t reflect the car’s pace at Monza, leaving him optimistic ahead of Sunday’s race.
“Qualifying today just wasn’t good enough on my part. In Q2, I didn’t execute the first run properly, which meant I didn’t have a banker lap before the second attempt. That left me with only one shot, so I couldn’t take the usual risks and had to leave a bit of margin to make sure we secured a competitive time,” said Nico Hulkenberg.
“Looking ahead to tomorrow, the car feels quick and we’re in a good place, so it’s all still to play for with the field as tight as ever. I feel confident in the car, so let’s see what we can do in the race.”
We’re ready to cheer you on, Nico! Tomorrow’s 53-lap Italian Grand Prix at Monza goes green on Sunday at 15:00 local time (CEST).
Want to follow the action live? Catch every session on the official Formula 1 app.
Race Day
“It’s extremely frustrating”
Oh nooo! Some Formula 1 weekends can be merciless, and the Italian Grand Prix was one of them. For Nico Hulkenberg, the race ended before it even began, as the German was forced to pit on the formation lap with a hydraulic issue, leaving the team with no choice but to retire the car.
“Obviously it’s extremely frustrating if you don’t even get to start the race. We experienced hydraulic issues that forced us to retire the car on the formation lap, which we now need to properly investigate and understand in detail,” Nico said.
Still, Hulkenberg remains optimistic, as things were looking positive before the technical problems appeared. The pace was there, and teammate Gabriel Bortoletto’s P8 finish once again showed the potential of the green Sauber cars.
“We’ve clearly seen there is performance in the car, which gives us encouragement. Monza is always a difficult place to overtake, so it’s hard to say where we would have ended up today. On the positive side, it was a good weekend for Gabi, who scored valuable points for the team.”
The next opportunity for Nico, Gabriel, and the rest of the Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber will be the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, going green in two weeks’ time on September 21.
