Nico Hülkenberg Struggles to Score Points at Spa, Eyes Budapest

Nico Hülkenberg's points drought continues, as he finished 13th at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, without scoring any points for Audi.

What happened?

The German driver experienced technical problems in qualifying, which hindered his chances of a good starting position. Hülkenberg qualified 12th, but was forced to pull over to the side of the track after experiencing gearbox issues in Q2. He added that he lost a few positions at the start, making the race even more difficult.

Why it matters for Nico Hülkenberg

Despite the setbacks, Hülkenberg remains positive, citing the fact that he was able to keep up with the pace in the race and was generally in the thick of the action throughout. He also gained a few seconds thanks to the virtual safety car, but ultimately rejoined the track right behind Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson.

What comes next?

Hülkenberg is looking forward to the next race weekend in Budapest, where he believes engine power will play a lesser role. "A clean weekend without any problems would be good," he said. However, he knows that anything can happen, and he will need to be at the top of his game to compete with the likes of Alpine and Racing Bulls.

Hülkenberg's teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto, had a more successful weekend, finishing eighth and scoring four points for the World Championship standings. With a total of ten points now, Audi is just one place behind Williams in the Constructors' Championship.

The Hungarian Grand Prix is set to take place on July 24, 2026, and Hülkenberg will be looking to turn things around and score points for Audi. With a strong performance, he could potentially move up the rankings and give his team a much-needed boost.

In the meantime, Hülkenberg will be working hard to improve his car and his driving skills, in the hopes of achieving a better result in Budapest. Only time will tell if he will be able to overcome his current struggles and score points for Audi.

**Hülkenberg's words of hope:** "It's great to see that Gabriel has scored points for the team. It's a well-deserved result and another positive achievement for everyone. Hopefully we can build on this in Budapest, have a flawless weekend on my side of the pit and give ourselves the chance to compete at the front."

**Audi's current standings:** 10 points, just one place behind Williams in the Constructors' Championship.

**The next event:** Hungarian Grand Prix, July 24, 2026.