F1 Half Term Report: Rate the Grid - Nico Hulkenberg

[Paul Jeffrey]

Nico Hulkenberg is enjoying his first season as a works manufacturer driver, however is the German meeting expectations this year?

Seen as one of the most promising drivers of his generation before graduating to Formula One, Nico Hulkenberg always carries around the reputation as one of the big hitting drivers, however Le Mans victory aside, the lanky German hasn't really scored the results to back up the hype around his name.

Very few can seriously argue that Hulkenberg isn't one of the best drivers in Formula One at present, and 2017 has been yet another strong season in comparison to his team mate and the immediate rivals for his Renault team, however has he continued to perform at the level now expected of a driver in his eight season of Formula One?

Vote now to tell us how you rate the first half of 2017 for Nico Hulkenberg, and leave a comment below!

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[oorjit07]

He's been solid, and hasn't had many bad days this season, though his one major blot came at his biggest podium opportunity at Baku. If Renault makes use of their backing, he should be fighting for podiums next season.

 

[gamer19]

Is it just me or... his left eye seems smaller than his right one ?

Great driver though... Me, grading - him ?
Oh...

 

[ltcars]

9 just for his charisma

 

[Coffer]

8. He's been quite impressive. Never rated him highly, but he's carrying the team big time this season. He's still error-prone, as seen in Hungary, but Renault need a consistent point-scorer and that's exactly what they've got in him.

Very few can seriously argue that Hulkenberg isn't one of the best drivers in Formula One at present

He isn't. He's decidedly average, though he is in the best form of his career. Vettel, Hamilton, Bottas, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Perez, Ocon, Massa, Grosjean, Alonso and Wehrlein are all usually better than him, with at least 75% of those drivers being better than him even now.

 

[ltcars]

Vettel, Hamilton, Bottas, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Perez, Ocon, Massa, Grosjean, Alonso and Wehrlein are all usually better than him, with at least 75% of those drivers being better than him even now.

But the first ones are in better cars and I have a feeling that he is struck by bad luck often

 

[Coffer]

But the first ones are in better cars and I have a feeling that he is struck by bad luck often

Fair point, in races like Baku he really got screwed over, but he's far from innocent given his occasional tendency to cause collisions like in Hungary. I don't feel his luck is particularly worse than that of the others (especially not Massa or Raikkonen), and the top teams naturally have a tendency to attract the best drivers in the field anyway.

 

[Leonardo Chaves]

Hulkenberg is a very competent driver, he never got his big break so now he has an opportunity to build something with a well funded team, they've been doing better and better as the season goes on.

Fair point, in races like Baku he really got screwed over, but he's far from innocent given his occasional tendency to cause collisions like in Hungary. I don't feel his luck is particularly worse than that of the others (especially not Massa or Raikkonen), and the top teams naturally have a tendency to attract the best drivers in the field anyway.

The 2 reasons he was so far behind in Hungary, were a gearbox penalty in a race that's terrible for this sort of thing and a botched pitstop by Renault, his collision with Grosjean in T1 didn't harm anything.

 

[Coffer]

The 2 reasons he was so far behind in Hungary, were a gearbox penalty in a race that's terrible for this sort of thing and a botched pitstop by Renault, his collision with Grosjean in T1 didn't harm anything.

I'm specifically talking about the fact that he makes himself look significantly worse with his clumsiness (also seen in races like Singapore 2015), and in this particular case it did cost him time later as Magnussen got revenge for Grosjean by killing whatever little was left of his race.

 

[Klodian Stafa]

he is a very good driver taking renault from the back of the grid in the front and i see them as a top team in the next 4 years joinig ferrari merc and maybe rb if they keep being good

 

[PoleGrabber]

The 2 reasons he was so far behind in Hungary, were a gearbox penalty in a race that's terrible for this sort of thing and a botched pitstop by Renault, his collision with Grosjean in T1 didn't harm anything.

Didn't harm anything?
It broke the floor in Grosjean's car, so he later had to quit the race...

 

[Coffer]

Didn't harm anything?
It broke the floor in Grosjean's car, so he later had to quit the race...

I think he's specifically talking about how it didn't hurt Hulkenberg's race, though it indirectly actually did.

 

[Jan Larsen]

7. Done well in a below average chassis to haul it up in places where it dosent belong, especially in qualifying. Made to look better by a terrible teammate who he's outpacing with a full second sometimes. Solid as usual and should be in a better chassis.
Lost a bit of respect in the Magnussen incident. Calling him out was fair, Magnussen was driving as dirty as he could, but do it away from the cameras ffs.

 

[Joakim Stensnæs]

Hmm, hard for me to really judge the guy. He and Perez raced pretty equally in the Forze India last season, even though perez ended up with better results than him.
Especially difficult to judge him this season. Renault has without a doubt got a much better car this season which was to be expected, but because Palmer is having such a difficult time this year it's hard to say. Palmer vs Magnussen last year was also very confusing, as Palmer seemed to get alot better during the 2nd half of the season. And Magnussen is doing pretty well against Grosjean, trading blows from race to race. So was Palmer at the same level last season? Then what happened to him this season and what does that mean for Hulkenberg?

This is so difficult to judge, yet I've given him an 7 for placing the car where people don't expect it to be. But he does have some weeeeird tendencies... Like Baku, smashing the car right into the wall, wat??

 

[Jimlaad43]

10, because he stopped his car after the British GP in the right place for me to push it! Yep, I've steered his car.

 

[Matthew Allington]

+ He's absolutely demolished his teammate
+ Silverstone weekend was superb

- Crashing in Baku
- Not really his fault this year, but he's now holding the record for most entries (128) without a podium finish...

For this year so far, I've given him 8.

 

[Monstro]

8, very solid driver.

 

[gamer19]

10, because he stopped his car after the British GP in the right place for me to push it! Yep, I've steered his car.

Oh, really ? You steered the damn Renault F1 car ?
They must have do extensive crew shakedown test...
The ones like me... we wouldn't get through, I'm positive. I'm sure after that "innocent push" I wouldn't left circuit without some memorabilia in my possession.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Oh, really ? You steered the damn Renault F1 car ?
They must have do extensive crew shakedown test...
The ones like me... we wouldn't get through, I'm positive. I'm sure after that "innocent push" I wouldn't left circuit without some memorabilia in my possession.

I'm a marshal, I had to push it before we let the public come on track and do just that - steal bits off the car. If I'd broken off a bit to take home I would never be allowed back.

 

[Christian Moreau]

I gave him a 9. 8 is probably the better consensus but I've just been impressed with what he's been able to do with the car. Solid driver, always been a fan.