Jess
Where do we rank the drivers’ performances in the first half of the season? Our number one spot might just surprise you.
As we reach the halfway point of the season and endure three weeks without F1 action, it’s an ideal time for drivers and fans to reflect. Over the coming weeks, we’ll review Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, examine Red Bull’s highs and lows, and explore the fierce McLaren battle. But first, we want your opinion: who is your driver of the season so far?
Our choice is Nico Hulkenberg.
Nico Hulkenberg is no stranger to F1, having been on and off the grid for 15 years. This year, he made a permanent return to the F1 grid by replacing Mick Schumacher at Haas. He then moved to Sauber, which is set to become the German car manufacturer giant Audi in 2026. Despite his lengthy career, it wasn’t until this year that he finally secured a podium finish. So why did teams keep hiring him if it took most of his career to achieve that?
The answer lies in consistency.
It’s great to have an athlete on your payroll who has been labelled the next big thing or a potential future champion.
How many times have we heard a new signing be labelled the next best thing, a future champion? Yet those bold statements rarely materialise because consistency trumps potential. Raw talent means nothing if you can’t deliver it each weekend.
In F1, consistency is a rare talent. Rules change every year, both big and small, along with the cars and sometimes even the teams a driver represents. Drivers must adapt quickly or risk losing their seat. Mastering the ability to get on top of the car they’re given as fast as possible is the most crucial skill in their repertoire.
Look at IndyCar this year.
Alex Palou dominates the championship with eight wins to his name, and there are still races left to go. He competes in the most competitive form of motor racing, where maintaining such high levels of consistency is nearly impossible due to its nature.
Palou has always been a talented driver, but his consistency this year has made it a standout season.
Hulkenberg may not be winning a championship this year, nor will he have the fastest car on the grid anytime soon. He doesn’t even have the quickest pit stops—though Sauber has improved significantly since 2024.
(Who remembers those nightmare long stops? We’re sure Bottas and Zhou do.)
What Hulkenberg does possess is a car he can push beyond its capabilities, and he does so consistently.
Last year, Sauber took 23 races to score points, finally achieving that at the Qatar GP. This year, Nico Hulkenberg scored Sauber’s first points in the opening round.
The car isn’t significantly faster than last year’s model, as the team focuses on the shift to new regulations and Audi’s arrival next year. Thus, we can attribute much of its success to Hulkenberg.
In Austria, Hulkenberg finished ninth despite starting from 20th on the grid, marking his third consecutive points finish—a streak that began in Barcelona when he took fourth place from Lewis Hamilton.
He has gone on to score points at Silverstone, Spa and Hungary!
That level of success doesn’t happen by chance; it stems from consistent performances that outshine the car’s capabilities.
Now, all of this contributes to a larger picture of success.
Sauber currently sits at P7. If they maintain their trajectory (figuratively and literally), they will earn more prize money at the end of the season while enjoying the most wind tunnel time this year for 2026 development. That’s a significant win for a backmarker team in a transition phase.
Hulkenberg’s success has also led to personal achievements.
At the rain-soaked British Grand Prix, after 15 years of asking, and a Le Mans win in between, Hulkenberg finally stepped on the illustrious podium step. He beat Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton to P3, after starting P19!
A Sauber beat a Ferrari—not once, but twice. Let that sink in.
Ferrari should be mortified; this was a team that finished just seven points away from being constructors’ champions last year.
Sauber is shaping up to be a real surprise in the grid order next year, and they’ve chosen the champion of consistency to lead the team.
Check back tomorrow to see who we’ve picked for the second spot in our mid-season ranking!
