Nico Hulkenberg’s Body Language Raises Concern Over Sauber’s 2025 F1 Car

Nico Hulkenberg’s first preseason test with Sauber didn’t exactly radiate confidence. The German driver was seen leaving his car earlier than expected, his body language doing little to mask any frustration. A few too many head rubs and chin scratches hinted that things might not have gone as smoothly as he’d hoped. Testing is about data collection, but in F1, first impressions matter—and this one wasn’t particularly promising.

Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz, watching from outside the Sauber garage, gave some insight into the situation.“I hope Gabriel Bortoleto has a better run than Nico Hulkenberg has had this morning,” Kravitz observed.Because, if body language is anything to go by, and I’ve followed Hulkenberg’s entire F1 career, he hasn’t had the most happy session.
He’s just got out of the car. It looks like they’re breaking for an early lunch, an hour-and-a-half before the break in Bahrain. Enough time for Hulkenberg to get out and debrief with his engineer.
Optimistically, it looks like Sauber are steady at the moment. There was some attention to the right-hand side of the floor, which some mechanics have been taking a look at.
Hulkenberg has been talking to Mattia Binotto at the back of the garage, giving his debrief.
“There weren’t many smiles! Rubbing the head, scratching the chin…”
For Sauber, which finished at the bottom of last year’s Constructors’ Championship with zero points, any progress is crucial. The team is in a transitional phase before rebranding as Audi’s works outfit in 2026. They’ve made key personnel changes, including bringing back Giampaolo Dall’Ara as Head of Race Engineering and appointing Iñaki Rueda as Sporting Director. However, these moves need to translate into on-track performance.

Technical analyst Sam Collins put things into perspective: “This season is all about building to next year, that’s what Binotto is focused on.” In other words, Sauber isn’t expected to turn things around overnight.
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It’s too early to draw conclusions, but Hulkenberg’s reaction wasn’t exactly reassuring. Whether this was just a difficult morning or a sign of deeper struggles remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Sauber has a lot to prove before the Audi era arrives.