Nico Hulkenberg
Name: Nicolas ‘Nico’ Hulkenberg
Nationality: German
Date of Birth: August 19th 1987 in Emmerich, Germany
Series: Formula One
Car No.10 AT&T Williams FW32
Watch the exclusive Nico Hulkenberg interview video
Nico Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg makes his Formula One debut this season after a stellar rise to the top level of motor racing. After taking the German Formula BMW title back in 2005 - his first year in car racing – Hulkenberg stormed to victory for Team Germany in the 2006/07 A1 GP Championship. For 2008, he signed to Williams F1 as test and reserve driver, and in the same year clinched the Formula 3 Euro series title. By the end of 2009, he had followed in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton by becoming GP2 Champion with the ART Grand Prix team. And from there, the heady heights of Formula One beckoned…
Big Moment
Having been spotted at a young age by Willi Weber, manager of Michael Schumacher among others, ‘The Hulk’ always looked set to land quality drives at top teams. But it was his stunning 2006-07 performance in A1GP that ensured he was worthy of the hype. In his first ever race, the sprint event at Zandvoort, he came home 4th, but for the feature race it all came together – the young German taking the chequered flag with a dominating drive to the line.
TV Show
Nico made his first appearance on Mobil 1 The Grid in May 2009, when we met up with him in France at the Team HQ of ART Grand Prix.
Quote
Our favourite Nico quote from Series 1 of Mobil 1 The Grid concerns the man with whom he has often been compared: 7-time F1 Champion Michael Schumacher. While he appreciates the compliment, ‘The Hulk’ remains very much his own man..
We asked: How much do you aim to follow in the footsteps of Michael Schumacher?
Nico said: I don't like copying people, there's no second Michael Schumacher. Sometimes the media wants to put (Sebastian) Vettel in Michael’s footstep. But I think everybody's different, everybody has a different way, a different character, different profile. So I want to be successful, if possible as Michael. And winning - it's what everybody wants. But I just go my own way.
Top 5
We asked Nico some quick-fire questions and he gave the answers. Here’s one of our favourites.
We asked: What is the best thing about being involved with motor racing?
Nico said: “Well there are many good things about motor racing. The feeling just before the start, you know this, this adrenaline and racing each other, wheel by wheel, working together with the team, flying around the world. Yeah, there's a lot of positive things coming with the racing!”
Detail
2010 Makes Formula One debut at the wheel of Williams F1 racecar
2009 Driving for ART Grand Prix, crowned GP2 Champion
2008 Formula 3 Euroseries Champion. In the same year, he signs to Williams F1 as Test Driver
2006-07 Leads A1 Team Germany to victory in the ‘World Cup of Motorsport’
2005 Takes title in Formula BMW Germany
2003 German Karting Champion
2001 Italian Junior Karting Champion
