The German finished sixth on the road before being promoted to fifth following Max Verstappen’s 10-second penalty, his highest placing since the 2019 Italian Grand Prix, where he also finished fifth while driving for Renault.
The result was also Kick Sauber’s best finish since the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, when Valtteri Bottas took fifth place for the team then known as Alfa Romeo.
Under the Sauber name, it marked the team’s most competitive result since Felipe Nasr finished fifth at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix
Hulkenberg made up five positions on the opening lap after starting 15th on the grid, before executing his tyre strategy to perfection.
“It was one of those Sundays where everything came together really well,” Hulkenberg said post-race.
“Right from the beginning, we were in the mix – a strong start, a clean first lap, and we were immediately able to fight for points.
Secure your spot today.
“Ironically, not having the best Saturday and saving a set of softs gave us a strategic edge with the tyre allocation.
“The Safety Car mixed things up a bit, and having those fresh compounds turned out to be a golden ticket.
“There was a significant delta between used and new tyres today, so that really paid off.”
Sauber introduced a package of updates in Spain, including revisions to the floor, front wing, and engine cover, with the C45 showing improved pace throughout the weekend.
“The car felt good all weekend, and the updates clearly gave us a step forward in performance,” Hulkenberg explained.
“We had strong pace throughout the race. Credits to the whole team, both at the factory and trackside, for the hard work on the upgrades.
“I didn’t quite maximise things yesterday (during qualifying), it was disappointing to under deliver, and I was frustrated with myself.
“But that anger gave me an extra push today. It’s satisfying to bounce back like this and bring home 10 points. Big result for us, that’s what matters in the end.”
Teammate Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly missed out on the points, finishing 12th.
The Brazilian rookie qualified a career-best 12th and opted for a one-stop strategy, pitting for mediums on lap 13 after starting on softs.
He later pitted under the Safety Car for fresh softs, but was unable to make up enough ground to break into the top 10.
“The team did a really good job with the strategy today,” Bortoleto said. “The Safety Car didn’t swing our way, but that’s part of racing.
“What really stands out is the pace we showed, it was strong, and the upgrades were a big step forward for both of us.
“It’s been a triple header full of learnings and positive momentum. We’re heading in the right direction, and now it’s straight back to work as we get ready to hit the ground running in Montreal in two weeks.”
With the points haul from Barcelona, Kick Sauber moves ahead of Aston Martin into eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship with 16 points.
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