There are few more intriguing prospects on the grid than Nico
Hulkenberg. Blessed with formidable talent and a junior record to
match, one could be forgiven for wondering if his short career to
date might have been more prosperous. Ultimately past events have
conspired against the German, but at the age of twenty-four he is
seizing his second chance with both hands.
Nico's record in the lower formulae speaks for itself. His
breakthrough came in 2005 when he won the Formula BMW series, and
the then-teenager reinforced this achievement by taking the A1 GP
title for Germany in 2007. His reputation was further bolstered
when he triumphed in the European F3 series in 2008, and graduation
to the top flight was assured when his domination of the 2009 GP2
championship. At that point Hulkenberg was already Williams' test
driver, and the historic team were now keen to unleash their
protégé.
Of course, his Formula One debut could have come sooner. Ferrari
asked him to deputise for the injured Felipe Massa the previous
year, such was the esteem he was held in. However, the young German
opted to keep his course and instead made his debut with Williams
in 2010. Initially he was outperformed by veteran team-mate Rubens
Barrichello, but by the end of the year he was a regular
pointscorer - and even secured a fortuitous wet-weather pole at
Interlagos.
Eight days after lining up first for the Brazilian Grand Prix, he
was without a drive. Williams' financial plight was now so severe
that they were forced to look for inward investment in the form of
driver sponsorship. Talent took a back seat, and Hulkenberg was
ousted by former GP2 team-mate Pastor Maldonado. Amidst an outcry
from disappointed fans, the German could only secure a test role
with the midfield Force India outfit for 2011.
Vijay Mallya's team greeted Hulkenberg with open arms. They
willingly allocated him Friday Practice sessions throughout the
season, actively harming their own race preparation in order to
ensure that their new recruit was kept up to speed with the changes
the sport was undergoing - namely Pirelli tyres and the DRS system.
Come the end of the season, the outfit swiftly dropped embattled
stalwart Adrian Sutil in order to make a race seat available for
Hulkenberg
With his enforced departure provoking uniform dismay eighteen
months earlier, Nico's return to the grid was widely celebrated.
Great things were predicted for this unique talent. But strangely,
he once again began his season anonymously. The VJM05 was not a
standout creation, and the German's performances were largely
eclipsed by those of team-mate Paul di Resta. As often happens in
the fast-moving world of Formula One, attention began to turn
elsewhere.
Then the transformation began. As with Williams, it took
Hulkenberg a little while to acclimatise to competition. However,
once comfortable he began to shine. Points finishes in contrasting
venues such as Spain and Monaco signalled his proficiency in all
environments, and then came Europe. The German put in arguably the
best weekend of his career, qualifying eighth and surviving the
attrition to finish a career-best fifth. It was a clear sign that
he was back on track.
With both driver and team seemingly gaining momentum, the former
GP2 champion has good reason to look forward to the remainder of
the season. After all, it was in the second half of his maiden year
that he made his name with Williams - and the signs are that we are
set for a repeat performance. Providing he continues to exploit his
undoubted skill, he is unlikely to have to worry about future
employment anytime soon. For one of the sport's brightest young
stars, there now looks to be real hope at last.