Sauber upgrades ‘paying dividends’ as Hulkenberg scores points again

Nico Hulkenberg continued his impressive run of form in Canada, converting a P11 grid slot into a valuable eighth-place finish for Kick Sauber. This marks his second consecutive points finish, following a brilliant fifth-place performance in Spain, further boosting Kick Sauber from the bottom of the Constructors' Championship standings. Hulkenberg's consistent points-scoring efforts highlight Sauber's successful upgrade direction, allowing him to effectively compete with midfield rivals. Although he couldn't quite match the Ferraris' pace, as seen in Barcelona, the German driver expressed satisfaction with his race, which included some "fun" overtakes. He capitalized on an opening-lap skirmish involving Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon, executing a clean race and a shrewd one-stop strategy that saw his hard tyres last an impressive 51 laps. While his Montreal drive lacked the flashy overtakes of his Barcelona outing (where he passed Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari), it was his third points finish of the season and notably his first in a race without external variables like rain or Safety Cars. Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley lauded Hulkenberg's drive and the team's spot-on one-stop strategy, praising the "fantastic" atmosphere within the squad. With two strong performances on very different tracks, Hulkenberg sees no reason why Kick Sauber can't continue to feature regularly in the top 10 in upcoming races, regardless of track characteristics.