Nico Hulkenberg Scores First 2026 Points for Audi at Hungarian Grand Prix

Nico Hulkenberg finally broke his 2026 points duck with a determined drive to ninth place at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, securing Audi's first points finish at the Hungaroring and extending the manufacturer's scoring streak to three consecutive race weekends.

Starting from 10th on the grid, the 38-year-old German opted for a two-stop strategy that proved decisive in the closing stages. While teammate Gabriel Bortoleto attempted a one-stop gambit that ultimately faded, Hulkenberg conserved his soft-compound tyres for a late-race charge. He dispatched first Bortoleto, then Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad, to snatch the final points-paying position — crossing the line just two seconds behind Liam Lawson's RB.

"It's been a long time coming this season," Hulkenberg admitted post-race. "There were many occasions and opportunities this year where it should've happened but it didn't for various reasons. I and the team knew it's there — it was just a matter of time and putting it together. Finally, the piece fell into place."

The result lifts Audi above Williams into eighth place in the Constructors' Championship, with the team gaining momentum heading into the summer break after Bortoleto scored back-to-back eighth-place finishes in Britain and Belgium. The Brazilian finished just outside the points in 11th on Sunday after his alternate one-stop strategy could not be made to work.

"This is a very positive thing," Bortoleto said of the team's trajectory. "The team have been doing an incredible job and I'm very happy with what we have been doing this season."

For Audi, the Hungarian Grand Prix marks a watershed moment — not just for Hulkenberg's first points, but for the team's growing consistency. The Ingolstadt manufacturer has now scored in three straight Grands Prix, a run that signals genuine progress in what is their debut F1 season.

Sources

• https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-been-a-long-time-coming-hulkenberg-reflects-on-scoring-first-points-for-audi-in-hungarian-gp.5JaHF3404ebIJQn5rbWhDm