Audi driver Nico Hulkenberg’s life outside of F1 from wife to height

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Nico Hulkenberg is among the top midfield marauders on the Formula 1 grid, so here is everything you need to know about the Audi driver.

Many believe that Hulkenberg has had a career in the pinnacle of motorsport full of unfulfilled potential, after setting the unwanted record of having the most Grand Prix starts without any podium finishes. But Audi picked Hulkenberg to lead its debut in F1 after taking over Sauber.

Hulkenberg finally achieved his first podium at the 2025 British Grand Prix, giving Sauber their first trophy since Kamui Kobayashi took third at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.

Hulkenberg secured a works Audi contract to return to Sauber in 2025 ahead of the German automotive giant’s full takeover from 2026. It represented the high point of his career, which Haas revived in 2023 when Guenther Steiner eyed experience to replace Mick Schumacher.

The American team brought Hulkenberg back to the Formula 1 grid as a full-time race driver in 2023. He had not enjoyed a full-time drive in the championship since the 2019 season. Hulkenberg had spent the in-between years acting as a reserve driver with sporadic cameos.

Renault dropped Hulkenberg following the 2019 Formula 1 season to sign Esteban Ocon. He had driven for the Enstone team now running as, Alpine since 2017 following earlier stints at Williams, Force India and Sauber. Hulkenberg recorded his F1 debut at the 2010 Bahrain GP.

Audi star Nico Hulkenberg debuted in F1 after winning GP2

Williams brought Hulkenberg into F1 in 2010 having won the 2009 GP2 Series title with five wins in 20 races. It was also his rookie season in the premier feeder championship. But the German settled straight in with P3 in the Sprint race at the Monaco GP in the second round.

Hulkenberg even won his first races in GP2 with the double at the German GP round, while also winning the Feature race at the Hungarian GP round. He also made the podium at the British GP in a campaign also featuring future F1 drivers, Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez.

Success in single-seaters came Hulkenberg’s way from the moment that he graduated from go-karts in 2005, too. The German won the Formula BMW ADAC title in his first year driving cars with eight wins in 20 races. He also took pole position for nine of the races that season.

A move to A1 Grand Prix in 2006/07 to represent Team Germany also returned another title with nine wins in 20 races. While a second season in the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2008 took Hulkenberg to another title. He had finished the 2007 Formula 3 Euro Series in third place.

It was a similar story when Hulkenberg started competing in go-karts, as well. He entered a championship for the first time in 2000 and took his first title in 2001 with ICA Junior class honours in the Italian Open Masters. Hulkenberg also defended his ICA Junior title in 2002.

Stepping up to the Junior class in the 2002 German Karting Championship also returned a karting title. A triumph he also achieved when Hulkenberg won the Senior class title in the 2003 German Karting Championship. But he never lifted a CIK-FIA European or world title.

Nico Hulkenberg won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche

Being able to rapidly adapt to new machinery came in handy when Hulkenberg graduated to Formula 1 with Williams. At 23 years old, he put their FW32 on pole position at the Brazilian GP in challenging conditions in 2010 with a flurry of rapid times as a wet track started to dry.

Hulkenberg has since established a reputation as one of Formula 1’s most reliable midfield point scorers. But the down-to-earth racer also set the unwanted record of having the most Grand Prix starts without a podium finish in F1 with his 129th at the Singapore GP in 2017.

His career might have looked very different had Lewis Hamilton rejected a chance to move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. Hulkenberg was Mercedes’ second choice to take over Michael Schumacher’s seat. Instead, he switched Force India for a single season for Sauber.

In the end, a return to Force India between 2014 until 2016 also allowed Hulkenberg to race for Porsche at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015. He partnered Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber in the German brand’s third 919 Hybrid. And Hulkenberg even won Le Mans outright on debut.

A return to Sauber also awaits Hulkenberg in 2025 after signing a three-year contract to join ahead of Audi taking the team over. Audi has bought 100% control of Sauber and will enter F1 with a works team in 2026. So, Audi sought to sign Hulkenberg to help guide the project.

But who really is Hulkenberg and what is the Sauber driver’s life outside Formula 1 like? Well, F1 Oversteer takes a look at everything you need to know about the German racing driver…

How old is Nico Hulkenberg? What is the Audi driver’s age?

At the time of writing, Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg is 38 years old. He was born on August 19, 1987 to his parents father, Klaus Dieter Hulkenberg, and his mum, Susanne Hulkenberg.

Where was Nico Hulkenberg born? What is his nationality?

Sauber star Nico Hulkenberg was born in Emmerich am Rhein, Germany located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city was founded in 1233 and boasts a population of 31,000.

How tall is Nico Hulkenberg? What is his height in feet?

Nico Hulkenberg is one of the tallest drivers on the F1 grid at a height of 1.84m or 6ft in feet.

Nico Hulkenberg’s wife, Egle Ruskyte and family

Nico Hulkenberg married his wife, Egle Ruskyte, on 22 June 2021 after getting engaged the previous September. The couple had been dating since 2015, when Hulkenberg met the Lithuanian. She owns a fashion business that specialises in handmade crochet clothes and beachwear.

Egle, who also studied at university in her home country, often attends Formula 1 races to support Hulkenberg. The pair met a year after he split from police officer, Laura Zinnel.

Nico Hulkenberg’s wife, Egle Ruskyte, gave birth to their daughter, Noemi Sky in September 2021. It capped a special year for the couple following their marriage three months earlier.

Nico Hulkenberg’s net worth

No reliable site quotes Nico Hulkenberg’s net worth but estimates place it near $10m (£8m).

Nico Hulkenberg’s Formula 1 career stats

At the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season, the then Sauber driver had entered 250 Grands Prix. The German made his debut with Williams at the 2010 Bahrain GP. He also took his first pole position at the 2010 Brazilian GP but finished eighth at Interlagos.

After 13 seasons in Formula 1, the Sauber driver claimed his maiden podium at the 2025 British Grand Prix. Hulkenberg finished in third place after Oscar Piastri was handed a 10-second penalty for braking heavily during the safety car restart whilst leading the race.