Will F1 star miss Saudi Arabian Grand prix over FIA disqualification?

Will F1 star miss Saudi Arabian Grand prix over FIA disqualification?

Formula 1 veteran Nico Hulkenberg has found himself in the spotlight after being disqualified from the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix due to a technical infringement. However, fans wondering if this penalty will affect his participation in the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix can breathe a sigh of relief — the German driver will be on the grid in Jeddah.

Hulkenberg, who joined Sauber for the 2025 season, finished the Bahrain Grand Prix in 13th place. While the result didn’t earn him any additional championship points, it did show his experience behind the wheel, as he once again outperformed his rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto. Bortoleto, still searching for his first points in Formula 1, was unable to match Hulkenberg’s pace over the race weekend.

However, post-race inspections by the FIA revealed that Hulkenberg’s Sauber breached technical regulations. Specifically, the rearmost skid block — a crucial part of the car’s underbody — was found to be below the minimum allowed thickness of 9mm. As a result, the stewards disqualified him from the Bahrain Grand Prix, stripping him of his P13 finish.

Skid wear-related disqualifications are not unprecedented in Formula 1. Earlier in the 2025 season, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was similarly penalized at the Chinese Grand Prix, losing a sixth-place finish for the same infraction. Such disqualifications serve as a reminder of how stringent the technical rules in F1 are, and how even minor violations can lead to severe consequences.

Despite the setback, Hulkenberg’s disqualification applies only to the Bahrain race. It does not affect his eligibility to compete in future events, including this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. FIA race disqualifications are limited to the specific event in question unless they are tied to a larger disciplinary issue, such as penalty points.

To be banned from a future race, a driver must accumulate 12 penalty points within a 12-month period — something Hulkenberg is far from reaching. Currently, the 37-year-old has just four penalty points on his license. Two of those were issued during last season’s Austrian sprint race, when he forced Fernando Alonso off track. The remaining two were handed out following a collision with Yuki Tsunoda at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix. All four points are set to expire later this year, further reducing the risk of a suspension.

Interestingly, Hulkenberg’s former Haas teammate, Kevin Magnussen, did reach the 12-point limit in 2024. That led to a one-race suspension, forcing him to sit out the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after receiving his final penalty points in Italy.

As for Hulkenberg, he will be looking to bounce back at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit this weekend. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix marks the final leg of the first triple-header of the 2025 season. So far, Hulkenberg hasn’t added to the six points he scored earlier this year, and he’ll be eager to change that in Jeddah. With his experience and determination, the Sauber driver hopes to leave the disappointment of Bahrain behind and return to points-scoring form on the fast, sweeping streets of Jeddah.