Nico Hulkenberg saw a healthy bonus cheque disappear during a 16-second Chinese GP pit stop.
“An unfortunate Audi equipment failure led to Nico Hulkenberg missing out on a €200,000 bonus as per reports on his contract terms with the German manufacturer.
Hulkenberg, who earns €5 million per season at Audi (£4.3 million), has a bonus clause that awards him €50,000 (£43,000) for each point scored in 2026.
The equipment failure during the Chinese Grand Prix cost Hulkenberg a potential €200,000 bonus as he encountered a 16-second pit stop due to a right-rear wheel gun failure.
This mishap dropped him out of the points, forcing him to settle for 11th place when a top-eight finish was within reach.
This incident marked Hulkenberg’s first start in the 2026 season, after missing the season opener in Australia due to a technical issue.
Despite his misfortunes, Hulkenberg has yet to earn any points under the new power unit regulations, while teammate Gabriel Bortoleto scored two points for Audi in F1.”
