Hulkenberg "best driver in the midfield"

He might not have grabbed many headlines this season, but Renault's Nico Hulkenberg is having an outstanding season for the French outfit, causing his team principal to call the German the best driver in midfield.

Hulkenberg qualified seventh in all three race weekends and impressively finished sixth in his last two races in China and Bahrain. In Australia he hung onto seventh, meaning he's tied for sixth in the championship with Fernando Alonso.

"He's doing amazing both in qualifying and in the races," Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com about his employee.

Abiteboul is very ambitious, as he eyes a podium finish sooner rather than later.

Consistency has been the key to Hulkenberg's success, but right now, a push for third place might be too much to ask for the German. Although Renault seems to lead the midfield, the gap with the Big Three is still very much there. It would take a few retirements from the three best teams for Renault to end on the podium, but then again, Gasly ended fourth in Bahrain, so who knows what might happen!