NicoHulkenbergAudi vs MaxVerstappenRed Bull Racing
VER leads the grade duel 11–2 — across the 13 rounds both were rated in, the car stripped out of the equation.
Nico Hulkenberg vs Max Verstappen: who is driving better in 2026?
the verdict, from the numbersNico Hulkenberg drives for Audi, Max Verstappen for Red Bull Racing, so the raw results are not comparable — everything below has car performance taken out of it. Max Verstappen leads on The Index, 9.79 to 7.13 — P1 against P17, a gap of 2.66 of a grade point. Round by round, Max Verstappen has out-driven the other in 11 of 13 races where both were graded. Nico Hulkenberg's clearest advantage is Tyre Management — 9.99 against 7.89. Max Verstappen takes Attack & Defence back the other way, 9.83 to 6.69. They are effectively inseparable on Qualifying, Cleanliness. In the DriverIndex Championship — the same season paid on the official points scale, but on driver merit — Max Verstappen sits P1 on 139 points to Nico Hulkenberg's P21 on 16. Officially they stand P6 and P15.