$10M F1 driver suffers freak eye injury during pre-season test at Bahrain

Sauber F1 team driver Nico Hulkenberg reportedly suffered an eye injury in the team garage during Day 1 of the preseason test in Bahrain. His team engineers were apparently carrying out some work on his car when a splinter struck his eye.

The 2025 pre-season test is underway at Bahrain International Circuit. On February 26, all 20 drivers took their team challengers out on the track in three separate sessions.

Hulkenberg, the new Kick Sauber driver, did 55 laps around the Bahrain circuit before his teammate Gabriel Bortoleto took over in the latter sessions of the day.

However, the German driver, whose net worth is $10 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), skipped the post-test press conference. According to a report from Sky Sports Germany, Hulkenberg sustained an injury to his eye.

Hulkenberg reportedly was in the Sauber garage with his engineers working on his car, C45. However, during the technical work, a small splinter struck the German driver's eye, causing a minor injury. According to Planet F1, his stint on Day 1 of the pre-season test was cut short to 55 laps, with Bortoleto taking over for the rest of the day.

While Sauber has yet to comment on Hulkenberg's injury, he was present in the team garage on Day 2. The German driver will race for Sauber in the 2025 season. He switched from the Haas team after his contract expired at the end of the 2024 season. He is likely to be retained for the 2026 season when Audi will take full control of Sauber.

Hulkenberg has made 227 race starts in Formula 1 but is yet to win a single race or secure a podium. Moreover, he will team up with rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, who will debut in the pinnacle of motorsports this year.

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Nico Hulkenberg expects a 'building year' with the Sauber F1 team

Nico Hulkenberg at F1 75 Live - Arrivals (Image Source: Getty)

Nico Hulkenberg is set to return to Kick Sauber in the 2025 F1 season. Before the test in Bahrain, he spoke to the media during the F175 event and said, via F1's official website:

“In some ways it’s a building year [for Sauber]. Our target is to be competitive and to obviously score as many points as possible. You always have to remember where we came from last year—it’s a difficult kind of starting point."

The 2025 season is going to be the final year of Sauber in Formula 1, as Audi is set to take over the team from the 2026 season onwards. The same year, engine regulations are set to be overhauled as well.