Hulkenbergs biggest test yet

Nico Hulkenberg has always been rated as a driver that has serious potential to trouble the world’s best, but he has never quite reached that potential, failing to score a podium in his 156 race F1 career.

We are going to see what he is made of this year as he takes on a new challenge with a new team mate, in the shape of Daniel Ricciardo, a proven race winner.

Ricciardo has seven race wins and a whole host of podium positions to his name and will provide a sterner test for Hulkenberg than any other team mate in the German’s career.

Hulkenberg has compared the challenge to his debut season, when Rubens Barrichello was his team mate at Williams.

He told Sky Sports: "It was sort of like that with Rubens but it was different. It was my rookie season and he was in something like his 18th season, so it wasn't a good or fair comparison.

"It's an important and big year in a way that I now have a team-mate who is a proven grand prix winner.

"This is much more real and good to compare. So for me personally it's a very important year to see how I step up next to that. That will obviously also determine my sporting future in a way."