Beginning his racing career on Germany’s karting circuit, Nico Hulkenberg quickly rose through the ranks of youth motorsport.

At age 15, he won the German Junior Kart Championship, and in 2003, he won the German Kart Championship. Hulkenberg moved on to auto racing after competing for another year and placing second in the German Kart Championship.

It paid off, as he became the 2005 German Formula BMW champion in his first year of competition. But the stewards determined he had brake-tested other cars during a safety car period, demoting him from first to third place in the Formula BMW world final.

While many young drivers want to compete in Europe’s premier Formula Three series, Hulkenberg chose Germany’s category in 2006. After starting the year on the Dallara, he switched to the new Ligier chassis at the halfway point and finished fifth, including one victory at the Hockenheimring.

In the 2006–07 season, Hulkenberg finished second in the second A1 Grand Prix championship. Hulkenberg started all bar two races for the German squad and helped them win the championship after finishing 15th the year before.