Despite the swathes of Lando Norris fans, clad in neon yellow, that rose to will him across the finish line at the British Grand Prix resembling an Aurora Borealis, there was one driver who also received a very special reception. After 239 Grand Prix starts in mediocre cars with pepperings of bad luck, Nico Hulkenberg, at age 37, took his maiden Formula 1 podium finish.
It was the longest any driver has ever gone in their career without finishing in the top three, and at last, the elephant in that particular room was able to slink off, trunk between its legs.
Such was the magnitude of the popular German’s achievement, the entirety of the congregation inside the post-race press conference at Silverstone enthusiastically applauded his entrance to the room, as he took his seat at the F1 top table for the first time.
It naturally also triggered the amazement and delight of his Team Principal, Jonathan Wheatley.
“I’ve considered him to be an extraordinary talent for a very long time and I think I’ve been consistent in saying that to everyone here,” he told media including Motorsport Monday. “It seemed incredible to me that he’s never achieved a podium in his career. I think he showed today what he’s capable of and I think also for him it’s a milestone – the monkey is off his back.”
It wasn’t just Wheatley who showered Hulkenberg in affection, there was plenty of that from his fellow competitors, but perhaps the one that put it best was former team-mate Carlos Sainz.
“Honestly, for me the fact that people kept cursing him, the fact that he didn’t have any podiums, for me it was completely irrelevant,” the Spaniard contended. “For me he’s always been a top-five driver in the grid every time he’s been in F1. His level of talent and race execution is incredible. I was his team-mate at the time. And the fact that he didn’t have a podium was just circumstantial. So I’m glad he has his podium now to shut up everyone that doubted him. For me, I never doubted him. And I knew he was one day going to be on the podium.”
Many felt that day would have arrived much earlier, given a fairly meteoric start to his F1 career back in 2010. Plucked from GP2 as reigning champion – with a 100-point haul – by Frank Williams, Hulkenberg scored 22 points in his first season in F1, his first coming in his third race.
Six more would follow that year, but the maiden campaign was most memorable for his one and so far only pole position. A switch to Super Soft tyres on a drying track at Interlagos saw him snatch top spot by over a second. Despite only managing a spot as Force India’s reserve driver on the sidelines for the succeeding campaign, Hulkenberg was promoted to race seat with the underdog team for 2012, and in that year and the next, managed to at least double his 2010 tally.
2014 saw him start to prove himself as one of the most consistent performers in F1, scoring points in 15 of the 19 rounds, including the first 10. He would then switch to Renault in 2017, managing to take a so far career-best seventh place in the Drivers’ Championship, but a difficult final year in 2019 saw him finish a joint-career worst 14th, with his contract not renewed.
Hulkenberg was enforced into another year out in the Covid-affected 2020 campaign, making two appearances through Covid-hit drivers back at Force India – now Racing Point – and scoring points on both occasions. After two cameos in 2022 for the same reason and the same team – now Aston Martin – Hulkenberg seemed itching to be getting back into a full-time race seat.
Such a chance arrived with Haas, where he partnered Kevin Magnussen, a man who once told him in a heated post-race exchange to “suck my balls,” Hulkenberg endured statistically the worst season of his career to date, scoring just nine points on the way to 16th place.
But despite that, there was no way it could keep him down, as 2024 saw a mini renaissance from both veterans. Hulkenberg scored 41 points and 11th in the championship.
When it seemed like he and Haas to continue to be a worthwhile partnership, Hulkenberg’s career took another turn back to an old team – Sauber.
With Sauber scoring a meagre four points in 2024 and Haas 58, it seemed like a decision that would render Hulkenberg to at the very least a year of painful development as it makes its transition to Audi’s first-ever F1 venture.
This was underlined by Haas’ early flurry of points through new pairing Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman, but the tide began to turn as the European rounds began.
In Spain, Hulkenberg produced a scintillating display of tyre management by finishing fifth, making a late overtake on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari. More points followed in Canada, and then in Austria, with Hulkenberg following home rookie team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto.
But in all the paragraphs above, there was still one missing piece in the Hulkenberg puzzle that seemingly got lost down the back of his sofa 15 years prior: a podium finish.
Before the British Grand Prix, some journalists had asked whether some predicted rainfall would give Hamilton some ‘Silverstone magic’, but instead, the wand was waved over Hulkenberg at long last, and he was able to play a joker.
Starting 19th, a call was made to change to Intermediate tyres, and with what appeared to be a sleight of hand, found himself all the way up the order, with Hamilton behind. And not only did he stay ahead, but in truth, never found the home hero a significant threat.
As the applause for Norris dispersed into the Northamptonshire wind, more came as that bold green Sauber crossed the line in third. Yes, third!
Perhaps to some, it felt slightly bizarre to finally see Hulkenberg on an F1 podium for the first time. But in truth, seeing Hulkenberg on an F1 podium for the first time felt natural. Like he belonged there.
And with no sign of slowing down, Hulkenberg has confirmed maybe what we all knew: he has aged like a fine wine as a driver, and with Audi potentially able to deliver a competitive package amid an uncertain new era of regulations, they may have a priceless vintage in its collection.
READ MORE – How collective Sauber effort helped Nico Hulkenberg capture maiden F1 podium
This was beautiful Admin. Thank you for your reflections.
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