Hülkenberg Celebrates First Podium at British GP

July 6th, 2025, 7:00 PM
Hlkenberg Celebrates First Podium at British GP
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After years of hard work, disappointments, and near-misses, this weekend finally brought success for Nico Hülkenberg. The German driver secured his very first podium finish in the Formula 1 at the wildly unpredictable British Grand Prix. Many have long felt he deserved this achievement, a sentiment echoed in reactions from the paddock. Max Verstappen, who has always gotten along well with Hülkenberg, shared his congratulations.

Having spent over a decade in the premier class of motorsport, Hülkenberg was long known as the driver with the most races without a podium finish. His long-awaited moment on the victory stand also feels like a form of justice to Max Verstappen. “It’s fantastic, I’m really happy for him (Hülkenberg),” Verstappen responded after the race. “This was just wonderful to see. If you’ve been in Formula 1 for so long without ever standing on the podium, this is very special. He’s been so close so many times.”

It took Hülkenberg 239 Grand Prix races to finally secure a spot in the top three. Remarkably, he achieved this in a Sauber, considered by many to be one of the weakest teams on the grid. When asked if we can expect to see a new Hülkenberg – does a podium give a driver more confidence? – Max Verstappen responded pragmatically, “I think he’s always been very relaxed. He knows what he’s capable of, and he’s demonstrated that not only in Formula 1, but also in other racing classes.”

Hülkenberg won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015. However, until recently, he had never advanced beyond fourth place in Formula 1. “In the past, it just didn’t work out each time,” Verstappen concluded. “I think he will be incredibly happy, but at the same time, he already knew he was good enough. This won’t make him any better, but that being said, it’s nice that he finally succeeded.” With his third place in Silverstone, Hülkenberg broke a stubborn record. An interesting detail: from now on, Max’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda is the active driver with the most Grand Prix races without a podium finish. Moreover, Sauber has scored more points than Red Bull in the last four races.

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