After years of hard work, disappointments, and near-misses, Nico Hülkenberg finally had his moment this weekend. The German driver secured his very first podium finish in the Formula 1 at the chaotic British Grand Prix, breaking a persistent record. Hülkenberg had long been known as the driver with the most starts without ever having stood on the podium. Now, let’s take a look at the drivers with the most Grand Prix starts without a podium finish.
Drivers with the Most Grand Prix Starts Without a Podium Finish
Adrian Sutil – 128 Grand Prix starts | Adrian Sutil competed in Formula 1 for seven seasons between 2007 and 2014, with his best result being a fourth-place finish at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix. With his 128 Grand Prix starts, he now holds the record for the most starts without a podium finish. As the German driver spent most of his career racing for less competitive teams, he was rarely in a position to vie for the podium. However, Sutil came tantalizingly close during a few notable seasons in the midfield.
In 2009, Sutil climbed to second place at the Nürburgring in front of his home crowd, thanks in part to multiple penalties and retirements among other drivers. However, a collision with Kimi Räikkönen forced him to make an extra pit stop for a new front wing, causing the Force India driver to finish out of the points. During the following race weekend in Monza, Sutil surprisingly qualified second, but fell back to P4 in the race. He did manage to challenge Räikkönen for a podium spot, but once again proved no match for the Finn.
Pierluigi Martini – 119 Grand Prix Races
Pierluigi Martini spent the majority of his lengthy career with Minardi, a team now known as Racing Bulls. The Italian racing stable, always operating on a limited budget, is considered one of the biggest underdogs in Formula 1 history. Minardi participated in 340 Grand Prix races between 1985 and 2005, but never finished on the podium. The same applies to Martini, who in 1991 came very close to the top three twice – he finished fourth at both Imola and Estoril. The Italian driver did, however, benefit from numerous retirements at the front.
Philippe Alliot – 109 Grand Prix Races
Philippe Alliot was a regular in Formula 1 from 1984 to 1994. The Frenchman raced in a total of 109 Grand Prix races, but never had a truly competitive car. He only finished in the points five times – unsurprisingly, a podium finish was never within his reach. His best result came during the San Marino Grand Prix in 1993. Like Martini, he also benefited from multiple retirements among the top teams and managed to climb from fourteenth to fifth place. However, the podium was a step too far for Alliot, who finished one lap after Martin Brundle, who came in third. An interesting detail: the Frenchman holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts without ever leading a lap.
Yuki Tsunoda in the Red Bull RB21 at Silverstone (Red Bull Content Pool)
Yuki Tsunoda – 99 Grands Prix
Yuki Tsunoda has recently become the active Formula 1 driver with the most starts without a podium finish. The Japanese driver made his debut in 2021 with the then AlphaTauri, where he was allowed to earn his stripes as a Red Bull junior. After four seasons with the sister team, he was finally promoted to Red Bull in 2025, although this move has so far brought him little success. Tsunoda is struggling with the capricious RB21 and has scored only seven World Championship points in the last ten Grands Prix. During the upcoming Belgian GP, he will race his hundredth Formula 1 race, although it remains to be seen whether he can crown this milestone with a podium finish. In his debut season, he came closest when he crossed the finish line fourth at the Abu Dhabi GP.
Pedro Diniz – 98 Grands Prix
With Nico Hülkenberg’s third place at Silverstone, Pedro Diniz moves up to fifth place on this list. The Brazilian drove 98 Grands Prix in his five-year Formula 1 career but never finished higher than fifth. Diniz was known as a pay driver, a term used for drivers who owe their seat in Formula 1 partly to financial support or sponsorship contributions. In his debut year with the Italian Forti team, he consistently finished outside the points. He later tried his luck at Ligier, Arrows, and Sauber. At Arrows, he achieved a fifth place twice, at the Nürburgring and at Spa-Francorchamps. However, he could only dream of a podium finish. In 2001, his family bought a stake in Alain Prost’s Formula 1 team, where Diniz took on a management role.
