Hulkenberg ends a 15-year wait with first F1 podium

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Immediately after the British Grand Prix ended, a Mercedes staffer ran across the paddock carrying a large paper bag with the contents in it clinking. A few minutes later, an Aston Martin employee did the same. Both were heading to the end of the pitlane to deliver champagne bottles to Sauber. Kick Sauber's German driver Nico Hulkenberg celebrates coming third in the podium positions during the British Grand Prix. (AFP)
It's customary for teams to keep the bubbly for celebration, but Sauber had last achieved a podium finish way back in 2012. Besides, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg started 17th and 19th, and that meant even the Hinwil-based outfit wasn't expecting much cheer.
But against all odds, Hulkenberg surprised his team, the paddock and himself as he took the chequered flag by coming in third, ending his unwanted record in Formula 1 – 239 races, 5,593 days and eight team switches that it took the 37-year-old to finally end his wait for a podium finish, having made his debut way back in 2010.
'I don't think I can comprehend what we've just done. It feels good. It's been a long time coming, hasn't it?' said Hulkenberg after euphoric pitlane celebrations. 'I always knew we have it in us, I had it in me somewhere... it's pretty surreal, to be honest.'
Around two decades back, Hulkenberg was among the promising youngsters in formula racing, having won every junior championship there was — 2005 Formula BMW, 2006-07 A1 Grand Prix, 2008 Formula 3 Euro and the 2009 GP2 (formerly Formula 2) — before finally getting an F1 seat with Williams.
He immediately impressed in F1 when he became the then sixth youngest driver to claim pole at the 2010 Brazilian GP. Despite a good show in his debut season, he was left without a seat in 2011 before making an unexpected return with Force India in 2012.
After racing for eight years, he lost his place in the paddock following the 2019 season as no team offered him a seat. Though he made comebacks as a substitute in four races spread across 2020 to 2022 as a substitute for Covid-19 affected drivers, the German had accepted his fate of forced retirement.
As luck would have it, a change in management at Haas led to his getting a race seat in 2023, due to an emphasis on experience over youth, before he moved to Sauber earlier this year for his second stint with the Swiss team.
And he hasn't disappointed. At the season opening Australian GP, he fought back from 17th on the grid to end seventh. In Spain, he climbed from 15th to fifth, in Canada, from 13th to eighth and in Austria from 20th and last to ninth.
At Silverstone too 'the Hulk' started 19th but not in his wildest dreams did he think he will be on the podium, cheered on by around 168,000 people despite the German beating crowd favourite Lewis Hamilton (he was fourth) to third in a close fight after a thrilling and topsy-turvy race in rain.
'I was thinking that Lewis is going to give it all in front of his home crowd and I was like, 'sorry guys — it's also my day!' I've got to stick my neck out,' Hulkenberg said on Sunday.
It was evident that Hulkenberg was out of place before his first podium ceremony as he was relaxing with championship leader Oscar Piastri in the cool down room when race winner Lando Norris brought in the German's helmet — an F1 protocol — along with his own. 'The Hulk' was surprised, asking why would he need the helmet, before a smiling Norris placed both the helmets in the slots provided.
Grinning ear to ear, he emerged to acknowledge the crowd before tasting the bubbly on the podium for the first time. The celebrations continued in the Sauber garage with the champagne supplied by Mercedes and Aston Martin.