Nico Hülkenberg’s historic podium amid rain chaos
The British Grand Prix had it all: spins, crashes, and heart-stopping drama. But the moment that stole the show was Nico Hülkenberg finally claiming his long-awaited first podium after 239 race starts, securing an emotional third-place finish.
Image: Supplied \ Andrew Matthews \ PA Wire \ dpa
The 2025 British Grand Prix at Silverstone delivered a thrilling spectacle, with rain-soaked conditions turning the leaderboard into a chaotic chessboard. Lando Norris clinched his first home victory, leading a McLaren one-two with Oscar Piastri, but the spotlight shone brightest on Nico Hülkenberg, who, after 239 race starts, finally secured his maiden Formula 1 podium, finishing third for Kick Sauber, a team celebrating its first top-three finish since 2012.
Rain wreaked havoc from the outset, transforming Silverstone into a treacherous stage. The race began under semi-dry conditions, but heavy showers soon drenched the track, triggering a cascade of incidents. Max Verstappen, starting from pole, spun after a safety car restart, plummeting to 11th before recovering to fifth. Rookies like Gabriel Bortoleto, Hülkenberg’s Sauber teammate, and others, including Isack Hadjar and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, fell victim to the slick conditions, crashing out early. The rain’s unpredictability demanded precise tyre strategy, with multiple safety car and virtual safety car periods bunching the field and amplifying the chaos.
Amid this turmoil, Hülkenberg’s drive was nothing short of masterful. Starting from a dismal 19th, the 37-year-old German veteran navigated the deluge with composure, leveraging Sauber’s spot-on strategy. A perfectly timed pit stop for fresh intermediate tyres before the rain intensified vaulted him into the top 10 by Lap 3, and he later overtook Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll on Lap 34 to seize third. With Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari closing in, Hülkenberg held firm, fending off the seven-time champion’s charge to secure the podium, a moment he described as “pretty surreal”. His emotional radio message, “F— me, I don’t think I can comprehend what we’ve just done,” captured the magnitude of the achievement.
This podium was a landmark for both Hülkenberg and Sauber. For Hülkenberg, it shattered an unwanted record for the most F1 starts without a top-three finish, a narrative that had haunted him since his 2010 debut. For Sauber, it marked a resurgence, lifting them to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship and signalling promise ahead of their 2026 Audi transition. Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley hailed Hülkenberg’s drive as “one of the best I’ve seen at Silverstone”, a testament to the veteran’s enduring talent.
As Norris celebrated his home triumph and Piastri rued a 10-second penalty for a safety car infringement, Hülkenberg’s story stole hearts. His journey, 15 years of near misses, including a heart-wrenching 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix collision, culminated in a podium that felt like justice. Silverstone’s rain may have caused chaos, but for Hülkenberg and Sauber, it was the perfect storm.