Hulkenberg’s first podium ’emotional rollercoaster’

Nico Hulkenberg started his day at Silverstone as far back as a driver can get in Formula 1 – the last row of the grid.

Fast forward 52 laps of chaotic wet-weather racing and the 37-year-old came through the field, aided by a perfectly executed Sauber strategy, to achieve his very first F1 podium on his 239th attempt.

Hulkenberg’s sensational third place at the British Grand Prix on Sunday – which set a new record for the longest time before finishing on the podium at 5,593 days – has been 15 years in the making.

The German’s debut was at the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix with Williams and after 10 seasons in F1, he found himself without a seat in 2020. He made a return with Haas three years later.

Hulkenberg said that while he was “relieved” to claim the longed-for podium, he was also feeling “pretty empty”.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster this weekend, being virtually last [on Saturday], so a pretty bad day to one of the best days of my career – it’s obviously a lot to take in,” said Hulkenberg.

His climb from 19th to third on what was a truly miserable summer’s day in the UK, plus the points he had scored in the previous three races, means Hulkenberg moves up to ninth in the drivers’ world championship.

“That race was intense, with all the changes of conditions, it was sketchy,” he added. “A high-speed track with changeable conditions is never easy.

“While I’m happy and relived, I’m mostly tired, and looking forward to getting home, to be honest. “

During the early stages of his career, Hulkenberg was close to the champagne celebrations on three occasions, finishing fourth twice with Force India and once in his first stint with Sauber in 2013.

A year earlier, in 2012, he looked set to take his maiden F1 victory when he was leading the Brazilian Grand Prix after starting sixth on the grid. Fate intervened, however, when a collision with Lewis Hamilton when he tried to pass the then McLaren man to regain the lead resulted in a drive-through penalty, and he eventually ended the race in fifth.

It was Hamilton – now in a Ferrari – who Hulkenberg had to keep at arm’s length in the final laps at Silverstone in order to fulfil his dream.

“It was a survival fight for a lot of the race,” he said, before adding: “It’s going to sink in more over the next few hours and the next few days, and I think I’ll feel the enjoyment even more in the week to come. “

The magnitude of Hulkenberg’s accomplishment was even celebrated by drivers whose day at Siverstone had not gone to plan.