F1 2025 recap: Nico Hulkenberg breaks podium duck in top feel-good moment

Nico Hulkenberg has had a funny old Formula 1 career. The German arrived with much promise in 2010 after clinching the GP2 title and showed glimpses of that talent during an up-and-down rookie campaign by taking pole in Brazil for Williams, while scoring points in six of the final 10 grands prix of the year. 

But he was without a seat for 2011 as Williams opted for the sponsorship money of Pastor Maldonado. A year as Force India’s reserve beckoned before being promoted into its full-time line-up for 2012, kickstarting a run of eight consecutive seasons in the championship, before a poor 2019 at Renault saw him get dropped once again. 

It seemed strange that a driver of his talent, who had such a strong junior record, would end an F1 career with zero podiums having been fully stuck in the midfield, while that failed move to Ferrari in 2014 was the huge ‘what if’ moment. 

Hulkenberg would go on to make sporadic appearances across the next three seasons, before a golden opportunity presented itself at Haas for 2023, which the then 36-year-old grabbed with both hands. Consistently outperforming team-mate Kevin Magnussen put him on Audi’s radar and the German marque signed him for Sauber this year ahead of next season’s takeover.

But little was expected of the Swiss squad considering its dire 2024, just four points were scored with Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, and modest developments on its C45 hinted at focus already being on 2026.

Qualifying at the Melbourne opener seemed more of the same as well, as Hulkenberg was dumped out of Q1 with 17th and rookie team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto was only two spots higher. But in fact, this kind of set the theme for the rest of the season as the young Brazilian was largely equal with Hulkenberg in qualifying, yet the veteran had the upper hand on a Sunday and was brilliant at maximising points-scoring opportunities.

Just that weekend, for example, he climbed up to seventh thanks to various retirements, thus giving Sauber more points (six) than it had scored across the previous season. Hulkenberg delivered a similar recovery in Spain with fifth from a starting position of 15th, as part of a strong middle part of the season that also included top 10s in Austria and Canada.

Hulkenberg overcame tricky conditions to take Silverstone podium

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

Many people, therefore, underestimated Sauber’s chances for 2025, it being the favourite to finish last, and Silverstone went beyond anybody’s expectations, giving Hulkenberg the thing he’d been chasing his whole career: a podium.

He may have started the race in 19th, but mixed weather conditions made everything unpredictable with correct strategy being king. That was key behind Hulkenberg’s podium, as a perfectly timed first pitstop for intermediates moved him up to fourth following a safety car, in which he subsequently claimed third from Lance Stroll with DRS.

Hulkenberg did have to deal with late pressure from Lewis Hamilton, but he held firm to seal his record for most grand prix starts (239) before a podium. 

“I was thinking that he’s [Hamilton] going to give it all in front of his home crowd, and I was like, ‘sorry guys, but it’s also my day’. I had to stick my neck out, I’m super happy,” said Hulkenberg at the time.

The reaction to his podium was also indicative of how much respect he has gained in the motorsport world, because his rivals were delighted for him. “He’s always been a top-five driver in the grid every time he’s been in F1,” claimed Carlos Sainz, while Fernando Alonso added: “One of the best drivers on the grid that never had the opportunity to have a proper car underneath.”

So yes, Hulkenberg’s podium was a feel-good moment of 2025, but there were still 12 rounds left in the season and unfortunately for him, the next six grands prix were the toughest. The Sauber driver failed to score a point, amid a run of being outqualified by Bortoleto on eight, consecutive occasions. 

Hulkenberg sorted himself out for the final rounds though, scoring points in four of the last six grands prix while once again getting the upper hand on his team-mate in qualifying. The pair ended up with a 15-15 score including sprints, while Hulkenberg finished 11th in the standings and 32 points above the 21-year-old.