Cover Nico Hülkenberg won his first podium in F1 (Photo: Instagram / @f1)
Nico Hülkenberg won his first podium in F1 (Photo: Instagram / @f1)
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Nico Hülkenberg won his first F1 podium in F1 on July 6 at the British Grand Prix. Here are 5 things to know about him
While Lando Norris won his home race for the first time at Silverstone at the British Grand Prix 2025, another driver stole the spotlight in the same race. Nico Hülkenberg, a 39-year-old German racing driver for the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber (also known as Sauber), finally secured his first podium finish as an F1 driver after a dramatic, rain-affected race on July 6.
Apart from his podium finish at the 2025 British Grand Prix, Hülkenberg has previously achieved pole position at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2010 and two fastest laps at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix and the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix. Here are five things you should know about him.
Also read: Inside F1’s most exclusive hospitality offering at the British Grand Prix
Nico Hülkenberg is nothing if not persistent
Above Nico Hülkenberg with the Sauber team (Photo: Instagram / @hulkhulkenberg)
Nico Hülkenberg with the Sauber team (Photo: Instagram / @hulkhulkenberg)
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Hülkenberg’s career is a study in persistence. Before the 2025 British Grand Prix, he held the record for the most race starts without ever getting on the podium—a whopping 238 races. Finally, at the British Grand Prix, Hülkenberg got his breakthrough moment, finishing third and claiming his first-ever podium in his 239th race start. While he’s no longer stuck with that unwanted record, he now has the distinction of the longest wait for a first podium, which really shows just how determined and committed he’s been throughout his F1 career.
Nico Hülkenberg was once nicknamed ‘The Hulk’
Until 2011, Hülkenberg was managed by Willi Weber, who also managed Michael Schumacher, the legendary F1 driver with seven F1 World Drivers Championships.
Weber, who managed Schumacher and Hülkenberg at that time, boldly declared in a 2008 interview that Hülkenberg was the “next Michael Schumacher”, predicting he’d be F1-ready that same year—he was only off by two years when Hülkenberg debuted in 2010. Weber also gave him the nickname “The Hulk” during that interview, drawing parallels between the comic superhero’s dramatic transformation and Hülkenberg’s own personality shift behind the wheel.
Nico Hülkenberg got his first F1 pole position in his debut year
On November 2, 2009, Hülkenberg was confirmed to race for Williams Racing in the 2010 F1 racing season, marking his F1 debut.
A year later, on November 6, 2010, he secured his first F1 pole position during a rain-affected qualifying session at the Brazilian Grand Prix, finishing 1.049 seconds ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who eventually became the world champion that year. It also marked Williams Racing’s first pole since the 2005 European Grand Prix.
Nico Hülkenberg is the first active F1 driver to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Above Nico Hülkenberg with Porsche 919 Hybrid (Photo: courtesy of Porsche Press Database)
Nico Hülkenberg with Porsche 919 Hybrid (Photo: courtesy of Porsche Press Database)
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In 2015, Hülkenberg tackled the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving Porsche’s cutting-edge 919 Hybrid—a dual-hybrid LMP1 prototype built for endurance racing. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is motorsport’s ultimate endurance test, where three-driver teams race non-stop to cover the greatest distance in 24 hours.
On June 14, 2015, Hülkenberg, alongside Britain’s Nick Tandy and New Zealander Earl Bamber, claimed victory in Le Mans by completing 395 laps. This triumph marked Porsche’s first overall win at Le Mans since 1998 and made Hülkenberg the first active F1 driver to win the event since Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot achieved the feat in 1991.
Nico Hülkenberg to drive for Audi next year
Above After Audi acquired Sauber, the team will race as the ‘Audi F1 Team’ starting in 2026 (Photo: courtesy of F1 News)
After Audi acquired Sauber, the team will race as the ‘Audi F1 Team’ starting in 2026 (Photo: courtesy of F1 News)
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Hülkenberg has signed a multi-year contract with Sauber, so with Sauber being acquired by Audi in 2025, Hülkenberg will race for the Audi F1 Team from 2026. This marks Audi’s first foray as a team in F1, and with Hülkenberg behind the wheel, the company is in the right lane.
