Nico Hulkenberg made a stunning comeback at the British Grand Prix by moving from 19th on the grid to finish third, finally claiming a Formula 1 podium after 239 race starts. This achievement ended his run as the driver with the most race starts without a podium, a record now held by Adrian Sutil.
The Record Shift from Hulkenberg to Sutil
Despite Hulkenberg’s respected career, his long wait for a podium placed an unwanted spotlight on him until his Silverstone performance changed that. Now, Adrian Sutil inherits the record for the most Formula 1 starts without standing on the podium. Sutil, also from Germany, competed in 128 grands prix across several teams from 2007 to 2014 but never managed a top-three finish.
Adrian Sutil’s Journey Through Formula 1
Sutil’s career began in 2006 as a test driver for Midland, quickly moving to a race seat when the team transitioned to Spyker in 2007. He remained through the team’s transformation into Force India under Vijay Mallya’s ownership, the period for which he is best remembered. As Force India’s competitiveness improved, Sutil became a consistent points scorer, finishing the 2011 season ninth in the championship. However, despite four top-five finishes in his career, a podium finish eluded him.
One of Sutil’s closest attempts came at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Using the same low-downforce setup that helped teammate Giancarlo Fisichella secure pole and second place in Belgium just two weeks earlier, Sutil qualified on the front row. He finished fourth, narrowly missing the podium by just half a second behind Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari.
Challenges and Setbacks in Sutil’s Career
After 2011, Sutil’s progress stalled following a nightclub altercation in Shanghai involving Lotus F1 executive Eric Lux. This incident led to legal consequences, including an 18-month suspended sentence and a €200,000 fine. Consequently, Force India replaced him with none other than Nico Hulkenberg. Sutil returned to Formula 1 in 2013, once again filling a seat vacated by Hulkenberg at Force India, but struggled to keep pace with teammate Paul di Resta and lost his race seat at the season’s end.
In 2014, a swap of seats once again saw Sutil move to Sauber as Hulkenberg moved to Force India (later Aston Martin). Unfortunately, Sauber suffered a difficult season under new hybrid engine regulations, failing to score points with both Sutil and rookie Esteban Gutierrez. After being dropped at the end of that year, Sutil briefly served as a reserve driver for Williams in 2015 but did not return to racing full-time.
Sutil’s Post-Racing Life and Legacy
Since leaving Formula 1, Sutil has maintained a low profile, only briefly competing in the Ferrari Challenge Europe from 2022 to 2023. Outside the racetrack, he is known for his impressive collection of supercars, including a McLaren Senna LM and a Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta.
Hulkenberg’s podium breakthrough at Silverstone is poised to redefine perceptions of persistence in Formula 1, while Sutil’s record serves as a reminder of the challenges drivers face in achieving top results amid ever-changing team dynamics and competition. As Hulkenberg moves forward with renewed confidence, attention will remain on how and when other drivers might finally break through similarly stubborn records.
