Nico Hulkenberg visited Sauber’s Formula 1 headquarters in Hinwil following his remarkable podium finish at last weekend’s British Grand Prix. The German driver achieved his first-ever F1 podium after 239 race starts, securing third place ahead of hometown favorite Lewis Hamilton, marking Sauber’s first podium since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix.
Immediately after crossing the finish line at Silverstone, Hulkenberg was embraced by his Sauber teammates, while the hospitality area and garage erupted into champagne celebrations. The excitement continued through the week as Hulkenberg made a special trip to the team’s factory, sharing the joy of this milestone with staff who had not been present at the circuit.
Hulkenberg Reflects on the Celebration and the Team’s Efforts
In a video shared on social media, Hulkenberg described his visit to Hinwil as a chance to commemorate the team’s achievement together. He expressed heartfelt satisfaction witnessing the joyful reactions and emotional moments among the factory staff.
“Monday night I came to Hinwil to capture the moment and obviously our success from yesterday with all the factory people as well,”
—Nico Hulkenberg, Driver
He further acknowledged the collective contributions behind the scenes, emphasizing the team’s hard work paying off. Hulkenberg also extended gratitude to the fans for their continued support and set realistic expectations for the remainder of the season.
“Generally big thanks to all the fans that support us. Thank you very much, we’ll keep pushing this season. We can’t expect this every weekend now, but I think we’re definitely good for some midfield fights and I look forward to the rest of the season.”
—Nico Hulkenberg, Driver
Sauber’s Journey Through a Challenging Yet Rewarding Season
Sauber has experienced a rollercoaster year, with some race weekends ending prematurely in Q1, but the team has seen a significant upswing in results, particularly back-to-back point-scoring performances in Austria and Britain. Following Hulkenberg’s podium at Silverstone, the Hinwil-based squad has climbed to sixth place in the constructors’ championship, trailing Williams by 18 points.
At the Silverstone post-race press conference, Hulkenberg struggled to put his emotions into words, describing the intense nature of the race and the difficulty of driving in changeable conditions.
“Happy, but, you know, it’s a lot to take in, to process. It’s been a very intense race,”
—Nico Hulkenberg, Driver
He praised his fellow driver Lando Norris for succinctly summarizing the challenge of navigating the damp track, noting that every corner felt like walking a fine line between control and crashing.
“Obviously, it was a kind of a distance battle with Lewis at the end who was making up some ground, but not enough, luckily for us at the end,”
Hulkenberg reflected.
He described the podium as a surreal turnaround after starting the race nearly last on the grid, highlighting the emotional weight of the achievement.
“Good news is we have two weeks now to enjoy it and to celebrate it properly over the next week before we go again.”
—Nico Hulkenberg, Driver
Looking Ahead to the Upcoming Races
Following this breakthrough result, the Formula 1 season will resume with the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, scheduled to take place from Friday, July 25. Hulkenberg and Sauber will aim to build on their momentum as they continue to challenge in the midfield battles. Their recent performances not only boost team morale but also signal their potential to consistently score valuable points moving forward.
