Nico Hülkenberg needed more than 15 years to achieve his first Formula 1 podium finish. Now the Sauber driver is enjoying the success even more.

How long is an eternity in Formula 1? Since the British Grand Prix on July 6, Nico Hülkenberg has known exactly : 5,593 days. That's how long it took the German, after entering the premier class of top-flight motorsport, to finish third for his first podium finish. More than 15 years. No other driver in Grand Prix history has had to wait so long.

"It's the most overdue podium finish in Grand Prix history," said Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley. And: "He's got that bug off his back now." Hülkenberg's walk back to his team through the paddock also felt like an eternity. He had already taken a shortcut, and yet congratulations kept getting in his way. This illustrates how much he is envious of this success in Formula 1, often described as a business of envy. The 38-year-old, long considered an outsider, has finally made it to the top. And that's not just a relief for him, but a true liberation.

His rise from second-to-last on the starting grid to the podium at Silverstone seemed like a fast-forward run through his career, in which Hülkenberg demonstrated a tireless fighting spirit. His late success could release new energy that will also benefit the future Audi factory racing team . Hülkenberg will certainly be in the spotlight again at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. With his 15 points, he has moved into the top ten of the drivers' standings; Sauber climbed from second-to-last place to sixth in the lucrative Constructors' World Championship and has now scored points four times in a row.

Hülkenberg, as usual, is responding to his growing popularity with his dry sense of humor. At Silverstone, he wasn't thrown off guard when World Championship leader Oscar Piastri asked him a heretical question: "How does it feel to wait 15 years for the first trophy – and then it's made of Lego?" In fact, the trophy had been made of bricks in England for the sake of the Formula 1 sponsor. Hülkenberg grinned and said: "That's great, then my daughter can play with it too."

Hülkenberg, always a positive thinker, has navigated a Formula 1 career spanning over a decade and a half, often finding himself in the wrong car at the wrong time. In 2013, he abandoned his first Sauber outing in frustration, later finding himself unhappy with the Renault factory team, and a potential promotion to Ferrari fell through.

For a long time, the highlight of his career was his Le Mans victory with Porsche ten years ago. He was more satisfied with the underdog racing team Force India, where everyone had learned to fight and Hülkenberg became something of a frontman. When he was offered a cockpit by Haas, the last-place constructors' team, in 2023 after several years as a temporary driver, he accepted the offer.

With his laconic manner, Nico Hülkenberg ignored all the resistance in the smallest Formula 1 team and, as one of only four drivers over 30, first drove his way into the hearts of the fans – and then regularly into the points.

His compatriot Andreas Seidl, the designated Audi boss in Hinwil, noticed him and decided that Sauber needed exactly this type of driver during its development phase. Seidl is gone again, but Hülkenberg is still there, and after some initial difficulties, the strategy is now paying off. Hülkenberg pushes himself and thus becomes a dynamo for the entire racing team. He exemplifies the right attitude – both as a driver and as a dedicated family man. He is pleasantly nonconformist in his approach and is rarely at a loss for a pithy remark. This is another reason why he is the perfect team captain and a role model for his 20-year-old Sauber teammate Gabriel Bortoleto.

In racing, however, Hülkenberg is a tough fighter who never gives up position. In qualifying, according to former Sauber team manager Beat Zehnder, he is one of the best drivers ever. But the Silverstone drive, which Hülkenberg himself described as a ride on a razor's edge, demonstrated above all the value of his extensive experience from 239 Formula 1 races. The tactics at Silverstone, under the most difficult weather conditions, were developed through constant communication between the team management in the command center and the driver in the cockpit. Making them work required both driving skill and mental strength. "Nico is someone who delivers," the team praised him.

For Nico Hülkenberg, having the necessary courage means constantly challenging himself. This is how he found his way back to Formula 1, where he now has an Audi contract valid until the end of 2025. But Hülkenberg wants to be more than just a temporary solution. He is also said to be in talks with Red Bull, and this is not only because world champion Max Verstappen is his buddy.

For Sauber team boss Wheatley, the Hülkenberg effect is also noticeable in his daily work: "We can talk for a long time about the necessary self-confidence. But now it's real; people believe in themselves, and that's crucial."