After an incredible race weekend at Silverstone for the 2025 British Grand Prix, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber and driver Nico Hulkenberg took 3rd place for a well-deserved podium finish. The result, earned after an excellent drive and some superb tactical calls from the team, saw the German climb all the way from 19th on the grid, to the delight of fans.
This marked the first podium of Hulkenberg’s career and came at the 239th attempt, sparking celebrations that extended beyond the Stake F1 Team and earning him the fan-voted Driver of the Day award. So how did the long wait finally come to an end for Hulkenberg and what does this result mean for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber moving forward?
Stake F1 Team Success at Silverstone
The race weekend at Silverstone was far from plain sailing for Hulkenberg and the Stake F1 team. Qualifying proved especially difficult, with Hulkenberg and teammate Gabriel Bortoleto both exiting in Q1. Hulkenberg himself put this primarily down to the tricky weather conditions, with wind proving a major obstacle.
“The wind picked up as the rain approached,” Hulkenberg said in a post-qualifying interview. “[It was the] same for everyone, but we seemed to take a bit more of a hit and, quite frankly, we just didn’t have the pace to make it through.”
Ahead of the race, all signs pointed to a challenging day for Stake F1 Team, but at trackside ahead of the race, team principal Jonathan Wheatley saw a glimmer of hope. The indications were that Silverstone was going to be experiencing difficult weather conditions and that meant the potential for a hectic, tactical race.
“I think the mixed conditions is what we’re looking for today,” he admitted.
A tactical masterclass followed, with Hulkenberg regularly communicating with the team. Using a combination of weather forecasting technology and Nico Hulkenberg’s own experience of conditions on the track, the team were able to navigate a tricky race, using a near-perfect pit stop strategy to gain places and avoid slower laps on the wrong tyres.
After gaining 3rd place on the track, Hulkenberg was still facing the mammoth task of retaining the place, as seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton was in hot pursuit. In the end, a superb defensive driving display, coupled with excellent timing on a tyre change to slicks from the Stake F1 Team, was enough to see him through.
Hulkenberg Makes Formula 1 History
Hulkenberg’s 3rd place finish at Silverstone wrote him into the history books of Formula 1, perhaps for unwanted reasons. He is now the driver with the longest gap between his first race in Formula 1 and an eventual place on the podium at an F1 race. He finally earned the first podium of his career in race number 239.
The performance flew in the face of Grand Prix betting odds and was made even more memorable because it came in a chaotic, entertaining race, where the German driver had to make his way up from the back row of the grid.
“I don’t think I can comprehend what we’ve just done,” Nico Hulkenberg, overcome with emotion, told his Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber colleagues over the radio after crossing the finishing line. “Oh my God!”
Of course, long-time F1 fans know this record gap between an F1 debut and a podium finish is really little more than a statistical anomaly. Nico Hulkenberg has had multiple near misses in the past and this outcome is long overdue. The 37 year old previously finished 4th twice while racing for Force India, in Belgium in 2012 and Brazil in 2016. Additionally, during his previous Sauber stint, he also finished 4th in South Korea in 2013.
Hulkenberg said: “It’s been an emotional rollercoaster this weekend, being virtually last [after qualifying], so a pretty bad day, to one of the best days of my career. It’s obviously a lot to take in.”
It was the second consecutive race weekend where Hulkenberg had made his way through the pack, starting near back of the grid – and the excitement and chaos of the weekend clearly took its toll.
“While I’m happy and relieved, I’m mostly tired, and looking forward to getting home to be honest,” he admitted.
One of the Most Popular F1 Drivers
The 2025 British Grand Prix may have been won by Lando Norris on home soil, but the name on almost everybody’s lips after the race was Nico Hulkenberg, highlighting his status as one of the most popular drivers on the grid. In addition to the support shown by Stake F1 Team, the German driver received congratulations from his fellow competitors.
“No way! That’s nice,” Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, who has previously been on the podium five times, reacted upon hearing the race result. “Congrats to Nico. [It has] been a long time coming so good for him.”
The sentiment was shared by Williams driver Alex Albon, who has stood on the podium twice before.
“Congrats to Nico, what a legend! It’s his first podium, isn’t it?” he asked, delighted to hear the news.
However, it was down to teammate Gabriel Bortoleto to give the most emphatic congratulations.
“Man, you don’t know how happy I am for you. You are a f**king legend,” Bortoleto told Hulkenberg over the team radio. “Honestly, [it is] absolutely insane what you did today.”
He went on to expand on his feelings in post-race comments: “He is the best teammate I have ever worked with – both as a driver and as a person,” Bortoleto said. “And he absolutely deserves this moment.”
Even some of the more disappointed drivers on the day saw Hulkenberg’s result as a silver lining.
“The race wasn’t that enjoyable for me but it was nice to see Nico get his first podium,” said Max Verstappen, who finished 5th after a difficult race. “I’m sure he will be celebrating tonight.”
Driver’s Championship leader Oscar Piastri joined Hulkenberg on the podium, but was left seething about a 10-second penalty, which cost him the opportunity to win the race. Nevertheless, he took solace in Hulkenberg’s performance.
“Well done to Nico – I think that’s the highlight of the day,” he said, while refusing to comment on the penalty.
Progress for Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber
The remarkable race weekend at Silverstone marks a huge milestone for Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, building on the recent momentum the team has generated. Last time out, at the Austrian Grand Prix, Gabriel Bortoleto finished in 8th for his first points in Formula 1, while Hulkenberg finished 9th, giving the team a combined 6 points.
With both drivers in the top 10, that marked the team’s best weekend of the season until now, but Hulkenberg’s heroics in the UK defied all Formula 1 expert picks and predictions, pushing the team to new heights.
After Silverstone, Stake F1 Team now sits in 6th place in the Constructor’s Championship, with 41 points. The 15 points gained by Hulkenberg also creates distance from teams like Racing Bulls and Aston Martin. This was especially crucial on a weekend where both Aston Martin drivers, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, also finished in the top 10.
Stake F1 Team feels like it is hitting its stride, following the arrival of Mattia Binotto as chief technical and operating officer a year ago and the appointment of Jonathan Wheatley as team principal in January 2025. Both men have brought a wealth of experience from their time at Ferrari and Red Bull, respectively.
Binotto, it should be remembered, was part of the dominant Ferrari team that helped Michael Schumacher achieve five consecutive World Championship victories in the early 2000s, excelling in various roles in the engine department. Wheatley, for his part, contributed to six Constructors’ Championship victories at Red Bull.
Combined with the rest of the team’s astute decision-making and communication, they are helping to provide a platform for progress. The challenge from here will be for Stake F1 Team to take this momentum and continue to build on it for the rest of the season. Of course, regular podiums and exceptional race weekends like at Silverstone are not the expectation for the team, but it does feel like more regular top 10 finishes are a possibility.
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Most Impressive Rookie This Season
Although Nico Hulkenberg is understandably dominating the headlines in F1 right now after his spectacular ascent through the positions at Silverstone, it is also important to acknowledge his rookie teammate, Gabriel Bortoleto. At just 20 years old, he is showing great potential and is no doubt absorbing knowledge from Hulkenberg along the way.
In a season with several rookie standouts, including Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes and Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls, Bortoleto is quietly building his own case for being the most impressive rookie this season.
Back in March, in Australia, Bortoleto immediately drew the eye in his first ever F1 qualifying session, as he advanced to Q2, outperforming Nico Hulkenberg on the day. Difficult weekends in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami were followed up by better outcomes in Monaco, Spain and Canada, building towards Austria at the end of last month.
It was at the Red Bull Ring in Austria where Gabriel Bortoleto earned his first ever points in Formula 1. After qualifying in 8th place, ahead of fellow rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the Brazilian was able to convert the placement into an 8th place finish, even challenging Fernando Alonso for 7th towards the end of the race. In doing so, he finished a race weekend ahead of Nico Hulkenberg for the first time, highlighting the young driver’s progression.
Bortoleto won the Formula 2 title in his rookie season and smashed records, becoming the first driver in either Formula 1 or Formula 2 to win a race from last on the grid in Monza in 2024. His early races in Formula 1 may not involve challenging at the front of the grid, but he has impressed with his consistency and ability to get the most out of his car. In Austria, in particular, his racecraft was also on full display.
When people think of rookie standouts, it is understandable that Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s exploits near the front of the grid may immediately come to mind, but Bortoleto is attracting attention too and is one to watch in future seasons.
Congratulations Extended to Stake F1
One of the most touching moments of the race weekend came after the race, when rivals Mercedes sent a gift bag to the Stake F1 garage: two bottles of champagne to celebrate with, as well as a note offering congratulations. Aston Martin soon joined in, providing more champagne for the team to enjoy.
It was an admirable display of respect between rival teams, which delighted fans of the sport.
The race performance even attracted a celebrity shout out from rapper and Stake.com brand ambassador Drake, who took to social media to share some of his thoughts on the day’s events.
“Congrats to the guys for their first ever podium finish,” Drake posted on his Instagram account. “Can we [please] call the team by their proper name from now on, STAKE F1?” he added, referencing the tendency of commentators and journalists to instead use the Sauber name as shorthand when talking about the team.
Nico Hulkenberg made a point of thanking the whole team at Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber for what he called “a great team effort from start to finish”. His dream weekend was capped by being voted as the Driver of the Day by fans, finishing with 49% of the vote – way ahead of race winner Lando Norris on 8.6% and the ever-popular Lewis Hamilton on 11.5%.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 British Grand Prix will be remembered as an exciting race, largely thanks to the intrigue of changing weather conditions and the need for teams to make quick, tactical changes at the right moment. However, it will also be remembered as a milestone weekend for Nico Hulkenberg and the entire Stake F1 Team.
Excellent communication between the team and their driver ensured they were able to utilise the chaotic race conditions to their advantage. Meanwhile, some stunning defensive driving helped Hulkenberg to hold off a challenge from Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and claim a long overdue podium for the first time in his F1 career.
