Nico Hulkenberg Admits He Was in ‘Denial Mode’ over SHOCK F1 Podium

Nico Hulkenberg is a Formula 1 veteran. The German driver has carried the unwanted tag of having competed in the most races without a podium for years now. However, the British GP turned out to be nothing short of a dream come true for Hulkenberg. The 37-year-old has finally broken the infamous curse with a stellar third place finish.

The Sauber driver has shown some glimpses of performance this year. While the Hinwil-based team has struggled to make it to points regularly, Nico Hulkenberg has brought some standout results. At Silverstone, the tricky weather conditions proved to be the best place for Hulkenberg to use his experience. The 37-year-old managed to stay clear of trouble while other drivers, including Max Verstappen found it hard to get grip.

Nico Hulkenberg capitalized on the problems faced by his rivals. The German driver even managed to outrun Lewis Hamilton during the round of pitstops. Hulkenberg had come close to a podium on a few occasions, but the British GP finally fulfilled his dream.

The Sauber driver who had almost tasted success right before it fell apart in the past, knew that it was not over till the chequered flag. Nico Hulkenberg confessed that he was in denial mode till he crossed the line in third place. Throughout the race, Hulkenberg was on his toes. While he got some relief when he created a gap to Hamilton, the seven-time world champion soon started gaining once again. Thankfully, Hulkenberg kept it intact to get his best-ever result in F1.

Today, I was in denial until the last pit stop and then I heard we gapped Lewis so I thought okay, breathing space but then he was closing. The pressure was there, intense race but we didn’t crack.

Nico Hulkenberg said post-race