12/07/2025 12:55
Nico Hulkenberg has been hailed as a consistent "top-five driver on
the grid" by F1 rival Carlos Sainz. Hulkenberg ended his
podium-less stint in F1 with a drive to third at the British Grand
Prix last weekend, capitalising on adverse conditions to reach the
podium. Prior to the result, Hulkenberg held the unwanted record
for the most races in F1 history without a top-three finish. When
asked for his thoughts on Hulkenberg's unexpected trip to the
podium, Sainz told media including RacingNews365 : "Congrats, he
must have done a very solid race to be up there in P3. "Honestly,
the fact that people could keep cursing the fact that he didn't
have any podiums, for me was completely irrelevant. "For me, he's
always been a top-five driver on the grid every time he's been in
F1, and his level of talent and race execution is incredible."
Hulkenberg has never competed for a traditional 'top' team, with
his highest finish in the standings being seventh in 2018 with
Renault. During that campaign, Sainz was Hulkenberg's team-mate at
the Enstone-based squad and got to see the German's skills up
close. "I was his teammate for a time and the fact that he didn't
have a podium was just circumstantial and due to his teams he had
driven for," Sainz added. "I'm glad he has this podium now to shut
everyone up who doubted him. For me I never doubted him and knew
one day he would be on a podium."
