Nico Hulkenberg: My lack of F1 podiums doesn't say anything about my ability
Nico Hulkenberg of Haas
Nico Hulkenberg is unfazed by the fact that he is the F1 driver with the most race starts who hasn't claimed a podium finish.
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg finds that being the Formula 1 pilot with the most race starts but no podium finishes only proves he's never been in a top team.
Having participated in 193 F1 races (excluding the races he failed to start in Melbourne 2013, Spa 2015, and Silverstone 2020), Hulkenberg's highest achievement remains a fourth-place finish.
He accomplished this result three times while driving for what was then known as Force India and Sauber, spanning from 2012 to 2016. Throughout his career, he's encountered several close calls for podium finishes.
Among these are instances like his collision with Lewis Hamilton while leading much of the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, and the sluggish second pit stop that cost him a likely third-place finish in the 2016 Monaco GP.
Following Hulkenberg, the driver with the next highest number of race starts without achieving an F1 podium is Adrian Sutil, with 128 starts.
"Obviously, when you start thinking about it that's a little bit frustrating. Because every racing driver back then and even now wants to win, ideally. But at the same time, I've never had the car," he said.
"I've had good cars and also had opportunities to deliver the podium, but then for various reasons it never really happened. Never clicked and happened.
"But, to be honest, I'm still in a good, happy place - enjoying myself. And if I reflect back, of course there were things I could've done better.
"But I'm not bitter or frustrated about it. I'm in a good place and going to hit I think 200 grands prix later in the season - somewhere around Mexico [in October].
"And whilst not having the podium, I think if I would be so bad I would've not managed to stick around [for] 200 grands prix - so, there must be some good in there too somewhere."
