Harsh criticism of the McLaren duo for 'ignoring' Hulkenberg on Silverstone's podium
17:57, 07 Jul 2025
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Co-author:Tobia Elia
Nicole Mulder is Managing Editor at GPblog and a specialist in Formula 1 and MotoGP. With years of experience and permanent accreditation at Grands Prix worldwide, she delivers reliable coverage and insights based on direct access to drivers and the F1 paddock.
Lando Norris won his home race at Silverstone following a time penalty handed to teammate Oscar Piastri, but the McLaren duo faced considerable criticism in the aftermath. Some fans felt that Nico Hülkenberg, who finally claimed his first podium finish, deserved more of the spotlight.
Hülkenberg was seen by many as the moral winner of the British Grand Prix. The Sauber driver secured his first-ever Formula 1 podium, receiving widespread congratulations — including from Max Verstappen, who waited for him after the race — and was voted Driver of the Day by an overwhelming margin. Yet, according to some fans, he didn’t receive enough recognition from his fellow podium finishers.
Starting all the way from 19th on the grid, Hülkenberg delivered a stunning drive to finish third, successfully holding off Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race.
For the 37-year-old German, who has been in F1 since 2010 and held the unwanted record of 239 Grands Prix without a podium, the result marked a major milestone.
Nico Hulkenberg
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Harsh criticism of McLaren drivers after podium
However, many viewers noticed that during the podium ceremony, Norris and Piastri paid little attention to the Sauber driver.
Social media users expressed their frustration, saying Hülkenberg deserved a warmer reception on such a meaningful day, especially after the long road he had taken to finally reach the podium.
Many pointed out that the focus was almost entirely on McLaren, whereas for Hülkenberg, this moment was arguably the greatest achievement of his career.
It should be noted that Norris won his home race for the first time and that
Piastri was not in the best of moods due to his time penalty, but still, the moment left a somewhat sour aftertaste for some viewers, as evidenced by the reactions under a video of the podium ceremony on X.
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