Jul.7 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg’s maiden podium was the only “positive” Max Verstappen identified after a tough day in the cockpit for the quadruple world champion.
“He was the first one to come to me when I got out of the car,” 37-year-old Hulkenberg, finally ending the record-breaking run of 239 grands prix without a top-three finish, told Viaplay after the slippery and incident-packed British GP.
“I would have liked to have done it from the start, like Max, but my career and my path were slightly different,” he smiled. “I just had to keep believing.
“We go way back to the karting days,” the German added. “A lot of respect for each other. A lot of respect for what he does and what he stands for.
“And he’s a great person.”
Having already written off his hopes of chasing down the McLarens in the drivers’ standings a few races ago, Verstappen didn’t seem to mind that his run from pole culminated in a mid-race spin and P5 at the flag.
When asked about Hulkenberg’s podium, the 27-year-old remarked: “Yes, great. That’s the positive from the day. Just very happy for him.”
As for his own day in the Red Bull, Verstappen explained: “Just oversteer, understeer. No pace from the start. I really had to cling to the steering wheel.
“There’s still a bit of humour in it, because it feels like there’s nothing else than that.”
The Dutchman didn’t even seem overly interested in furious championship leader Oscar Piastri’s controversial 10-second penalty for braking behind the safety car.
“It’s happened a few times now that people do that in front of me,” Verstappen admitted. “I only heard after the race that he got ten seconds for that.
“It’s extreme, yes, but I don’t make the rules.”
Some think Verstappen’s difficult day in the wet was caused by the very low-downforce rear wing that powered him to pole, but even he was surprised.
“I expected it to be difficult, but not that difficult,” he said.
“We’re not fighting for the championship anyway, so it doesn’t matter. I had no grip and I made a mistake, but I’m not angry. I’m not thinking about the championship.
“In the end it wasn’t bad to come back to fifth. I’ll take it race by race – sometimes it will be better, sometimes it will be worse.”
Even Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko now seems fully on board with Verstappen’s perspective that the team should move on from pushing for either championship in 2025.
“There are a few things still in the pipeline,” he told Servus TV, “but as we can see, it’s not enough to even come close to McLaren.
“That pole position was a combination of Max and a risky setup. I think we just have to acknowledge that McLaren is superior and it’s going to be very difficult to come close.”
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