Right here is the definitive rating of the ten Formulation 1 drivers who needed to wait the longest time of their careers earlier than attaining their very first podium end. It’s a fascinating journey by the eras of Formulation 1, spanning a number of generations of racers and groups.
Nico Hülkenberg — at present racing with Kick Sauber — shocked followers by lastly securing the primary podium of his lengthy and eventful Formulation 1 profession on the 2025 British Grand Prix held at Silverstone. The German driver had spent years chasing that elusive top-three end. However he’s removed from alone on this lengthy street to glory.
For a few years, Hülkenberg — who drives automotive quantity 27 — held the unlucky document for essentially the most Grand Prix begins and not using a single podium. But, different well-known figures akin to Felipe Massa, Johnny Herbert, Jenson Button, and Gianni Morbidelli additionally characteristic on this unique listing of drivers who waited the longest to face on the F1 podium.
This rating serves as a time capsule that cuts throughout totally different Formulation 1 eras, from iconic names of the previous to drivers who’re nonetheless racing in at present’s trendy F1 grid.
The rating:
10 – Felipe MassaFelipe Massa made his Formulation 1 debut with Sauber again in 2002 and was thought of a rising star. Nonetheless, after being dropped on the finish of that season, the Brazilian spent a 12 months as a check driver for Scuderia Ferrari earlier than returning to Sauber in 2004.
His constant performances earned him a seat at Ferrari in 2006, the place he partnered with the legendary Michael Schumacher. As much as that time, a fourth-place end had been his finest end result.
Massa lastly reached the rostrum on the 2006 European Grand Prix, held on the Nürburgring, claiming third place behind Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. It was his 57th profession begin, and the primary of many podiums for the Brazilian driver in a profitable F1 profession.
9 – Gianni MorbidelliAlthough not as extensively often called others on this listing, Gianni Morbidelli competed in 67 Formulation 1 Grands Prix throughout six totally different seasons. He raced for a number of groups together with Minardi and Sauber.
Driving for the Footwork staff throughout the ultimate race of the 1995 season in Australia, Morbidelli achieved his first and solely podium end. It was his sixtieth profession begin.
In that race, ranging from thirteenth on the grid out of 23 vehicles, Morbidelli capitalized on a chaotic occasion. Many of the frontrunners retired, leaving solely eight categorised finishers. The Italian crossed the end line in third, behind Damon Hill and Olivier Panis.
8 – Esteban OconEsteban Ocon made his Formulation 1 debut on the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix with Manor. He later joined Drive India, the place he twice achieved a fifth-place end however couldn’t fairly crack the highest three.
After dropping his seat to Lance Stroll in 2019, Ocon served as a reserve driver for Mercedes earlier than returning to full-time racing with Renault in 2020. That season introduced ups and downs, however the spotlight got here on the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain.
In a dramatic race, Ocon climbed from eleventh on the grid to complete in second place, securing his first F1 podium in his 66th begin.
7 (tie) – Johnny HerbertJohnny Herbert loved a protracted and eventful profession in Formulation 1, contesting 161 races between his debut in 1989 and his retirement in 2000.
Though he completed fourth in his debut race with Benetton, Herbert failed to duplicate that early success for a lot of seasons. A return to Benetton in late 1994 rekindled hope for higher outcomes.
On the Spanish Grand Prix in 1995 — his 67th profession race — Herbert secured his first podium with a second-place end, behind teammate Michael Schumacher, serving to Benetton obtain a dominant 1–2 end result.
7 (tie) – Pedro de la RosaAlso reaching the rostrum at his 67th race was Spanish driver Pedro de la Rosa. He debuted in Formulation 1 with Arrows in 1999 and later drove for Jaguar earlier than turning into a check driver for McLaren.
In 2005, he briefly returned to racing as an alternative to Juan Pablo Montoya. When Montoya left McLaren completely in mid-2006, De la Rosa stepped in for the rest of the season.
On the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, in simply his third race that 12 months, De la Rosa delivered a stellar efficiency to complete second — his first and solely profession podium.
5 – Jenson ButtonAlthough Jenson Button’s wait wasn’t the longest, it was definitely crammed with ups and downs. After a powerful debut with Williams in 2000, his subsequent years with Benetton (later Renault) proved difficult.
In 2003, Button moved to BAR Honda, the place his type started to enhance. The 2004 season lastly noticed a breakthrough: in simply the second race of the 12 months — the Malaysian Grand Prix — Button completed third, attaining his first podium in his 68th Formulation 1 begin.
That 12 months, he would go on to attain 9 podiums, laying the groundwork for future success, together with a World Championship in 2009.
4 – Mika SaloFinnish driver Mika Salo competed in 68 Grands Prix for groups together with Lotus, Tyrrell, and Arrows between 1994 and 1998. In 1999, he was and not using a full-time seat however was known as as much as substitute for the injured Ricardo Zonta at BAR.
After simply two races, he was given a fair better alternative — stepping in at Ferrari to interchange Michael Schumacher, who had been sidelined on account of damage.
On the 1999 German Grand Prix, Salo led for a portion of the race earlier than yielding place to teammate Eddie Irvine. He nonetheless managed to safe second place — his first and solely podium — in what was his 73rd Formulation 1 race.
3 – Martin BrundleNow a well-recognized voice in Formulation 1 broadcasting with Sky Sports activities UK, Martin Brundle as soon as competed in 158 Formulation 1 Grands Prix. He raced for a number of notable groups akin to Tyrrell, McLaren, and Jordan from 1984 to 1996.
Whereas he technically crossed the road in second throughout his debut season, that end result was annulled after the Tyrrell staff was disqualified from the championship.
Brundle would lastly declare an official podium on the 1992 French Grand Prix, ending third for Benetton. It was his 91st profession begin, having began that race from seventh on the grid.
2 – Carlos Sainz Jr.Carlos Sainz Jr. made his Formulation 1 debut in 2015 with Scuderia Toro Rosso, racing alongside Max Verstappen. Whereas Verstappen was promoted to Crimson Bull Racing and received his first race in simply his twenty fourth begin, Sainz needed to wait for much longer.
Following stable seasons with Toro Rosso and Renault, Sainz moved to McLaren in 2019, partnering with Lando Norris.
At that 12 months’s Brazilian Grand Prix, he put in a surprising drive from twentieth on the grid to complete fourth. A five-second penalty for Lewis Hamilton promoted Sainz to 3rd — his very first podium in what was his a hundred and first Formulation 1 begin.
1 – Nico HülkenbergAnd lastly, at primary is Nico Hülkenberg. After a document 238 begins and not using a podium end, the German driver lastly achieved it on the 2025 British Grand Prix, ending third in chaotic and altering circumstances.
The Silverstone end result gave Sauber its first podium since 2012 and ended Hülkenberg’s long-running streak of near-misses.
Throughout his time with Drive India and Renault, Hülkenberg’s finest end result had all the time been fourth place. After dropping his full-time seat in 2019, he made a number of substitute appearances in 2020 and 2022 earlier than returning full-time with Haas in 2023.
Nonetheless, it was solely in 2025, after becoming a member of Kick Sauber, that Hülkenberg — driving automotive quantity 27 — lastly climbed the steps of the Formulation 1 podium, making it one of the emotional and long-awaited moments in latest F1 historical past.
Jul 11, 2025
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