From Ritangshh Bhattacharya,
In my 15 years, when I was a television journalist and watched an endless celebrity show in the editorial office, I was just once. It was not for actors, cricket or celebrity that would otherwise promote heads in India.
It was with Nico Hlkenberg.
Year 2011. The fastest circus in the world – Formula 1 – finally came to the city as part of the Indian Grand Prix inauguration. The German was built as a guest on a sports network sports show for which I worked at that time. After Hlkenberg was mostly, he was mostly people in the editorial office (who still saw F1, what cars, where cars were just walking in circles), Hlkenberg barely noticed.
But I was nine on the cloud. Nico debuted only a year ago on the track for the Williams F1 team – packed the position of the field in the Brazilian GP – just to be unfairly abandoned for a driver who is ready to pay for his chair. While I clicked on the picture, I wished him good luck when I got back to the grid. Hlkenberg smiled and shrugged his shoulders unwillingly. He knew that F1 was not always a meritocracy. 2011: Me With Then Force India Reserve Driver Nico Hlkenberg
But Hulk – and his fans like me – don’t have to worry. Next year he returned to the grid as a full -time India driver. Back to his favorite stomping soil in Brazil led most of the race – of course for a sensational victory for him and the Indian team F1. Unfortunately, the tragedy hit only 16 laps from the chessboard when he collided with Lewis Hamilton. The dream of the first stage – like Hlkenberg’s car – remained destroyed.
The turbulent day in Brazil would be the nearest Hulk to come to the podium – for more than ten years.
Over the next few years, the German driver would have giant killing points with a team of losers such as Force India, Sauber and Renault, but still never managed to stand on stage. Gradually, he built a relatively unfair reputation as “being good, but not really great” – that’s why big teams have never seen him as a driver of a winning car race.
In the end, it all culminated in the fact that he was left out of the grid in 2020 and postponed aside the next generation of younger drivers. His career left his head with a somewhat dubious record – the most career race begins without the best 3 destinations.
But fate could not be denied. And after a three -year Sabbatical, Hulk returned to the grid in 2023, commissioned by the HAASE team. He released a role with the aplomb, compiled a number of courageous performances and took the team to new heights. This year he put the same task-Sauber kicks win a wooden spoon to some extent respect. This was followed by the usual performances of the losers, only underlining the faith in the Paddock that Hulk was a remarkably underestimated driver, although seemingly destined to never taste the stage glory.
As long as the sky opened last Sunday in Silverstone – the spiritual home of Formula 1. Starting the last on the grid, the tactical genius in the rain led to the third place on the stage with a child career. But none of his fans dared not to believe the impossible – because he was quickly persecuted by the largest driver ever seen sport. The lap of the lap, Lewis Hamilton-Launny world champion, on home lawn, looked at his first podium with Ferrari and intended to maintain the British strip of the GP stage alive and Hulk down and brought back painful memories of their infamous clash in 2012. Driving in the British GP with rain.
But this time, Destiny could not be denied. When the wheels were counting down, Hlkenberg resisted treacherous conditions to remain in front of the hero of his hometown. When a bright green car (what color could be more suitable for Hulk?) Cross the chess flag, a million fans have exploded in the joy. This victory was shown by the border, age and loyalty of fans – yet it was the correction of one of the greatest injustices of Formula 1. Nico Hlkenberg finally laid a giant monkey from his back.
When fans-and even drivers up and down on Paddock-Oslav, they finally had the greatest feeling of good feeling that sport had seen in decades, Hlkenberg finally sipped champagne that escaped him for ten and a half years. It is a life lesson that goes beyond the sport itself – if this man has not given up after 15 years, 238 races and two out of sport will begin, why should you?
And yes, now I can finally publish the picture of 2011 in Pride – I with Finišer on stage 2025, Nico Hlkenberg!
– ends
Published:
Debodinna Chakracorty
Published on:
9 July 2025
