Sauber was handed a black bag by Mercedes after the race in Silverstone: Bradley Lord explains why and what was in it
Nico Hülkenberg’s first podium in his 239th career start was the big story at the Formula 1 race in Silverstone. There was hardly a driver or competitor who wasn’t happy for the German, who had finally removed his big blemish.
The Mercedes team was among the first to congratulate him. Just a few minutes after he crossed the finish line, a member of the racing team headed toward the Sauber pit with a large black bag in her hand with the words: “Congratulations on your first podium! Your Mercedes team.“
Inside was champagne for the Swiss racing team to toast their success. ”After the race, it’s customary for us to send down a bottle or two of champagne for special moments – for example, when a team achieves an unexpected result or a driver celebrates his first victory,” reveals Mercedes communications manager Bradley Lord.
It’s simply a small gesture from another member of the motorsport community to say, “Well done!”
“We did that again this time. And I don’t think Sauber actually had any champagne on hand, so it came as quite a surprise, but I’m sure it was very welcome,” says Lord in a video on the Mercedes team’s YouTube channel. “I’m sure they put it to good use!”
Thank you @MercedesAMGF1
Everyone is a Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber fan right now BritishGP pic.twitter.com/VduJN3cPUy
— Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) July 6, 2025
For him, it’s “just a nice example of how we’re fierce competitors on the track but still form a community in the paddock,” Lord said. “We’re always happy when someone reaches a special milestone or achieves something for the first time.”
According to him, Nico Hülkenberg’s podium finish was “undoubtedly the feel-good story.” And Hülkenberg also has a connection to the Silver Arrows via Force India, which was racing with Mercedes engines at the time.
Lord also remembers Mercedes’ 125th anniversary in motorsport very well. “Nico was driving the W25, the original 1934 race car. And the mechanics from the classic car department were totally impressed with how well he handled the car, how quickly he adapted, and how much driving talent he showed,” he says.
“He was really fast at Hockenheim – and that in a car where you could see the road through the planks that form the floor!”
At Silverstone, Hülkenberg has now been able to convert his speed into a real Formula 1 podium finish.
