Formula 1 celebrates great moments not only on the track, but also off it, and no one embodies this camaraderie better than Max Verstappen. According to Nico Hülkenberg, who stood on the podium for the first time at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on 6 July 2025, the four-time world champion invited his friend and colleague to a small party at a restaurant near his hometown of Emmerich on the Rhine to celebrate the long-awaited success. Verstappen’s gesture, which features the X with the slogan “Behave respectfully like Verstappen”, emphasises the close friendship between the two drivers and shows how the Formula 1 community and the respect for it lives on, even in a competitive sport.

Hülkenberg, who finally reached third place after 239 races, made history at Silverstone. The 37-year-old, driving for a clean slate, took advantage of the rain chaos to storm onto the podium from 19th place on the grid, even holding off record champion Lewis Hamilton. The international press, including  The Guardian  and  Gazzetta dello Sport  , praised his “heroic” performance, while team principal Jonathan Wheatley described it as “the most eagerly anticipated podium in Formula 1 history”. But while Lando Norris and Oscar Piatri celebrated their double victory at McLaren, the prizegiving ceremony caused controversy. Fans on x, such as @mv33racing, criticized the McLaren drivers, who largely ignored Hülkenberg in the champagne shower, spoiling the mood. Verstappen, on the other hand, put in a magnificent performance: he congratulated Hülkenberg on the radio, stormed over to him in Parc Fermé and had his private jet waiting to fly back to Monaco.

The celebration in Emmerich, just a few kilometers from Verstappen’s Dutch home ground, was a warm continuation of that moment. According to reports on X (@Skysportformel1), Verstappen hosted an intimate round at a local restaurant, where Hülkenberg, his wife Eglė Ruškytė and close friends gathered. Verstappen, who himself only managed fifth at Silverstone, was deeply impressed by Hülkenberg’s performance: “If someone waits so long and was so close, that’s something special,” he said loudly  on n-tv.de  . The two have known each other since their race, and Hülkenberg emphasized Verstappen’s “Work Hard, Play Hard” mentality in a  2020 GQ  Podcast, which is also reflected in the gesture. “Max is authentic and lives at the limit, both on and off the track,” he said at the time.

The invitation was more than a celebration; it was a symbol of respect and friendship in Formula 1. Fans of X, like @adrianmcf, praised Verstappen for not stealing Hülkenberg but put him in the spotlight, unlike the McLaren drivers, whose behaviour was criticized as “disrespectful”. Hülkenberg himself took the controversy in his stride: “It felt great, I still knew how to celebrate,” he said with a grin  to Motorsport-Total  . His relief was palpable after years of frustration at teams like Haas and Renault, where panel chances at Hockenheim 2019 or Monaco were wiped out by bad luck or strategic errors.

Clean, which will compete as an Audi team in 2026, sees good signs in Hülkenberg’s performance. His consistency in the 2025 season, with top-10 finishes in Australia, Austria, and Singapore, demonstrates his potential for the future. Verstappen, who struggled with tire problems at Silverstone with Red Bull, emphasized: “Nico didn’t need this podium as a seal of approval. He was always a strong driver.” Carlos Sainz, his former teammate, also praised Hülkenberg’s “incredible race” (  ESPN  ).

The champagne-fueled celebration in Emmerich—this time sponsored by Aston Martin and Mercedes, since then alcohol-free—was a moment of camaraderie that resonated with the Formula 1 community. While the DCU with  Superman and Formula 1 with new teams like Cadillac for 2026 are in the spotlight, Verstappen’s gesture demonstrates what makes a sport: respect and humanity. Hülkenberg’s podium and the subsequent celebration with Verstappen remain a symbol that in Formula 1, it’s not just the stopwatch that counts, but also the connection between the drivers.