As of: April 7, 2024, 1:08 p.m
By: Hannes Niemeyer
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Next fabulous ride from Hülkenberg! The German narrowly missed out on the points at the Formula 1 race in Japan, but experienced a small sensation.
Suzuka – Nico Hülkenberg experienced a crazy rollercoaster of emotions in just over 30 minutes at the Suzuka Grand Prix in Japan. The last remaining German in Formula 1 benefited like no other in the field from the early drama that occurred in the race. After that, however, a lot of things went wrong.
The Haas driver had already achieved a “medium sensation” in qualifying on Saturday, as he himself said. The difficult Suzuka circuit is peppered with numerous high-speed corners. The US team feared in advance that the current car would have problems with acceleration. The expectations: In Japan, the two Haas of Magnussen and Hülkenberg belong to the end of the field. However, the latter sensationally drove his car to 12th place in qualifying. His teammate only ended up in 18th place.
Formula 1 race in Japan: Hülkenberg benefits from crash - then drama follows
A good starting position for Hülkenberg to perhaps even surprisingly move into the points in the race. During the race, however, the drama unfolded in several ways. Because after just a few hundred meters, Williams driver Alexander Albon and Daniel Ricciardo, who is already worried about his Formula 1 place in the Racing Bull, crashed into each other. Two cars out, red flag, after a short clean-up break then a standing restart just 30 minutes after the actual start - and that in the racing order after the crash. Hülkenberg, who had taken advantage of the resulting chaos, started the Grand Prix again in 10th place.
From the very back to almost the points: Hülkenberg achieved a “small miracle” at the Formula 1 race in Japan. © IMAGO / Motorsport Images / Mark Sutton + IMAGO / Motorsport Images / Simon Galloway
But then a lot of things went wrong. Hülkenberg completely botched the restart and was immediately moved back a whopping seven places. “I experienced an anti-stall. If the software notices that the engine is stalling, the clutch intervenes to prevent this,” he later explained the mistake on the Sky microphone. He now wants to “look at the data to see whether it was something technical or whether I was too aggressive. It happens quickly and then there isn't much that can be saved once it has happened.” He drove into the pits on lap six, got hard tires, but was then at the bottom of the field of drivers.
Hülkenberg narrowly missed out on points in the Formula 1 race in Japan – but still a “small miracle” in the Haas
But what followed was self-promotion at its best. Hülkenberg drove almost everything out of the Haas. Worked his way up from last to eleventh place with the supposedly mediocre car. The fact that he ultimately finished only five seconds behind the first place in points, 10th, was “actually a small miracle” after the initial phase, which he himself did not see coming, reports Hülkenberg. Nevertheless, his conclusion is twofold.
Despite the race to catch up, Hülkenberg is “disappointed about the second start and the missed chance for a better result.” Yuki Tsunoda in tenth place, Hülkenberg believes he could have caught up with him “just out of the cold.” Overall, the German is very satisfied with the start of the season and another good performance at the Haas in Japan. “Now we have seen on four very different routes that we can keep up with the midfield teams.” And even if such performances were hardly to be expected before the season, Hülkenberg is not satisfied with what has been achieved so far: “I am happy and “hot for more.”
Are you eager for more with a new team in the coming season? Hülkenberg's seat in the Haas for the next race is not secured. Rumors have also recently surfaced about an Audi involvement and even a special scenario at Mercedes with Hülkenberg.
(han)