Image: Twitter. Haas F1 team
Nico Hulkenberg will start tomorrow´s Australian GP with one clear goal: score his first points in his F1 comeback.
Nico Hulkenberg was tenth fastest today in Australia. The German was Haas F1 Team’s leading man while teammate Kevin Magnussen will start from the P14.
The German driver reflected on his qualifying performance afterwards in the paddock as he told media: “It was definitely a positive qualifying and Q2 was especially very good.”
With regard to Q3, Hulkenberg commented on his tyre availability compared to others and spoke with a sense of missed opportunity: “In Q3, I only had one new set of tires when some others maybe had two, but either way it wasn’t quite there. I wasn’t able to produce a lap like in Q2.”
Hulkenberg, who is yet to score points in his return to F1 with Haas F1 Team, was satisfied with his consistency and now looks ahead to race day.
“Nevertheless, another top 10 finish which is positive and we’ll take that into tomorrow. I’m feeling pretty confident and feeling good about the race.”
Team Principal Guenther Steiner wasn’t happy with the Q3 outcome nor Lewis Hamilton driving too close to Hulkenberg in the last run – considering Nico was starting his fastest lap and Lewis was trying to get past him. However, he remains confident with race pace for tomorrow’s race.
“The last run with Nico it wasn’t an ideal lap, down to a few circumstances. There was no need for Hamilton to be so close to Nico at the start of his last fast lap – and trying to get past him – as Hamilton wasn’t on a fast lap.” said Steiner.
However, the man leading Haas F1 Team remains confident for race day as Steiner followed on by telling media in Melbourne: “Then again, I’m happy because tomorrow we start P10 and P14 and everything seems to be going to plan and I think our race pace is good. Tomorrow the mission is to get points.”
