During the F1 Brazil GP, Nico Hülkenberg became the first driver to be handed a black flag since Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix.
He was running in P10 before he pitted on lap 26 for new intermediate tyres. After the stop, he re-joined in P17. The following lap, the Haas driver spun into Turn 1.
The virtual safety car was deployed to recover the vehicle, but Hülkenberg got going again. However, it soon became clear that the 37-year-old German had received assistance from the marshals.
Hülkenberg was subsequently disqualified from the F1 Brazil GP since outside assistance is not allowed in the sporting regulations.
Having started from P18, the 2010 Brazil GP polesitter made it up to P15 on the opening lap, working his way through the field into the Top 10 before his stop.
Hülkenberg reckoned that his race “was going OK” before it unraveled after his spin at turn 1 on lap 27.
“I think it was going OK on the inters, actually; I was in a train with Pierre [Gasly] and Fernando [Alonso] for a long time before we pitted.
“So, I think we were going OK — it wasn’t dreadful, but it wasn’t amazing either.
“Just after the pit stop, our race somehow… obviously, it finished pretty quickly, and it all went south from there.”
Following the spin, Hülkenberg was stuck on a bump in the run-off area, which prompted the marshals to push the Haas driver.
He recalls that the marshals were cheering him on and that he wasn’t thinking about possible consequences at that moment.
“They [the marshals] came out, they pushed me off, and they were really happy with themselves.
“They were partying and pushing me on and saying, ‘Come on, go, let’s go, this race isn’t finished.’ In that moment, you don’t really think, you don’t care to be honest as well.
“You just continue, and you deal with the consequences later.”
Hülkenberg continued the race, running last, until the red flag came out following Franco Colapinto’s crash in the Williams.
While the race was paused, the 37-year-old was handed the black flag and his day was over.
The German, one of the most experienced drivers on the grid, stated that track conditions were “amongst the toughest” he had raced in.
“Definitely amongst the toughest conditions that I’ve raced in.
“Incredibly low grip, a very, very narrow window, very hard to make no mistakes. It was very tough.”
