Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: Canadian Grand Prix
June 13, 2023
Nico looks ahead to his first Canadian Grand Prix since 2019 as we return to North America for the ninth race of the season.
It was another blistering qualifying performance from you in Spain to extract everything out of the VF-23. You’ve said you’re feeling at one with the car, is there anything in particular that has made that connection, or is it simply getting into a rhythm of racing again?
“I often feel really comfortable in the car over one lap. We’re getting the tires up to the right temperature quickly and I can squeeze everything out. On the long runs, however, we’re struggling on some tracks with our tire management. That’s definitely an area where we want to improve.”
We head to Canada for Round 9 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. You’ve scored in every race around the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit since 2014 – an impressive feat. What do you like about the track?
“Montreal is one of my favorites – it’s a track with a really nice flow and a great mix of street circuit and a race track. Around the track, you can see how much Canada loves Formula 1. The whole city embraces the race and the locals give us a very warm welcome.”
It will be Kevin’s 150th Grand Prix this weekend in Montreal. As a driver that will be reaching a poignant number of races themselves later this season, can you comment on what an achievement it is to have such longevity in this sport?
“First of all, congratulations to Kevin for this achievement! When someone has done so many races in Formula 1, it just shows the quality over many, many years.”