Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: Qatar Grand Prix

Round 18 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Championship brings the paddock back to Qatar, after a year hiatus. You haven’t driven the Lusail International Circuit in a Formula 1 car before, what do you know of the circuit and as a driver of over 150 races, how do you tackle getting familiar? 

“I’ve raced around Lusail in GP2 Asia, in 2009. Obviously, that was a few years ago, but it’s a very fast and flowy track. I quite like an evening race and as it’s a Sprint, it will make it challenging, but that’s what we’re here for.”

Lusail is a track that also hosts two-wheeled sporting events, like Barcelona, Silverstone, Spielberg and COTA. What characteristics do these tracks have and do they offer Formula 1 more or fewer opportunities?

“I think we notice on the curbs, the exit curbs for bikes have to be flatter obviously for safety reasons, and normally there is some astroturf behind the curb as well. I think you can tell whenever a track is for two as well as four wheels, there’s a distinctive difference, but that offers variety.”

 

The Qatar Grand Prix starts a run of Sprints, with three of the next four races using the format. Is that something you’re in favor of?

“We know we have upgrades coming but we’re not sat around waiting for them, as a team we’re still pushing each other and striving for a faultless weekend in terms of execution and strategy. Sprints bring more pressure, so bring it on.”