Hülkenberg: Le Mans, an old circuit, for real men
Solid third in the qualifications for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Nico Hülkenberg is delighted with his laps in the Porsche 919 Hybrid. Like Mark Webber, also with Porsche, he was able to compare the WEC experience with the F1 experience, particularly regarding tire management.
First active F1 driver to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in many years, Nico Hülkenberg took advantage of the power of his Porsche 919 Hybrid to set the third-fastest qualifying time yesterday. He will therefore start in a good position tomorrow, with a historic victory in sight.
The German, who competes in F1 with a less competitive Force India this season, said he was won over by his experience in Le Mans: “Driving here is fascinating. It’s an old track, for real men. You really have to be careful!” he declared to the Brazilian newspaper O Globo.
Nico Hülkenberg is probably the best placed today to draw a comparison between the current F1 and the World Endurance Championship. Here is his opinion on the matter: « It’s different, but it’s not very complicated to get used to. When you hear “endurance,” you think you’ll have to be careful with your car and your tires. But very quickly, I learned that this wasn’t the case. The tires are very consistent and allow you to push really hard ». Statements that will undoubtedly resonate at a time when Formula 1 is considering becoming a true sprint event again.
Former Red Bull driver until 2013, the highly experienced Mark Webber may not have experienced the new era of V6 Turbos. Nonetheless, his opinion matters when comparing F1 and WEC. The Australian points a finger at Pirelli tires: “When they changed the rules with the new Pirelli supplier, the g-forces dropped (g-forces can express forces during acceleration, deceleration, and lateral cornering forces – ed.). Suddenly, drivers could be 30% less muscular. For us, the most demanding period in terms of speed, braking, and cornering was the mid-2000s,” he recalled for the Spanish newspaper El Confidential.
Winner of the Monaco Grand Prix in 2012, Mark Webber could win the 24 Hours of Le Mans this Sunday. He would then have, like Juan Pablo Montoya (winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix), two parts of the Triple Crown.
