Hülkenberg: Finding the limits of the VJM08 in Melbourne
While he will be participating in his fifth full season in Formula 1, Nico Hülkenberg experienced a challenging winter with his team Force India. It wasn't until the last winter testing session that the German driver was able to discover his new car, the VJM08.
In Melbourne, Nico Hülkenberg will therefore have a lot of work to extract the maximum from the latest creation of the Indian team, which has been facing significant financial problems lately.
“The first race of the season is always special,” explains the German. “You’ve been waiting for it for a long time. You have a new car, and you have to find its limits in race conditions for the first time. Most of the time, you work with new people on the team, and it’s the first time you spend an entire weekend with them. As a driver, it’s very interesting, and we’re all eager to see where we stand compared to the competition.”
Since he made his debut in Formula 1, the 2009 GP2 Series champion has never had much luck in Australia. In four participations, Hülkenberg has been forced to retire twice and didn’t even start in 2013. Last year, it went much better with a sixth place as the result.
“The Albert Park is a beautiful circuit and a great place to start the season,” adds the German. “There are a lot of interesting corners, but if I had to choose my favorite part, I would choose the section between turns 9 and 12 in the second sector. There are some good overtaking opportunities, notably at turns 3 and 13. Tire management will be important, and it may allow for multiple strategies. Having good downforce is essential, it’s the main focus when we set up the car.”
