Nico Hulkenberg Q&A: Austrian Grand Prix

Round 10 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, the Austrian Grand Prix, will be the second Sprint of the season. What lessons did you learn from Baku’s opening Sprint round, and how differently will you approach this weekend having that experience in the bank? 

“I’ve done it once in Baku now, it’s much more intense because from the first practice session, it’s much more meaningful, so it definitely felt more intense. It’s a very different circuit to Baku, it’s a permanent race track and it has a short lap so there’s quite a big difference. The approach is the same as always though, we’ll be professional and try to get something out of it.” 

Your best result around the Red Bull Ring came in 2015 with a sixth-place finish. What do you like about the circuit and does its picturesque backdrop play a part in its charm for drivers just as it does for staff and fans visiting Spielberg?  

“There’s a lot of nature and the circuit itself is built into the mountains. There’s great scenery, it’s a scenic route into the track, and it’s very green. It’s one of the shortest, if not the shortest track we go to with just over one minute per lap, but it’s a technical and challenging track so it doesn’t mean it’s an easy circuit.” 

 

The Red Bull Ring only has 10 turns, the fewest on the Formula 1 calendar, and is a track that crams in a lot for a driver to manage during one lap. With the midfield fight continuing to be the closest battle up and down the grid, where do you expect the VF-23 to stack up compared to its rivals? 

“It’s shorter lap times so the field historically is very condensed there. We’ve seen it super condensed so I can only imagine the smallest of margins will make a big difference, so it’s important we maximize the sessions and get everything out of it.”