Nico Hulkenberg is looking to bounce back from his first lap retirement in the Russian Grand Prix at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.
The Sahara Force India driver feels the Austin track is his favourite of the circuits new to the calendar in recent years, feeling that it is fun to drive and easy to find a good rhythm.
“Of the newer tracks on the calendar I think Austin is probably my favourite,” said Hulkenberg. “The variation of corners makes it good fun to drive and they’ve designed a very nice facility.
“The track is smooth and it’s easy to find your rhythm. It’s generally a busy weekend on and off the track: Austin is a fun city that really embraces the race and the atmosphere is great.
“The lap is made up of a mixture of corners – high-speed, medium-speed and low-speed. There are also a lot of gradient changes, such as the uphill approach to turn one where it can be tricky to get your brake balance right. Turns three to six are where downforce counts and you need a car that’s responsive to the quick changes of direction. It’s these quick parts of the lap that put high lateral energy through your tyres.
“The DRS is worth quite a lot in Austin and the long straight between turns 11 and 12 is a really good opportunity for overtaking.”
Hulkenberg believes the team should be in good shape after a good run of results, especially after team-mate Sergio Perez’s podium finish at the Sochi Autodrom two weeks ago.
“We should be in good shape and competitive there, which would be the best way to bounce back after my disappointing weekend in Sochi,” finished Hulkenberg.
