Nico Hulkenberg is looking forward to the fifth round of the 2016 Formula 1 season when the championship heads to the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
The Sahara Force India driver was pretty disappointed after the Russian Grand Prix as damage caused to the car from a clash by Esteban Gutierrez led the German to retire on the opening lap, his second first lap crash at the venue in as many years.
He is looking forward to a weekend where he hopes everything goes to plan as he looks to score points for the first time since the season opener in Australia, and he hopes the Silverstone based team can finally show their true potential.
“When you get to Barcelona to start the European season, you start to realise just how quickly the year is passing,” said Hulkenberg. “It’s a chance to get back into a normal routine because you don’t have so many long flights or time zone changes, so it’s a bit easier from that regard.
“I love the city of Barcelona and the Spanish lifestyle in the sunshine. We’ve already spent a couple of weeks there for winter testing, but when you come back for the race everything is different: the cars have evolved, the temperatures are warmer, and you have to work hard to find the right set-up. That’s why it’s a tricky circuit because confidence counts for a lot and, if you’re not totally comfortable, your lap times really suffer.
“I felt pretty disappointed about what happened in Sochi. In fact, things have gone against us for the last few races. We know we should have scored more points, but it’s impossible to plan for the bad luck we’ve experienced. I’m looking forward to a weekend where everything goes to plan so that we can show our true potential.”
