Nico Hulkenberg is excited to race at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend as he believes Monza is a great place to race.
The Sahara Force India driver had a successful Belgian Grand Prix after he finished in fourth, behind the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS of Lewis Hamilton. Equaling his best ever result in Formula 1. With team-mate Sergio Perez finishing in fifth, the Silverstone-based outfit are now fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. Ahead of Williams Martini Racing.
Hulkenberg believes Force India have been doing well on these sort of tracks so he expects to be competitive and to fight for points at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
“Monza is a great place to go racing,” said Hulkenberg. “There are so many different destinations on the calendar and there is something special about each one of them, but Monza is legendary.
“It’s a unique track, with very high speeds and low downforce. The setting in the park of Monza is beautiful: the moment you drive through the gates, you feel all the history of the place coming at you. The tifosi, the Italian fans, add to this combination and create a fantastic vibe.
“Few tracks push the car to the limit as Monza does. There is no margin for error in the braking zones and every mistake costs you time. In terms of set-up, you need to strike a balance between high speed on the straights and downforce in the corners, but the focus is firmly on top speed.
“You also need good traction, to make the most of the long straights. We have been doing well on these sort of tracks, so I expect us to be competitive and fighting for points.”
