Brendon Hartley was content with his performance in the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring as he claimed only his second points finish of the season on Sunday.
The Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda driver finished tenth, while team-mate Pierre Gasly finished fourteenth.
Scoring a limited number of points so far this season, Hartley has been under pressure by the team to perform. This has become all the more paramount as contract negotiations for next season and potentially beyond are now underway.
He also had battles with teams in the midfield during the race, with a battle with one of the Williams Martini Racing drivers costing him time early on.
“I lost some time behind the Williams at the beginning but I had some fun battles out there,” said Hartley. “We definitely had good pace on the harder compound tyre, but I struggled at the end when I moved on to the Ultrasoft.
“I was disappointed to lose a place to [Romain] Grosjean but he had a lot more pace than me.”
He also praised the team’s strategy calls and clear communication during the changeable conditions.
“The team and myself had great communication during the changing conditions and in the end it paid off,” he said. “I kept it clean and we made the right call to brave it and stay out when the rain came.”
The twenty-eight-year old performed well in the wet, while pole sitter and favourite for the win, Scuderia Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel crashed out at the hairpin when the rear axle of his car locked, sending him into the barrier. This provided opportunities for the rest of the field.
The New Zealander has also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he did for six years, and he was able to call on this experience to help him make the decision to stay out on slick tyres.
“I also used some of my experience from endurance racing to help make the call, so I’m really happy with the race I did and to bring home one point.”
