Nico Hulkenberg missed out on Q3 in the qualifying session for the Formula 1 Japanese GP and will start in P13, after a session marked by minimal differences between the drivers. The German highlighted that details made the difference and believes in chances to move forward during the race on Sunday.
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With the grid tight, the result leaves the German driver close to the fight for a place in the top ten. Hulkenberg assesses that the car’s performance was competitive, which increases expectations for the race: “In the qualifying session, the grid is always very tight and today was no different, the margins are very small,” he stated.
The Audi driver explained that the lack of clean laps in Q2 ended up compromising the chance to advance: “On my side, Q2 wasn’t clean in both attempts, so we stayed out of Q3,” he said.
Despite this, the German showed satisfaction with the car’s behavior throughout the session: “The car felt decent and I think we are in the mix.” The positive assessment reinforces the confidence that the pace can allow for a recovery during the race.
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According to Hulkenberg, the expectation is for a direct battle with several teams close in performance: “It looks like we will be fighting in the region near the top 10 with some other teams, so it should be an interesting race,” he added.
The German also highlighted that a good execution in the race will be decisive for gaining positions: “The goal now is to keep everything clean, execute well and try to move forward tomorrow,” he completed.
With this, Hulkenberg enters the race betting on consistency and the proximity between the cars to seek positions. Starting in P13, the German driver believes that a solid performance can put him in the fight for points in the Japanese GP.
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