Nico Hulkenberg survives investigation, will start second for F1 race
Nico Hulkenberg will start the Austrian GP from second place after a superb performance in Q3, when he was the first driver to go to slick tires on a drying track.
The Force India man finished the session in third, but picked up a place due to a penalty for Nico Rosberg. He then survived an investigation for speeding under yellow flags, with the stewards deciding to take no further action.
Hulkenberg has often shown well in damp qualifying sessions, notably when he took pole for Williams in Brazil in 2010.
“Absolutely, it reminded me a lot about Brazil,” he said. “And I was feeling really good in the car and it was just a flashback to back then. I was feeling really good and to be honest, I was expecting a little bit better, so when he said third… I wasn’t disappointed. A great effort from the team. Not an easy session to be out there at the right time, it’s all about timings. The car performed well, we put it together, so a very solid job and a very good starting position for tomorrow.”
Hulkenberg, who has yet to log an F1 podium, is making no predictions.
“First of all I’m happy and excited about today. Special circumstances obviously with the rain in Q3 and then the drying-up track but for sure starting second is a very good starting position. Tomorrow we’ll do what we can. I’m not thinking too hard about that now.
“We’ll do that in the next couple of hours and tonight and tomorrow but our car has made huge steps forwards since Barcelona really and ever since we’ve scored a lot of points and a few podiums so yeah, we’re on a good slope, we have good momentum and just try to carry it into tomorrow and make it into another good Sunday.”
