Nico Hulkenberg has explained how he avoided a massive crash with his Audi Formula 1 teammate Gabriel Bortoleto at the Dutch Grand Prix. The incident occurred on the opening lap at Zandvoort, when Bortoleto spun in front of him at the final banked corner in damp conditions.
Bortoleto completed a 360-degree spin and ended up briefly stationary in the middle of the track. Hulkenberg was directly behind his teammate but was able to avoid a T-bone collision with a last-gasp swerve. The German said he reacted instinctively to avoid the direct hit.
“It was scary, sketchy. You’re a passenger,” Hulkenberg said. “I tried to react as late as possible and then just instinctively chose a side. Obviously I was waiting to see if he was going to slide up or down, on a wet track it's sketchy and difficult. Luckily we managed to avoid that.”
Bortoleto suggested he was caught out after reacting to Max Verstappen’s huge crash ahead of him. “I just saw big smoke coming out,” he explained. “I think it was Max that crashed and then I maybe made a small reaction on the steering. But I just felt something and then I also lost the car. I did a 360, came back.”
Despite the near-miss, Hulkenberg went on to score four points for Audi by finishing eighth, while Bortoleto ended up 13th. This marked the fourth consecutive race in which Audi has scored points, a significant boost for the team’s morale and championship position.
“Super important for the team and the championship, but for the mood, it gives everyone a lift,” Hulkenberg said. “It confirms the work that we've put in, that we're in the right direction. Very pleased about it, also for me personally, it wasn't the easiest weekend Saturday and Friday. Feels very nice and sweet to come away with something at the end and on a good note.”
The German manufacturer remains eighth in the constructors’ championship but has now pulled five points clear of Williams and closed to within five points of seventh-placed Haas. This consistent performance is crucial for Audi as they aim to climb the standings in the remaining races.
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