Nico Hulkenberg once again missed out on the points paying positions, securing an eleventh-place finish at the United States Grand Prix. This marks the fifth time this season that the veteran German driver has narrowly missed the top ten for the Audi team, following an encouraging weekend at the previous round in Singapore where he successfully scored points in both the Sprint and main race.
Starting from eleventh on the grid, Hulkenberg encountered an immediate technical hurdle just moments after the red lights went out. His car briefly engaged its anti-stall mode a few meters into the launch, a strange anomaly that instantly compromised his ability to fight inside the points from the very beginning.
“Unfortunately we lost ground at the start, when the car briefly entered ‘anti-stall’ mode; it was a strange episode, because it happened a few meters after the launch, not immediately at the start,” Hulkenberg explained, detailing the unusual sensation and noise that hampered his initial getaway.
The 39-year-old emphasized that the team will need to thoroughly analyze the data to understand the root cause of the glitch. Losing those vital positions early on made the rest of the afternoon an uphill battle, despite the car showcasing a race pace comparable to direct midfield rivals such as the Racing Bulls squad.
“From that moment on, I believe we did everything possible. Our pace was similar to the cars around us, especially the Racing Bulls, but once you find yourself chasing, it is hard to recover,” he added, highlighting the extreme competitiveness packed within the F1 midfield group.
On the other side of the garage, teammate Gabriel Bortoleto put in a commendable recovery drive after being forced to start from the back of the grid due to multiple power unit component changes, ultimately fighting his way up to a solid thirteenth place.
“Overall it was a good race; the car behaved well and the pace was there. I made several overtakes, always cleanly, and I enjoyed battling in the pack, giving my all,” Bortoleto concluded, taking plenty of positive momentum heading into the upcoming race weekend in Mexico.
Read Also
Simak analisis lengkap driver ratings F1 GP Amerika Serikat 2026 di sini. Dari performa sempurna Kimi Antonelli hingga rapor merah George Russell.
Simak analisis lengkap masalah set-up Ferrari SF-26 Lewis Hamilton di F1 GP Austin 2026. Baca detail teknis dan evaluasi performa di sini.
Oliver Bearman sebut penalti 10 detik di GP Amerika Serikat 2026 sebagai keputusan gila. Baca analisis mendalam dan kronologi insiden selengkapnya.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!