Nico Hulkenberg opens up on keeping Sergio Perez at bay in Singapore GP
Nico Hulkenberg believes that the Marina Bay Street circuit's layout made it easier to fend off Sergio Perez in the 2024 Singapore GP. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, after the race, the Haas driver noted that the limited overtaking opportunities on the track allowed him to keep the Red Bull driver and Fernando Alonso at bay without feeling much pressure.
Starting from sixth on the grid, Hulkenberg finished ninth, successfully holding Perez in his rearview mirror until the chequered flag. Perez, who had started 13th, struggled to pass the Haas driver and ultimately finished tenth. While Alonso also applied pressure during the race, the Spanish driver was only able to undercut Hulkenberg through pit strategy. The German driver felt that maintaining clean laps in the final stint secured his points finish.
When asked by Sportskeeda how he managed to keep the Red Bull car behind him at bay, Hulkenberg said:
“Did you doubt it or what?”
Further explaining the pressure from Alonso and Perez during the race, he said:
“Yeah I did. Did for Oscar too, didn’t I . Yeah, I mean, yeah. It's tough to overtake, obviously with these cars when you get close now. And the braking zones are so, yeah, small. We brake so late. Very difficult to overtake here. But yeah, difficult second stint under a lot of pressure from him. Not that we were racing, but you know, just had to stay clean and then kind of, you know, Fernando, we were catching him or he was dropping back. However, you know, then started to feel his dirty air and that made life even harder for me with him also pushing on from behind. But yeah, obviously managed to get it home somehow and we're pleased about that.”
Nico Hulkenberg is confident Haas can overtake RB for sixth place in the standings
Nico Hulkenberg believes Haas is well-positioned to overtake Visa Cashapp RB in the championship standings over the next six races. Currently, the Red Bull junior team sits just three points ahead of the American squad, but they have struggled to score points since the summer break. Despite Yuki Tsunoda starting eighth on the grid, he failed to convert it into a points finish, ultimately slipping to twelfth. Hulkenberg remains optimistic about Haas’ chances of closing the gap as the season progresses.
When asked by Sportskeeda if he was confident that Haas could overtake RB in the constructors' standings, Hulkenberg said:
“That's the plan. I think everyone in the team firmly believes that we can challenge and fight them. Obviously it's good. We scored a point last week and should have scored more. And now again, we have six races to go, right? It's all to to play for obviously they're not gonna hand it to us they'll try to obviously fight back. But it's just a race till the end but I think we, we have good momentum. Obviously now there's a bit of a break but the next triple header I really look forward to some of my, it's actually probably my favorite time of the season.”
RB also dominated headlines over the weekend, with growing speculation surrounding Daniel Ricciardo’s future. It is rumored that the Faenza-based team might replace the Australian with Liam Lawson for the remainder of the 2024 season.
While both Red Bull Racing and RB have stated that no decision has been made, a midseason driver switch could shift momentum within the team. Haas is in a strong position to capitalize with six races left on the calendar, including two sprint weekends.
As the US GP approaches—one of their home races—Haas is expected to bring more upgrades to counter their rivals, positioning them well to challenge RB.