‘Perez is just faster when he has DRS’: How Hulkenberg’s Haas beat a Pink Bull

On the Austrian Grand Prix in June, Nico Hulkenberg pulled off a crafty transfer to make sure he beat Sergio Perez to the end.

The 2 former workforce mates crossed paths once more within the Singapore Grand Prix final weekend. For the second time this 12 months, the Haas driver put one over his Pink Bull rival.

However this conflict was a way more extended affair. Hulkenberg had to take in lap after lap of stress from Perez, who he emerged in entrance of following his sole pit cease, with 32 laps remaining.

“It was very irritating retaining the Pink Bull behind for the entire of the second stint,” admitted Hulkenberg afterwards. Right here’s how he did it.

Nico Hulkenberg’s Singapore Grand Prix radio

Leap to:

“We’ll try to prolong a bit”
“Are we gapping the folks?”
“You’ve got cleared Stroll now”
“He’s going to lose like two seconds with Leclerc”
“Let’s not get undercut”
“I want some stuff, man, come on”
“You’re faster than Perez is in every single place”
“These shitty brakes”
“Perez’s picked up his tempo behind”
“Norris isn’t catching that shortly”
“Good drive”

“We’ll try to prolong a bit”

Having certified sixth, Hulkenberg briefly bought as much as fifth on the expense of Oscar Piastri firstly, however the McLaren driver retook the place at flip seven on the primary lap.

Piastri shortly pulled away, and Hulkenberg quickly had the good thing about clear air forward of him.

Lap: 4/62 HUL: 1’39.510

Hulkenberg
So Alonso behind, proper?

Gannon
Right, Alonso.

Lap: 6/62 HUL: 1’38.903

Gannon
Temps are all good at this lift-and-coast. Floor overheating on the rear is beginning to improve.

Lap: 8/62 HUL: 1’38.821

Gannon
Nico, Colapinto is in 9, Tsunoda 11, in order that they have a spot to us. So we’ll try to prolong a bit, prolong.

Lap: 9/62 HUL: 1’38.404

Hulkenberg
A bit an excessive amount of [front wing] flap now.

Gannon
Okay, understood. Stroll and Kevin are struggling a bit on arduous. So go longer on this one if we will.

“Are we gapping the folks?”

Whereas Hulkenberg had Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc shut behind him, Haas have been extra targeted on making certain he lined off the threats from Sergio Perez and probably Franco Colapinto additional behind.

Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Lap: 11/62 HUL: 1’38.688

Hulkenberg
Brakes sizzling.

Gannon
They’re on the prime of the working vary. Growing lift-and-coast will assist.

Lap: 12/62 HUL: 1’38.887

Gannon
Rear tyre temps have peaked. They’re coming down now. The rear will get higher.

Gannon
It’s all going properly, Nico. We’ll go so long as we will. Good job.

Lap: 15/62 HUL: 1’38.799

Gannon
Nico, watch 13 traction please.

Gannon
Sainz and Albon have boxed already. We’re simply monitoring the gaps behind. However you’re doing good.

Lap: 16/62 HUL: 1’39.054

Gannon
How are the tyres, Nico? How are the tyres?

Hulkenberg
Yeah, they’re steady.

Gannon
All good from our aspect, too. Leclerc is threatening Alonso now. Security Automotive and VSC home windows are open.

Lap: 17/62 HUL: 1’38.771

Gannon
Nico, we nonetheless suppose the arduous is likely to be front-limited, so we’ll nonetheless add a bit [of front wing angle] on the arduous. It should have much less overheating too.

Lap: 18/62 HUL: 1’38.858

Hulkenberg
Okay.

Gannon
How’s the tyre, Nico? Nonetheless okay?

Hulkenberg
Yeah, at this tempo. That is the tempo we will do. Unsure we should always dump some aero stability. Are we gapping the folks?

Lap: 19/62 HUL: 1’39.143

Gannon
Albon retired. So we’re not fearful in regards to the gaps behind proper now.

Gannon
This tempo and deg is nice and we’re clearing the sluggish vehicles.

“You’ve got cleared Stroll now”

Whereas Hulkenberg continued to increase his lead over vehicles additional behind, Alonso misplaced a spot the Leclerc, which meant the Haas driver was now underneath stress from the Ferrari.

Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Lap: 21/62 HUL: 1’39.250

Hulkenberg
I feel perhaps simply go away aero stability as it’s. It’ll decide up.

Gannon
Copy that, Nico. Arduous will probably be extra front-limited, in order that’s good. We’ll go away it.

Lap: 22/62 HUL: 1’39.128

Gannon
We’re near clearing Stroll on the race begin arduous, in order that’s good, tempo is nice.

Lap: 23/62 HUL: 1’39.465

Gannon
Okay, Nico, watch the mixed exit flip eight, flip 13.

Lap: 24/62 HUL: 1’39.268

Gannon
Tempo is excellent and you’ve got cleared Stroll now.

Lap: 25/62 HUL: 1’39.691

Gannon
Leclerc passes AlonsoOkay Leclerc behind now.

“He’s going to lose like two seconds with Leclerc”

Aston Martin responded by bringing Alonso into the pits. As Alonso had ‘undercut’ the Ferrari driver, Hulkenberg identified his rival was prone to find yourself being overtaken by Leclerc once more later within the race, which is able to price him extra time.

Lap: 26/62 HUL: 1’39.569

Gannon
Okay Nico…

Hulkenberg
Did Alonso pit?

Gannon
Alonso boxed, yeah, he boxed. We’re simply monitoring, he’s boxed.

Gannon
Alonso’s going to run into big visitors.

Hulkenberg
Nonetheless suppose [unclear] lap?

Gannon
Yeah. Yeah.

Hulkenberg
Okay. My rears are additionally struggling increasingly, simply FYI.

Gannon
Yeah, copy that, we see it.

Lap: 27/62 HUL: 1’39.773

Gannon
Alonso’s within the group behind Kevin. Kevin’s doing 40.5, so we are going to finally clear Kevin if we will go a couple of extra laps.

Hulkenberg
So he’s going to lose like two seconds with Leclerc when he comes by

Gannon
Yeah understood there. We’ll nonetheless be capable of clear Kevin, we hope.

“Let’s not get undercut”

Hulkenberg made certain his workforce reacted instantly to Perez pitting, which they did, enduring he got here out nonetheless forward of the Pink Bull.

Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Lap: 29/62 HUL: 1’48.550

Gannon
All okay, all okay, nonetheless opening a spot.

Hulkenberg
Shifting behind, who’s that?

Gannon
Colapinto. Comparable tempo.

Hulkenberg
Let’s not get undercut by these guys.

Gannon
Copy that.

Gannon
We’re nonetheless zero on flap, Nico.

Hulkenberg
Yeah. Do you see knowledge? You see what’s happening?

Gannon
Sure, copy that.

Hulkenberg
But when we’re gapping them, are you going to take a seat it out?

Gannon
No, we’re good now. Field now, Nico, field now.

“I want some stuff, man, come on”

As soon as he made his pit cease, Hulkenberg briefly fell behind Gasly, however was simply in a position to move the Alpine.

Lap: 30/62 HUL: 2’01.641

Gannon
Okay. Colapinto boxed as properly. Keep in mind Mode RS. Simply have Gasly to take care of.

Gannon
Gasly shut on exit. Gasly’s sluggish, previous tyre. Perez and Colapinto new tyre behind. Mode F1 when you possibly can.

Hulkenberg
Hulkenberg tries to move Gasly on the skin of flip seven however is pressured wideCome on!

Gannon
Hulkenberg passes Gasly into flip 14Good job, Nico. 32 to go, Nico, deliver it dwelling.

Lap: 31/62 HUL: 1’38.546

Hulkenberg
…Colapinto, what’s going on with Perez’s tyres? I want some stuff, man, come on.

Gannon
New tyre, identical as you, pitted one lap earlier. Colapinto identical lap as you. Within the first stint you have been faster than Perez. Colapinto’s nonetheless behind Gasly.

Lap: 32/62 HUL: 1’38.385

Gannon
Fernando is behind us someplace or what? Fernando eight forward, he pitted like seven laps sooner than you.

“You’re faster than Perez is in every single place”

Though Perez stayed near Hulkenberg within the DRS zones, he seldom appeared fast sufficient to assault the Haas.

Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Lap: 33/62 HUL: 1’37.800

Gannon
You’re faster than Perez is in every single place. He’s solely maintaining when he has DRS.

Lap: 34/62 HUL: 1’38.002

Gannon
Your tempo is nice. You’re faster than Alonso.

Lap: 35/62 HUL: 1’37.470

Gannon
Tyres wanting good. You’re faster than Alonso and Sainz forward. Alonso is six forward, Sainz 9 forward, so that you’re simply closing as much as them.

Lap: 36/62 HUL: 1’37.827

Gannon
At present P9. So Sainz and Alonso will probably be in play on the finish of the race. So we’ll simply maintain going like this.

Gannon
Leclerc is boxing on the arduous, he’ll be shut on the exit.

“These shitty brakes”

Hulkenberg’s largest concern within the second half of the race was the efficiency of his brakes, which he complained about greater than as soon as.

Lap: 38/62 HUL: 1’37.941

Gannon
Brake stability half a p.c rearward. Tyres are wanting good.

Hulkenberg
What’s the delta in tyre age, Alonso and us?

Gannon
Alonso is 5 laps older. 5 laps older.

Lap: 39/62 HUL: 1’37.811

Hulkenberg
Oh man, these shitty brakes now we have. The medium stress brakes.

Gannon
Yeah. Copy that, Nico. Nonetheless superb lap time. Alonso’s doing 38.4.

Lap: 40/62 HUL: 1’37.919

Gannon
22 laps to go on the line. Leclerc overtook Alonso. Alonso 4.2 forward.

Lap: 41/62 HUL: 1’37.994

Gannon
Brake stability half p.c rearward.

Gannon
Press oil pump button.

Lap: 42/62 HUL: 1’37.911

Gannon
Nico, the tyres are wanting good at this tempo, you’re defending them properly. Perez could also be selecting up the tempo. Alonso 38.3 nonetheless closing on him.

Hulkenberg
I don’t agree with the rearwards braking [unclear] the medium brakes. Sliding the rear extra.

Gannon
Copy that Nico, go along with your feeling. That was only for entrance locking, go along with your feeling.

“Perez’s picked up his tempo behind”

Perez made a remaining try to stress Hulkenberg as they caught as much as Alonso forward. Hulkenberg seldom bought shut sufficient to make use of DRS, whereas Perez stayed inside placing distance, but was unable to make a transfer.

Advert | Grow to be a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free

Lap: 44/62 HUL: 1’37.795

Gannon
You possibly can see Perez’s picked up his tempo behind.

Lap: 45/62 HUL: 1’37.714

Hulkenberg
Ah it’s tough in his wake now. Beginning to really feel it.

Gannon
Copy that. Perez has identical grievance behind you.

Lap: 46/62 HUL: 1’37.919

Gannon
The tyres are wanting superb, Nico, superb.

Lap: 47/62 HUL: 1’37.743

Gannon
All temperatures are good. So lift-and-coast simply no matter you want for you.

Lap: 50/62 HUL: 1’38.705

Gannon
Kevin is sluggish with a puncture. Kevin sluggish into 14.

Lap: 54/62 HUL: 1’38.051

Gannon
Eight to go on the line. P9. Good job.

“Norris isn’t catching that shortly”

The Hulkenberg-Perez struggle was disrupted within the closing laps by the leaders coming by to lap them.

Lap: 57/62 HUL: 1’38.109

Gannon
Six to go. Perez may have the blue first.

Gannon
5 to go on the line. Norris blue in a single or two laps.

Lap: 58/62 HUL: 1’38.075

Gannon
4 to go. Norris isn’t catching that shortly.

Lap: 59/62 HUL: 1’37.915

Gannon
Okay, Perez had the blue. So now Norris 2.7 behind, chief, he’ll be a blue subsequent lap.

Gannon
Break stability half a p.c reawward if you’d like for entrance lock.

Lap: 60/62 HUL: 1’40.502

Gannon
Blue flag Norris, blue flag Norris, Perez, three behind Norris.

Gannon
Hulkenberg lets Norris previous between turns seven and eightPerez three behind.

Gannon
It will likely be one lap to go on the line.

Lap: 61/62 HUL: 1’38.723

Gannon
Beginning final lap right here, Perez two behind.

“Good drive”

As soon as that was executed Hulkenberg introduced the automobile dwelling in ninth place. However regardless of his satisfaction in beating a a lot faster Pink Bull, he was disillusioned Alonso had been in a position to beat him dwelling.

Chequered flag

Gannon
Chequered flag Nico, chequered flag, cost on. That’s P9 Nico, excellent drive, good drive.

Gannon
Oh boy. I suppose no person mentioned it was simple. Oh, fuck me. That was arduous to deliver that tyre dwelling.

Gannon
Yeah, wonderful Nico, you have been pulling away from Perez. Nice drive. No Security Vehicles. Unbelievable. So nice job, man, P9.

Hulkenberg
Are you able to give me the rating please?

Gannon
Copy, sorry about that. P1 Norris, two Verstappen, three Piastri, foor Russell, 5 Leclerc, six Hamilton, seven Sainz, eight Alonso, 9 you, 10 Perez, then Colapinto Tsunoda, Ocon, Stroll, Zhou, Bottas, Gasly, RIC and Kevin retired and Albon retired. So no factors for Williams or RB.

Hulkenberg
Yeah, however I suppose, I don’t know, the undercut from Alonso will not be ideally suited. 5 laps in clear air might be potential.

Gannon
Yeah copy that. One Security Automotive would have ruined it. Anyway, your drive was good. Thanks.