Tuesday, December 24, 2024

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

On the Austrian Grand Prix in June, Nico Hulkenberg pulled off a crafty transfer to guarantee 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 Crimson Bull rival.

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

“It was very worrying preserving the Crimson 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 attempt to prolong a bit”
“Are we gapping the individuals?”
“You could have 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 all places”
“These shitty brakes”
“Perez’s picked up his tempo behind”
“Norris isn’t catching that rapidly”
“Good drive”

“We’ll attempt to prolong a bit”

Start, Singapore, 2024
Hulkenberg briefly handed Piastri firstly, then dropped behind the McLaren

Having certified sixth, Hulkenberg briefly obtained 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 rapidly 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 Appropriate, 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 niche to us. So we’ll attempt 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 exhausting. So go longer on this one if we are able to.

“Are we gapping the individuals?”

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, Singapore, 2024
Hulkenberg confronted a number of threats from behind after the beginning

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 doubtlessly Franco Colapinto additional behind.

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Lap: 11/62 HUL: 1’38.688
Hulkenberg Brakes scorching.
Gannon They’re on the high of the working vary. Rising 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 effectively, Nico. We’ll go so long as we are able to. 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 facet, too. Leclerc is threatening Alonso now. Security Automobile and VSC home windows are open.
Lap: 17/62 HUL: 1’38.771
Gannon Nico, we nonetheless assume the exhausting may be front-limited, so we’ll nonetheless add a bit [of front wing angle] on the exhausting. It can 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 are able to do. Undecided we must always dump some aero stability. Are we gapping the individuals?
Lap: 19/62 HUL: 1’39.143
Gannon Albon retired. So we’re not fearful concerning the gaps behind proper now.
Gannon This tempo and deg is nice and we’re clearing the sluggish automobiles.

“You could have cleared Stroll now”

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

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Lap: 21/62 HUL: 1’39.250
Hulkenberg I believe perhaps simply go away aero stability as it’s. It’ll choose up.
Gannon Copy that, Nico. Onerous can 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 exhausting, 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 superb and you’ve got cleared Stroll now.
Lap: 25/62 HUL: 1’39.691
Gannon Leclerc passes Alonso
Okay 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 can 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 assume [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’ll finally clear Kevin if we are able to go a couple of extra laps.
Hulkenberg So he’s going to lose like two seconds with Leclerc when he comes via
Gannon Yeah understood there. We’ll nonetheless have the ability to 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 Crimson Bull.

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Lap: 29/62 HUL: 1’48.550
Gannon All okay, all okay, nonetheless opening a niche.
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”

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, Singapore, 2024
Hulkenberg urged his workforce to maintain him within the image after his pit cease

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 effectively. Keep in mind Mode RS. Simply have Gasly to cope with.
Gannon Gasly shut on exit. Gasly’s sluggish, previous tyre. Perez and Colapinto new tyre behind. Mode F1 when you may.
Hulkenberg Hulkenberg tries to move Gasly on the skin of flip seven however is compelled broad
Come on!
Gannon Hulkenberg passes Gasly into flip 14
Good job, Nico. 32 to go, Nico, convey it dwelling.
Lap: 31/62 HUL: 1’38.546
Hulkenberg …Colapinto, you already know 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 all places”

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, Singapore, 2024
Haas instructed Hulkenberg he had little to fret about with Perez

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

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Lap: 33/62 HUL: 1’37.800
Gannon You’re faster than Perez is in all places. 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 trying 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 the moment P9. So Sainz and Alonso can be in play on the finish of the race. So we’ll simply preserve going like this.
Gannon Leclerc is boxing on the exhausting, 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 % rearward. Tyres are trying 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 strain 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 % rearward.
Gannon Press oil pump button.
Lap: 42/62 HUL: 1’37.911
Gannon Nico, the tyres are trying good at this tempo, you’re defending them effectively. Perez could also be choosing 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 last try to strain Hulkenberg as they caught as much as Alonso forward. Hulkenberg seldom obtained shut sufficient to make use of DRS, whereas Perez stayed inside hanging distance, but was unable to make a transfer.

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Lap: 44/62 HUL: 1’37.795
Gannon You’ll be able to 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 criticism behind you.
Lap: 46/62 HUL: 1’37.919
Gannon The tyres are trying 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 rapidly”

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, Singapore, 2024
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, Singapore, 2024

The Hulkenberg-Perez combat 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 rapidly.
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 % 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 eight
Perez three behind.
Gannon It is going to 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”

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas, Singapore, 2024
Hulkenberg earned a helpful ninth for Haas

As soon as that was performed Hulkenberg introduced the automobile dwelling in ninth place. However regardless of his satisfaction in beating a a lot faster Crimson Bull, he was dissatisfied 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 assume no person stated it was straightforward. Oh, fuck me. That was exhausting to convey 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 assume, I don’t know, the undercut from Alonso is just not best. 5 laps in clear air might be doable.
Gannon Yeah copy that. One Security Automobile would have ruined it. Anyway, your drive was good. Thanks.

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