Nico Hulkenberg classified the Saturday session as one of the most difficult of his career. The Sauber driver finished 11th in the qualifying session for the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix and came very close to advancing to Q3, but a mistake in the final turn ultimately compromised his decisive lap.
“It was one of the most challenging qualifying sessions I’ve ever experienced, especially in Q1, with incredibly low grip conditions,” he stated. He highlighted that the Las Vegas circuit is already naturally complicated: “Vegas is already difficult in itself, with its low aerodynamic pressure setting and slippery asphalt, and when the rain came, everything became even more unpredictable.”
Despite this, Hulkenberg evaluated that the team conducted the work well throughout the session: “I think we managed well overall, but Q3 slipped through our fingers right at the end. I had a problem in the final turn on my final lap and lost some time, which was frustrating because it would have been tight,” he added.
The Sauber driver, however, made a point to highlight the positive side of the performance in the rain: “Still, without making major mistakes, we kept everything clean and that was important today,” the German concluded.
