Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) knows Sepang: “It’s worth paying attention to the details”

What are Audi’s chances of scoring points at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang? We’ll all probably have to get used to the name, but on Sunday the Bahrain Grand Prix will take place in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur. Originally scheduled for April, the Grand Prix was cancelled in the spring – and is now being rescheduled to take place in Malaysia. Formula 1 raced regularly at Sepang until 2017. This means that experienced drivers like Nico Hülkenberg know the circuit well. The many young drivers, such as Gabriel Bortoleto, do not, however. How is the German Audi team – which, under its current name and with its own-manufactured engine, has never raced in Malaysia – approaching this?

Audi racing director Allan McNish: “Sepang will be a completely new challenge for us as a team. It will be exciting to see how the weekend unfolds.” Last week in Azerbaijan, Audi had all sorts of upgrades on the car, but these had not yet delivered the desired results.

Will Sepang allow the upgrades to shine through better?

McNish: “Baku was another step forward for us: we were on the verge of scoring points and once again put in a good performance with quick pit stops and solid teamwork. We’re all keen to see how our package performs on a more traditional circuit layout, which should allow the benefits of our upgrades to shine through more clearly.” The circuit in Baku was, after all, a tricky street circuit.

Despite the long full-throttle straights, McNish is confident about the characteristics of the Sepang International Circuit. The Scot said: “We expect this circuit to suit us better. So our aim is to put ourselves in a stronger position and fight for points, having narrowly missed out on them last weekend.” Nico Hülkenberg had narrowly missed out on 10th place in Baku, finishing 11th as a result.

Nico Hülkenberg 2017 in Sepang, damals für Renault

Foto: XPB

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Speaking of Hülkenberg – how does the German driver view Sepang’s last-minute return to the racing calendar? Hülkenberg is one of just ten out of the 22 drivers in the current field who have raced at Sepang before.

Technical sections!

Hülkenberg: “It’s not a circuit that thrives on big, spectacular corners, but there are a few sections that are quite technical and where it’s worth paying attention to the details. On top of that, there’s the heat and the humidity. That always makes for an interesting challenge.”

Bortoleto is new to the circuit

For Hülkenberg’s team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto, this is his first time at Sepang. Ahead of the race, the Brazilian says: “The circuit is new to me, and it will be important to make the most of the practice sessions to learn everything about the track. But I’m looking forward to racing there. In the last few races we’ve been close to the points, so I hope we can take another step in the right direction and be right up there at the front again.”