Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg play down their F1 Azerbaijan GP contact, as they rue lack of pace and DRS train for missing out on any chance of points.
Eventually the Lap 1 hit didn’t affect either of their races as much. Neither it ruined, nor it made it any better in F1 Azerbaijan GP in Baku. Sauber’s Hulkenberg had the inside line in Turn 5 exit when Haas’ Ocon came around on the outside just behind teammate Oliver Bearman.
But the barrier hurt Ocon who had to turn in further which led to a wheel-to-wheel contact with Hulkenberg. Fortunately, both managed to continue without any major dramas and it was deemed racing incident. The little incident didn’t hurt them overall in the grand prix.
It was lack of pace for both Ocon and Hulkenberg, which resulted in no points. “Luckily for both of us, there was not much damage, it was just really the wheel that contacted, that was better,” said the Frenchman to the media. “Anyway, we didn’t get much after that in the race. Yeah, tried to cycle the tyres, need to discuss with the team, it was not really the plan like that.
“We will understand in the office a bit more, what let to that. Obviously, it was very difficult at the end, even though the deg is quite low, I still couldn’t keep up with the others with fresher tyres. So, it was a tricky race but it has been a tricky all weekend, lot of things to review and hopefully we can come stronger in Singapore. There are lot more corners, lot less straights, so that this would be better for us,” summed up Ocon.
For Hulkenberg, he was stuck behind couple of cars which made his lift difficult further. “It [incident] wasn’t difficult,” he said to media. “Touching cars isn’t difficult, it is easiest part of all, actually. Well, it was just the sequence all that happened, not a great Lap 1, just seemed to be always in the wrong point in losing out. Yeah, yeah, it was just wheel to wheel, nothing much.
“The re-start was actually a double overtake in Turn 3, that felt nice. That was probably highlight of the race and then a long stint behind Franco and Lance. It is just so difficult to follow with the speed these cars, it is like someone has taken the rear wing of the car.
“So, it was touch, couldn’t get Lance and then obviously lost a lot of time there as the pace wasn’t that great there. So, yeah, the damage was done in qualifying starting too far back. But yeah, we were not the strongest this weekend, in Zandvoort we didn’t have pace and merit, need to do something,” summed up Hulkenberg.
Here’s news on Romain Grosjean getting a TPC outing with Haas: https://www.haasf1team.com/news/romain-grosjean-f1-return-mugello-moneygram-haas-f1-team