Nico Hülkenberg
Nico Hülkenberg left Mexico with a solitary point after his rise from twelfth on the grid. Now, Austin awaits this weekend, a circuit the German enjoys, as he targets a stronger haul of points.
What do you like about the US Grand Prix?
Austin has a really cool vibe, so it’s always fun going to Texas for this race. It’s a great event, always a lot going on, so it’s enjoyable for us drivers, the team and also the fans. I like food, and the United States is very good for that; steaks, burgers, all the cheat things. It’s a quick turnaround from Mexico but it’s quite nice to keep in this rhythm and get straight back to racing.
What’s the circuit like to drive?
In terms of the circuit, it’s one of the more challenging and fun ones for a driver. You could say it has similarities to places like Silverstone or Suzuka; ultimate driving tracks where there are fast changes of direction, brave corners and little room for error. It’s a very well-designed circuit. It has a great flow to it where you have to get into a rhythm. It flows at high-speed and that’s what I love in a modern Formula 1 car. Balance is important and it’s about finding a compromise between the medium to high speed corners and also the two long straights. We enjoyed a great team result there last year, it was a very memorable weekend, which we’re keen to repeat.
What are your thoughts after the last race?
Clearly, it was a pity not to have scored more points and that was down to a number of factors. Thinking of the positives, we turned around our qualifying result into points and the team showed great spirit throughout the weekend with everything going on. I enjoy racing in Austin, my mindset is on doing a good job and there’s no reason why we can’t do that.
Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo heads to Austin on the back of a solid eighth place in Mexico after progressing from thirteenth on the grid. With a love for American life, Daniel is in the mood to collect more points in Texas.
Why do you love the US Grand Prix?
I love the USA and the city of Austin. I spend a lot of time in Los Angeles and I really enjoy the American vibe. Austin is one of the highlights of the year, for me. The racing spectacle is great, the atmosphere in the paddock, and in Austin itself, is always good, so that makes it a very fun one to attend. This year, it’s really exciting to be taking part in the Los Angeles Fan Festival on Hollywood Boulevard. Driving a Formula 1 car there will be seriously cool, so I’m looking forward to putting on a show and doing some donuts there!
How much do you enjoy the Circuit of the Americas?
The Circuit of the Americas is one of the best circuits we go to on the calendar. I like that it’s fast and brings some cool challenges especially the right, left, right in sector one, snaking up the hill. There are also overtaking opportunities throughout, so plenty of scope to send one on race day. We missed out on Checo [Sergio Perez] in Mexico, so there’s extra motivation to make them stick this weekend. The flowing nature also allows close battles and that’s why it’s always a fun race.
What’s the mood heading into this race weekend?
Mexico was a fun race for us. We did well to make the Hard tyre last on our first stint and that put us in really good stead to work our way through the order. Seventh was there to take, that got away, but we’ll be aiming for more this weekend in Austin. It’s important we keep the positivity within the team and the results will follow. We’re moving forward with all eyes on some Texan success. Let’s go, ya’ll!