Hülkenberg’s Intelligence: How He Held off Russell in Singapore

Nico Hülkenberg has demonstrated why he is one of the most experienced and respected drivers on the grid. The German from Audi delivered an outstanding weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix, scoring in both Saturday's Sprint race and Sunday's Grand Prix. A double result that represents the biggest haul of the season for the German team, powered by Hülkenberg's tactical intelligence.

Audi marked the Marina Bay circuit in red on its calendar; despite its power deficit, the R26 has proven to be one of the best midfield chassis, partially compensating for its shortcomings on circuits where power is key. Singapore, with its slow corners and relatively short straights, suited the German car; however, the high temperatures and humidity were an unknown that worried the team.

Hülkenberg's key to success was his ability to gain positions in the first laps; in the Sprint on a wet track, he overtook two rivals on the outside of turn 5. In the main race, he overtook Arvid Lindblad at the start and attacked Pierre Gasly at turn 3, a crucial maneuver because both were on medium tires: "It was a really positive weekend for him, not necessarily just because of today but because of the way he got the results in the Sprint qualifying, in the Sprint race and then in the main race. He demonstrated all his experience, and I would say also his intelligence in the race," declared Allan McNish, Audi competition director.

The defense against George Russell in the last laps was the icing on the cake. The Briton, with a clearly faster Mercedes, tried to overtake Hülkenberg on several occasions, especially in the braking for turn 7, but the German always managed to exit the slow sections with just enough advantage to defend the inside, depriving Russell of the space needed to attempt a creative maneuver: "In the final phase, he had to deal for about ten laps with George Russell, who was clearly faster; however, he managed to be fast at the key points of the circuit and defend himself effectively without overdoing it, I think he managed the situation with great intelligence," McNish added.

Hülkenberg also showed his cunning in managing electrical energy, sacrificing speed in certain corners to use the extra boost on the straights. This helped him indirectly to close the gap with Liam Lawson, who ended up providing him with a slipstream that further favored his defense against Russell: "At first I didn't believe it was possible to keep Russell behind, but then I found a better pace and managed to get closer to Liam. I also benefited from a kind of indirect slipstream which helped us a lot on the straight and allowed us to gain some top speed," the German explained. Hülkenberg's performance in Singapore shows how experience and intelligence can compensate for a car's technical limitations, leaving Audi with reasons for optimism ahead of the season's final races.