‘Perez is only quicker when he has DRS’: How Hulkenberg’s Haas beat a Red Bull

At the Austrian Grand Prix in June, Nico Hulkenberg pulled off a cunning move to ensure he beat Sergio Perez to the finish.

The two former team mates crossed paths again in the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend. For the second time this year, the Haas driver put one over his Red Bull rival.

But this clash was a much more prolonged affair. Hulkenberg had to soak up lap after lap of pressure from Perez, who he emerged in front of following his sole pit stop, with 32 laps remaining.

“It was very stressful keeping the Red Bull behind for the whole of the second stint,” admitted Hulkenberg afterwards. Here’s how he did it.

Nico Hulkenberg’s Singapore Grand Prix radio

Jump to:

“We’ll try and extend a bit”
“Are we gapping the people?”
“You have cleared Stroll now”
“He’s going to lose like two seconds with Leclerc”
“Let’s not get undercut”
“I need some stuff, man, come on”
“You’re quicker than Perez is everywhere”
“Those shitty brakes”
“Perez’s picked up his pace behind”
“Norris isn’t catching that quickly”
“Perfect drive”

“We’ll try and extend a bit”

Having qualified sixth, Hulkenberg briefly got up to fifth at the expense of Oscar Piastri at the start, but the McLaren driver retook the position at turn seven on the first lap.

Piastri quickly pulled away, and Hulkenberg soon had the benefit of clear air ahead of him.

“Are we gapping the people?”

While Hulkenberg had Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc close behind him, Haas were more focused on ensuring he covered off the threats from Sergio Perez and potentially Franco Colapinto further behind.

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