"The task ahead is massive" - Nico Hulkenberg on preparing for the 2022 F1 Saudi Arabian GP

Aston Martin reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg is impressed with the Jeddah Corniche circuit in Saudi Arabia. The German, who will be substituting for fellow countryman Sebastian Vettel for the second weekend in a row, believes he has a huge task ahead of him this weekend.

Speaking at the FIA drivers' conference ahead of the 2022 Saudi Arabian GP, the German said:

“The task ahead is massive, it’s a serious track, it is very intense, it is super fast and flowing. Definitely spectacular, I’ve just experienced it on the simulator on Tuesday. So it’s a benefit at least, not having to start completely from plane zero. Definitely respect for the track and what’s ahead.”

The German performed exceptionally well in qualifying in Bahrain but was unable to translate to the same performance in the race due to technical issues. Reviewing the Saudi Arabian circuit, Hulkenberg revealed that he has simulated the circuit virtually and is impressed with the superfluous and high-speed characteristics of the circuit.

Shedding light on the task ahead in the new F1 cars, Nico Hulkenberg said:

“I think everyone’s learning curve is very steep with these new cars, and there’s lots to learn and will continue forward for the months to come. Personally, obviously, it was really a big one. The weekend went well, and the race was fun but difficult at the same time.”

Having been out of an F1 cockpit since 2020, the Emmerich-born driver had a difficult maiden weekend adjusting to the new 2022 cars. The former Force India driver, however, believes that the new cars are a learning curve for everyone, including himself. Despite the difficulties in Bahrain, the Aston Martin substitute was content with his maiden 2022 performance.

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Nico Hulkenberg believes he had a lot of catching up to do in his maiden F1 weekend

The Aston Martin reserve driver believes there were several areas where he had to catch up after not having driven an F1 car for two years. Referring to the constant changes in the sport, especially in race conditions, the German driver revealed he had a lot to adapt to.

Describing his F1 outing after a long hiatus, Nico Hulkenberg said:

“You know if you haven’t raced in a few years, there are just so many things that happen during a race that change constantly. So to keep up with all that was tough and tricky. I was also dealing with the car issues that we have per se. But I think I did pretty well.”

The German driver outpaced teammate Lance Stroll in the qualifying session by three-tenths of a second, and his racing performance was applauded by many TV pundits. According to fellow German Ralf Schumacher, Nico Hulkenberg has done a fabulous job since returning to the sport in an era with different cars.