Nico Hulkenberg wasn't able to produce any magic on his most recent return to Formula 1. The 33-year-old German had to step into Lance Stroll's Racing Point without any preparation and was clearly still trying to find the limits. However, there was no time for that and so he has to start from the back row on Sunday afternoon.
Hulkenberg had a lock-up in his fast lap and after two green sectors, a yellow sector followed. 20th place was the result. Stroll's replacement was four-tenths short to make it to Q2. Sergio Perez was nine-tenths faster in the first qualifying session.
“It's even wilder and crazier than last time,” says Hülkenberg after qualifying. “I was in Cologne, about an hour away. I would be here this afternoon, because I would do some television stuff with RTL tomorrow. ”
“I was having coffee with a friend at eleven and then I saw Otmar calling me. He said, 'Hulkenberg, hurry! We need you here!' And the rest is history," says Hülkenberg. “It will be quite a challenge tomorrow. We're going to do what we can. We will just race tomorrow. ”