Hulkenberg ready for intense Baku race

Nico Hulkenberg says he is prepared for an intense challenge ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Renault driver tied on points with new teammate Daniel Ricciardo after three rounds but the German says the reliability issues the team has suffered from so far in 2019 has prevented both drivers from showing the cars true potential.

"It’s disappointing to retire from two of the three races so far this year, especially as we’ve shown strong pace at each weekend," he said in the team's race preview.

"The car has been feeling good, I’ve been feeling comfortable in the car and there’s certainly potential to score solid points at each race. We have to ensure we have more consistent weekends.

"Baku can be a strange place for results, everything and anything seems to happen there, so we have to be in the best possible position to be in and amongst it."

Hulkenberg also highlighted the challenges facing drivers around the Baku City street circuit, which has been a notorious venue for the past few seasons in Formula 1.

"The long straight is probably the standout section of the whole track. You can get a big tow from other cars there as we saw last year with our early battle with the Red Bulls and, as everyone knows in Baku, anything can happen.

"It’s high-speed and intense there. The middle sector is quite good with some winding, slow-speed corners and close walls on both sides.

"We have to go beyond our comfort level in Baku because the cars have low downforce settings, and that’s both a challenge and a thrill at the same time. The slightest mistake there can have a big impact."