Hulkenberg looks ahead to Bahrain GP

After securing his first points of the season in Australia, Nico Hulkenberg will be aiming for more of the same when F1 moves to Bahrain this weekend.

The German driver says that Bahrain is a track he enjoys, having made his debut here in 2010.

Despite saying how much he enjoys the track, Hulkenberg has an indifferent record in Bahrain, scoring points in only two of his seven previous visits.

Hulkenberg said: “The track itself is quite technical with the natural elements adding a few further challenges, most notably the wind.

“I really enjoy Bahrain as the heat is guaranteed and the atmosphere is always good to experience.

“The Middle East is always hot, and that used to be a major factor when preparing for this race, but it’s not so prevalent these days as we race at night and it’s far cooler at that time.

“Having said that, it makes Free Practice 2 crucial as it’s the session that’s most representative of race conditions, so we’ll be putting a lot of emphasis on that.”

Hulkenberg also says how the sand can affect racing in Bahrain, with practice affected by a sandstorm in 2014.

He said: “We joke about it being in the middle of the desert, but sand is a genuine element we have to consider in our preparation.

“If it’s windy it gets blown onto the track, so it can vary a lot from one session to another.

“You’re always adapting to the grip levels as well as the wind direction, which you need to suss out to get that perfect lap.”