Sunday: Just one point for Hülkenberg and Sauber
Nico Hülkenberg had a good start to the race, even taking the lead for a few laps, but the German driver's end of the race wasn't as successful, and he ultimately finished in 10th place, still scoring a point for the Sauber team. On the side of his teammate, Esteban Gutiérrez, things didn't go as well, as the Mexican driver retired after colliding with Sutil after just 5 laps.
Nico Hülkenberg – 10th:
« It was a race with mixed emotions. It was obviously very nice to find myself leading once again and competing against the best teams. I had a good start, and I had some great battles in the early laps. I was able to gain a few positions, but towards the end of the race, we were losing or lacking pace. When you’re in the lead or second, you hope for more than that. Nevertheless, it might not have been the true reflection, as we were battling with those who started on softs. But no matter, it was a great race. I don’t think the two issues encountered in the pits made a difference. »
Esteban Gutiérrez – Abandon:
« First of all, I got a good start and completed a solid first lap. At the point in the race where the accident happened, we had good speed and were able to keep pace with the group ahead. Just before entering the long straight, I had Checo (Sergio Pérez) behind me and we were battling, and I approached the corner too quickly. I braked at the same spot where I usually brake, however, I didn’t anticipate the loss of downforce and the speed I had. I did my best to stop, but I couldn’t manage it. It was clearly my fault, and I apologize to Adrian (Sutil) and his team. It’s not a pleasant feeling to finish a race like that, but we have something encouraging to motivate us to keep pushing. We had good pace and we must continue to move forward. »
N.B.: After the race, Esteban Gutiérrez was deemed responsible for the accident with Adrian Sutil and received a 5-place grid penalty at the next Grand Prix in Bahrain.
