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Re: Nico Hülkemberg
Hulkenberg scores the double in New Zealand
Racing series A1GPDate 2007-01-21
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Team Germany's ace continues to rack up the points in the second season of the A1 Grand Prix. Nico Hulkenberg landed a double victory today on the new Taupo Motorsport Park circuit in New Zealand. Team Germany's lead in the 2006/07 World Cup of Motorsport has been expanded to 65 points.
"At the beginning I had a bit of a problem with my car and Loic (Duval) was putting me under pressure," said Hulkenberg. "But then it got better and better and now I am happy. We have to put a lot of fuel in for the main race so we always have to change some little things."
The team from Germany, with team manager Willi Weber, is looking to copy what Team France did in the inaugural A1 GP season by landing points early and shutting the door before the season finale in April at Brands Hatch.
The first step was to tag a hot-shoe, which even though only 19 years of age, Hulkenberg handles the pressure and challenges like a veteran open-wheel racer. The German worked his way from karting to Formula BMW program in Germany in 2005 -- he earned the German championship and top rookie -- last year, the young ace moved to the German Formula 3 series.
Starting from his first pole position in the sixth round after a Winter break, Hulkenberg led the field from start to finish over the 14 lap Sprint race on the 2.17-mile road course. His finish put him on the Feature race pole.
Second in the Sprint race was a fierce battle that toward the end saw Jonny Reid and Loic Duval boxing it out for second. The French rookie Duval won the right to start on the front row for the second time in his career with Team France. Duval joined the team in Indonesia as their rookie and in only his second appearance, he was second on the Sprint race starting grid in his first qualifying attempt.
"I made a good start and Nico was a little bit earlier on the throttle so I was second. I was a little bit faster than him but it was difficult to overtake him. It would have been stupid to take a risk in this race so that is why I was second and that is okay for me," commented Duval.
In his short career with the French team, he has already landed a podium finish and needed points and yet his aspirations for the second race were quite high. "I think I can perhaps catch Nico in the next race, we will see," he said. "It will be a long race with pit stops. I think we have a good car and for the second one for sure I will stay near him and if I can overtake I will try."
The Kiwi did give the local fans a first-class show when he battled with Duval. Reid landed the final podium step in the first race today. "I will take that third. It was tough work out there," said Reid. "I think I may be able to catch these guys in the next race why not. The car was reasonable and there is a small change we can make that I know will make it go quicker. It wasn't perfect but I am sure we can get it right for the main race."
Jeroen Bleekemolen for The Netherlands team was fourth followed by Sebastien Buemi for Team Switzerland. Team Canada's James Hinchcliffe was sixth with Alan Van Der Merwe for Team South Africa in seventh.
Racing for Team Great Britain, Robbie Kerr was eight with Italy's Enrico Toccacelo and India's Narain Karthikeyan rounding out the top ten.
The 50-lap Feature race was next on the agenda, one that includes a mandatory pit stop, and it read nearly the same leaderboard as the Sprint race.
Except for two teams who needed to continue to build points for the opportunity to win the title. Both Team Great Britain (second after the fifth round) and Team Mexico (first after round three) had mechanical problems. Salvador Duran ended up with brake problems and Robbie Kerr, after front wing damage in the Sprint race, had a electrical related failure in the Feature race.
For Great Britain it was a disaster weekend, they left without any points and slipped to fourth overall while others celebrate their first points, like Team India did today.
Hulkenberg earned the Feature race victory -- his first career A1 GP double -- he nows holds three Feature wins and one Sprint victory. It was not easy, with Duval looking for a place to pass and Reid, who landed a double in Indonesia in December.
When the Team France driver and New Zealand's Reid in a tight fight with Swiss racer Buemi and Dutch driver Bleekemolen, Hulkenberg was able to pull out an edge.
"I got into my rhythm, I was able to find my pace and I could make a little gap between us. My manager was a little bit sick this week and I think I have caught something off him but I am all right," said Hulkenberg. "I drank a lot, about four litres before the race and I am okay."
After a great pit stop by his Team Germany crew, the teenager was able to extend his margin over the rest of the field. "I want to say a big thank you to the team as we had a good strategy and a great pit stop. I am so pleased to be here and to have won the race and I am really looking forward to Australia now," expressed the German who crossed the line in first 19.511 seconds in front of Duval.
For Duval, this was a great first experience of driving these high-speed machines. Team France has moved to second overall in the standings with 46 points, the team still needs more wins and bonus points as they are 19 points out of the top spot as they continue to defend the first A1 GP championship that they earned last season.
"At the end it was not so bad unfortunately I was not first but for my first experience in A1GP I think it was quite good," commented Duval. "I am fine with the team and happy to be in this series so I hope the next race will be better."
Reid was unable to get pass the rookie Duval, but with two third place positions, Team New Zealand is only three points adrift of France in the standings. Plus the team earned bragging rights as the first team to land any podium spot in their home event.
"Everyone has done a fantastic job. Credit to everyone in A1 Team New Zealand, A1GP, the Government everyone who has put this event together," said Reid who added, "I put the pressure on but there were no mistakes made by the French team. Loic did a very good job under pressure and credit to him. That was a tough race for us all and I am happy with third place."
Buemi and Bleekemolen traded positions from the Sprint race finish. Team Switzerland edged out Team Netherlands. Hinchcliffe repeated his Sprint race finish with a sixth in the Feature race for Team Canada.
Karthikeyan came in as a rookie for Team India and moved from 10th in the first race to seventh in the Feature one, giving the team their first points in the World Cup of Motorsport.
Toccacelo was up with the early top runners but a penalty was assessed to the Italian, costing Team Italy a higher finish. With an eighth place finish by Italy, Chinese racer Ho-Pin Tung followed across the line to score ninth for Team China. Newly named to the American team, Ryan Hunter-Reay came home tenth for Team USA.
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