Nico Hülkenberg: Haas will “fight against everyone” to keep P6 at Singapore F1 GP

Nico Hulkenberg said Haas will “try to hold off everyone” at Sunday’s Singapore Formula One Grand Prix after qualifying an excellent sixth place.

The German veteran overcame the challenges the American team faced in practice and was the best-placed Ferrari car on the third row of the grid. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished ninth and tenth, with the latter crashing and bringing out the red flag.

Hülkenberg said his run was “very smooth” and he had “a good feeling in the car”. He added: “Of course the two red cars had problems, that's why it's P6 and not P8, but still, even P8 and fifth fastest team, we're happy with it because yesterday it looked a bit more challenging.”

When asked whether Haas could maintain its qualifying pace in the race and fight for a similar position until the end, Hülkenberg was optimistic.

The German admitted that there have been chaotic events on the Marina Bay Street Circuit in the past that could lead to changes in the proceedings.

“If we start from P6, we will try to hold off everyone else,” he said. “It's about good race execution and strategy.”

“We know from the past that safety cars, VSCs, can sometimes turn everything upside down. So we also have to be lucky, stay clean, do a good job and hopefully sort it out tomorrow.”

Nico Hülkenberg: New DRS will “make a difference”

A key factor in Hülkenberg's race will be keeping rivals like Ferrari behind him, with Leclerc and Sainz enjoying the added benefit of a fourth DRS zone in Singapore this year.

The activation of the new DRS extends from Turn 14 to Turn 16 and Hülkenberg believes it will “make a difference”. He adds: “I think it will encourage and assist overtaking.”

“It depends a little bit on how bad the grade is. If it's not that bad, it might not make that much of a difference.

“If the level is bad, that may open up opportunities for change.”

With seven eleventh places, Hülkenberg has made it a habit to finish on the edge of the points in 2024.

Nevertheless, his skills in qualifying and his 22 points made a significant contribution to Haas' overall result of 29 points, which puts the American team in seventh place in the constructors' championship.

Haas is 13 points ahead of Williams and both drivers from the Grove-based team qualified outside the top 10, making a points finish crucial for Hülkenberg.

READ MORE: F1 2024 Singapore Grand Prix – Qualifying Results