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Hulkenberg will definitely go on in F1 - manager

Hulkenberg will definitely go on in F1 - manager

  • Published on 08 Oct 2013 12:12
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Fernando Alonso, widely acknowledged as perhaps the best driver in F1 today, has given a boost to Nico Hulkenberg's quest for a 2014 seat. Because he is unsponsored and also arguably too tall for next year's heavier cars, it is rumoured the German's push to simply stay on the grid in 2014 may fail.

That is despite his outstanding performance in Korea last weekend, where he held off a string of champions, including Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, in the increasingly impressive Sauber. International media reports quote Alonso as hailing Hulkenberg's "superb" and "perfect" race. "He deserved to be in front of us," EFE news agency quotes Alonso as saying, "because he did a fantastic race. "Sauber have been very good this weekend, they've done a great job," he added.

Alonso's comments may be interpreted as a slight against his own Ferrari team, because Sauber - who admit to have struggled financially this year and initially uncompetitive in 2013 - is powered by an identical Ferrari engine. "I think he (Alonso) would love to leave Ferrari," said the hugely respected La Gazzetta dello Sport correspondent Pino Allievi, "but he cannot."

Alonso has also used Sauber as the prime example of how Pirelli's mid-season tyre construction switch gave some teams a big boost, whilst hurting others. But Hulkenberg is quoted by Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper: "The new Pirelli tyres help to explain what is happening with us, but it's not everything. We have also improved the car. I would say it's 50 per cent for both," he added.

Indeed, Hulkenberg has been sounding much happier at Sauber, where earlier it was considered very unlikely the 26-year-old will stay put for 2014. "To say that I regret (moving from Force India) is a bit much," he is quoted by France's L'Equipe, "but I was not very happy because I wanted to make a step forward and actually it was quite a step back."

"But when you make choices in life, they can be good or bad but the best thing to do is to try to turn it around in your favour," Hulkenberg added. "After seven or eight races, there were no real signs of improvement, but then suddenly there was a click." He is undoubtedly hoping that 'click' opens the door to better things in 2014.

But some in the paddock marvel at how arguably F1's hottest rising talent is still scrambling to secure a decent drive. "You would just have to say that there weren't many top cockpits becoming available (for 2014)," Hulkenberg's manager Werner Heinz told the German newspaper Bild. "We are still talking, but Nico will definitely go on in formula one," he insisted. (GMM)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Pirelli Sauber Ferrari Force India

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Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Bahrain
29 - Mar 2 2024
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9 2024
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24 2024
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7 2024
Japan
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19 - Apr 21 2024
China
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3 - May 5 2024
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Canada
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Spain
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Austria
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United Kingdom
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Hungary
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26 - Jul 28 2024
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25 2024
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1 2024
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15 2024
Azerbaijan
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Singapore
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United States of America
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Mexico
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United States of America
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Qatar
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United Arab Emirates
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United Arab Emirates
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2 2024
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9 2024
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24 2024
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7 2024
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21 2024
China Shanghai International Circuit
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Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
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Spain Circuit de Catalunya
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Austria Red Bull Ring
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United Kingdom Silverstone
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Hungary Hungaroring
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Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
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Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
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Italy Monza
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Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
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Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
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United States of America Circuit of the Americas
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Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
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Brazil Interlagos
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ES Fernando Alonso 14
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  • Points 572
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  • Grand Prix 168
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (43)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
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Pirelli
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