2023-10-07 21:35:00
(Motorsport-Total.com) – Three Formula 1 drivers meet in turn 2, but none of those involved find it funny: Formula 1 ended for Nico Hülkenberg from Haas, Esteban Ocon from Alpine and Sergio Perez from Red Bull -Sprint in Qatar early on lap eleven following a three-way collision. All three had to park their vehicles with damage.
Nico Hülkenberg did not make it to the finish line in Qatar following a crash in the sprint
How did this come regarding? Hülkenberg and Ocon dueled for P8 on the left side of the road at the exit of Turn 1, Perez was next to him on the right. From the far left, Ocon allowed himself to be carried inwards before Turn 2 and Hülkenberg also moved to the right, but had little room to maneuver due to Perez. Then Ocon and Hülkenberg collided, and shortly followingwards Ocon also collided with Perez.
Immediately following getting out of the car in the gravel trap, Perez threw up his hands as if he wanted to ask what exactly had happened. Later he said simply: “Wrong time, wrong place. Unfortunately there was a contact and I paid the price for it.”
What Ocon and Hülkenberg say regarding the accident
Ocon speaks of an “unfortunate incident”, but classifies it as a “racing accident”. Because he “saw Nico clearly,” but not Perez. “I mightn’t possibly see Sergio at that moment,” explains Ocon. “And unfortunately three cars next to each other in this curve is not a good idea.”
Hülkenberg can agree with this assessment and says: “I was trapped. There’s not much more to say. It all happened very quickly and it was very unfortunate.”
He drove “side by side” with Ocon towards Turn 2. “I fought once morest him and mainly saw him. I didn’t see Checo until very late, right before contact. I knew it was going to be close and I tried to back off, but it was too late.” The crash and the associated failures were “very unfortunate for all three,” said Hülkenberg.
Did he perceive Ocon as the trigger for the collision? Hülkenberg says no and says yes Sky: “I would like to blame him, but I don’t think that’s possible in this case. Because I don’t think he was Checo [Perez] might see. That’s probably why he thought I still had room to the right, but that wasn’t the case.” It was “just very, very unfortunate.”
Why there was no punishment
The race stewards also see it that way, and following the accident, they did not issue a penalty for any of the pilots involved. In their judgment they also stated that Ocon did not know that Perez was on Hülkenberg’s right side and that he might not see him either.
It goes on to say verbatim: “The stewards note that car 31 [Ocon] moved in a way that allowed cars 31 and 27 [Hülkenberg] would have made it possible to drive side by side through Turn 2 when car 11 [Perez] wouldn’t have been there.”
So Ocon didn’t choose an unusual line, believing that Perez wasn’t there. “Taking all of these circumstances into account, the stewards come to the conclusion that no driver was entirely or predominantly to blame for the collision,” it said.
The race stewards concluded their verdict with the conclusion: “The incident is considered a racing incident and no further action will be taken.”
Missed chance to score for Haas in Qatar
Ultimately, from Haas’s point of view, it is simply “frustrating,” emphasizes Hülkenberg. “Our race on Medium looked good. I think we might have taken one or two points. That’s why it’s obviously frustrating for us. Because our chance was Saturday. We had a very, very good starting position and I think Something would have been possible. But unfortunately this incident happened.”
Hülkenberg started from seventh place on the grid with the conservative medium tire compound and lost a few positions to the soft starter in the first laps, but stayed within striking distance of the points. He explains that he “got it right” with the Haas VF-23 and felt comfortable.
Photo series: All winners of sprint races in Formula 1
“I think we implemented it quite well considering the circumstances. We have a car that hasn’t had an update for practically half a season.” A points result would have meant all the more, especially since Hülkenberg hasn’t scored any points since the Austria sprint.
And on Sunday in the Qatar Grand Prix, the German doesn’t expect much: “We’ll start from behind. It’s difficult to predict how we will [ausgehend von P15 in der Startaufstellung] can get forward. Because we are definitely not faster than others.” Haas is “perhaps closer” to his direct opponents in Qatar, says Hülkenberg, “but it will still be difficult on Sunday.”
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