An on-track battle with Liam Lawson induced a really peculiar retirement for Nico Hulkenberg on the Barcelona Grand Prix, one the System 1 veteran had “by no means seen” earlier than.
Hulkenberg was making an attempt to overhaul Lawson for ninth throughout lap 28 of Sunday’s contest, however a sudden mechanical failure induced him to peel into the pitlane for an early finish.
It seems that the Racing Bulls driver had “put a wheel within the gravel exit” of Flip 12 and that flung the mess into Hulkenberg’s Audi, putting the ‘kill change’ within the course of.
“That gravel someway pulled the emergency set off,” mentioned Hulkenberg. “It simply killed the automotive and completely switched off. The automotive was useless after which, clearly, I simply coasted into the pitlane. There was nothing left, it was fully shut down.”
It was a very unlucky incident for Hulkenberg as he was on target for his first factors end of the 2026 marketing campaign, however as a substitute he sits nineteenth within the standings for debutant Audi.
The German marque has solely scored factors by way of Gabriel Bortoleto’s ninth-place end on the Melbourne opener, however was on for a very good haul contemplating Lawson in the end completed eighth on Sunday.
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Group, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Although a whole lot of that was down to 2 late retirements, as Kimi Antonelli suffered an engine failure while second with three laps remaining. On the identical time, the facility steering went on sixth-placed Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari.
Talking extra on his retirement, 38-year-old Hulkenberg mentioned: “I’ve by no means seen or heard about this, to be trustworthy, in my profession. Very unfortunate. Unusual, the timing of that.
“While you see what occurred on the finish, two prime vehicles dropping out. I do not know, it is someway…the racing god does not need us to attain but.”
As for Lawson, Barcelona continued a powerful begin to his season as he’s now claimed 5 factors finishes throughout the opening seven grands prix, together with within the final three.
But he was unaware about the reason for Hulkenberg’s retirement till it was put to him afterwards, saying: “You critical? No method, that’s so unlucky. Clearly I had no concept and if I may completely goal for one thing like that…
“However I had no concept, I simply knew that he dropped out.”
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