F1: COTA Best Modern Circuit

Formula 1

F1: COTA Best Modern Circuit - Hulkenberg

Force India driver says: 'I enjoy driving here very much'...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted November 16, 2012 Austin, TX

Nico Hulkenberg spent the last two years at Force India but now moves on. (Photo: Getty Images)

Nico Hulkenberg was one of many drivers to overstep the limits at COTA today, the Force India driver experiencing a couple of spins.

Hulkenberg was seventh in the morning but slipped back to 17th in the afternoon at a track he says is the best of the modern generation of venues.

“It was an eventful day!,” said the German. “You have to do a lot of laps because the warm-up is poor, and I did quite a few, I think the most ever on a Friday. It was a good day overall. I have to say they did a very good job here on the facilities and the circuit. Of the new generation circuits, this one stands out for me. There’s quite a nice rhythm and flow to it, and I enjoy driving here very much.

“It was quite bad on the installation lap, the very first time, and then I think the track kept gradually improving every couple of minutes, even in P2. But it was quite slippery in the beginning.”

Hulkenberg expects to see passing in the DRS zone rather than into the Turns 1 and 11 hairpins.

“I think it will be possible going into Turn 12, with DRS. But we might not see much passing going into Turn 1. If you’re close enough, perhaps the opportunity is there, but I just don’t think you will.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 27th season as a racing journalist in 2011. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.

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