'Positive and eager' Hulkenberg determined to bounce back

It's been a tough spell for the Renault team since the summer break, and for Nico Hulkenberg in particular.

The German driver failed to finish in Spa and Suzuka, and was outside the points in Monza and Sochi. His only top ten finish in the last half dozen races was tenth place in Singapore.

Before the summer hiatus, Hulkenberg had been in the points in every race that he finished. The 31 year old says that he is determined to get back to that level in the remaining races of 2018.

"It’s been a tough couple of races, but we remain positive and eager to bounce back for the last four weekends of the season," Hulkenberg said this week.

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"Japan didn’t go to plan, but we’re aiming to learn from what happened to be best prepared for Austin.

"I’m determined to be in the points for the last four races," he added. "So it’s going to be maximum effort to extract the most from the current package and ensure we keep fourth place in the constructors’ championship."

Renault currently has an eight point lead over Haas in the standings, but it's going to be tough for them to hold on to that advantage unless it can find some extra pace in the remaining races.

Hopefully that will come at the United States Grand Prix next weekend, with Hulkenberg admitting that he's a big fan of the Circuit of the Americas.

"Austin is a circuit which puts a smile on my face!" he said. "The track is a real standout on the 2018 calendar.

"It’s really well designed with a lot of cool corner combinations, which flow one after the other and requires a good rhythm.

"Sector one is quite similar to Maggots-Becketts-Chapel at Silverstone, as it flicks and flows at high-speed. That’s what us drivers love.

"You need a good balance in Austin to set-up for the flowing corners and also for the two long straights. The circuit is quite high on brake wear and also fuel consumption, so those are areas to be wary about."

It's not just the on-track action that Hulkenberg loves about the event.

"Austin is a cool city and has a nice vibe, so it’s a great place to host a Formula 1 race," he said. "The enjoyment factor is very high.

"I quite like my food and America is good for that, especially burgers and the cheat stuff!" he laughed, but added that he wouldn't be indulging before the race. "Come Sunday night I’ll be sure to tuck into some ‘local treats’.

"Year on year, the United States has proved to be a very fun Grand Prix weekend," he added.

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