Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsForce India

Hulkenberg keen to secure top ten in drivers' standings

Nico Hulkenberg is targeting a top ten finish in the drivers' championship to cap off a strong season for Force India.

Fifth place in the constructors' championship was confirmed at the previous race in Brazil courtesy of Huldenberg's sixth place which leaves him tenth in the drivers' standings. However, with Romain Grosjean and Max Verstappen both just three points behind, Hulkenberg has a personal goal of holding on to that position this weekend in Abu Dhabi.

“The final race of the season is always important because you want to finish the season well and carry the momentum into the winter months," Hulkenberg said. "We have already secured fifth in the championship but I want to make sure I end the season in the top ten of the drivers’ championship so there is still a lot to play for."

And Hulkenberg is confident he will be able to achieve his aim, expecting the Force India to be competitive enough to fight for the top six at the Yas Marina Circuit.

"Abu Dhabi is a fun place for the season finale: the venue is great and the twilight racing helps create a special atmosphere. As a track, it's not easy to get a good lap as the layout is very technical, especially in the final sector. It's quite easy to come into a corner too hot and make a mistake, and finding a good flow is a big challenge.

“Brazil was a very enjoyable weekend for me: the car felt great and we maximised every session to come away with a well-deserved result. I think we can realistically aim for a similar performance this weekend. It's been a great year for everyone in the team and we deserve to finish on a high.”

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.