Nico Hulkenberg says the lack of overtaking in Australia was no surprise, given the new regulations.
The Renault driver finished 11th, having spent many laps behind Esteban Ocon.
“It’s mainly due to the new regulations,” he said. “This is what happens when you put more downforce or allow the cars to produce more downforce. If you sit behind another car you naturally lose more. You’re going to suffer more, sitting behind it, screwing up your tires, sliding more. I think it was to be expected.”
Hulkenberg had “mixed feelings” about his first race for Renault, lamenting a lack of pace from the R.S.17.
His afternoon was also spoiled by a poor first lap and a strategy that saw him pit too late. The German spent much of the race behind Fernando Alonso in 11th, and later lost a spot to Ocon, before gaining it back from Alonso.
“Mixed feelings to be honest. I’m a little disappointed on one side because it was not the best race by far. Car pace wise we could have done a lot better. Not a great first lap, and stopping too late for the first stop really compromised our race, sitting in traffic for the majority of the race, which cost a lot.
“At best, 10th would have been possible. Trying to overtake a Toro Rosso on the first lap made me lose one position to Fernando, and the race really went wrong from there, sitting in traffic, just being stuck behind him very slow, but I just couldn’t get by.
“And then we stopped a bit too late at the first stop, losing another position to a Force India, sitting in traffic again. Overtaking proved very difficult to almost impossible for me.”
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