MoneyGram Haas F1 Staff drivers Oliver Bearman and Nico Hulkenberg kicked off Saturday morning in So Paulo with the Dash – the fifth of six deliberate Dash weekends on the 2024 FIA System 1 World Championship schedule. Bearman completed 14th with Hulkenberg having to retire his VF-24 following a gearbox subject.
Hulkenberg began the Dash from P12 on used mediums, gaining three positions on the opening lap. The German held steadfast via the opening stage of the Dash earlier than tire put on performed its half, Bearman passing him on lap 9. The German dropped a number of extra spots to P13, when on lap 21 a gearbox downside introduced Hulkenberg’s race to an early finish, having to cease his automobile by the facet of the observe at Flip 10.
Bearman had a busy opening lap, battling vehicles each in entrance and behind, however maintained place earlier than overtaking his teammate. Bearman confronted related points on the used medium compound and was operating P12 when a VSC was introduced out for his teammate’s stricken automobile. On the ultimate lap, racing resumed however the Brit conceded two extra locations, classifying P14 on the checkered.
Saturday’s scheduled qualifying was rained off after a delay of almost two hours. Heavy showers descended onto the Autdromo Jos Carlos Tempo half-hour earlier than the session was on account of start, however standing water across the observe rendered situations unsafe, and the choice was taken to postpone qualifying till tomorrow morning, 07:30 (Native).
Nico Hulkenberg: “Firstly, due to everybody who stayed out within the rain – you actually are some wonderful followers. Concerning the Dash, there was quite a lot of smoke coming from the automobile, and the staff requested me to cease the automobile on the observe. Up till then, it was going higher than anticipated after yesterday, however I believe we have been struggling as a staff with the tires – the high-deg nature and warmth was making life onerous for us. I am prepared for a spicy day tomorrow!”
Oliver Bearman: “I had fairly a nasty begin within the Dash however managed to make up a number of spots on lap one. After that, issues have been feeling fairly good however I steadily began to wrestle with the tires increasingly, and on the finish we have been simply missing tempo, so we have got quite a lot of work to do. It is irritating that qualifying did not go forward as I used to be wanting ahead to leaping again within the automobile after a tricky Dash, however due to the followers for hanging out with us. Hopefully, we get one other good session tomorrow morning and it will be one.”
Ayao Komatsu, Staff Principal: “It has been a little bit of a disappointing day as a result of we did not carry out within the Dash how we might’ve hoped, so we now have quite a lot of issues to enhance on tomorrow. Everybody’s on board with that and Nico wasn’t pleased with the automobile on Friday, so we modified the automobile for qualifying however sadly, with the rain and the diminishing daylight we could not get to see what the set-up change did. We’re prepared for tomorrow morning’s qualifying and searching ahead to having a greater race tempo tomorrow afternoon.”
Take a look at our Saturday gallery from Sao Paulo right here.
