Would’ve done better but for safety car

Force India driver, Nico Hulkenberg finished an impressive fifth in the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, but the German says he could have done better. “Had it not been for the safety car, I would have done better. I was going well before the safety car came in. I lost my momentum after that,” said the 26-year-old.

On lap 42, the safety car was called out after Pastor Maldonado’s Lotus T-boned the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez who was sent into a somersault. Racing resumed four laps later with Hamilton going on to just hold off Rosberg.

Asked if he was getting frustrated at not getting a podium finish despite good performances, Hulkenberg said, “I’m not worried about my performance. The aim is to carry on. I was a bit disappointed to not make the podium in Bahrain. But that was a due to a mistake I made in qualifying.”

He is yet to come to terms with the fact that he is third in the standings this season. “I didn’t think I will be third. If someone would have told me at the start, I would’ve just laughed it off.” He didn’t think that Force India would be number two. “I didn’t expect it. But now that we are there, we should continue the good form,” he said. Force India is enjoying their best start this year, and the mood in the camp must be electric, Hulkenberg says, “The good performances hasn’t made any difference. We are a small team and a motivated lot. But yes, the podium finish has given us a slight push.”

He says this is not going to be Sebastian Vettel’s season. “It seems like Mercedes will win the Championship but anything is possible in F1.”