Nico Hulkenberg, who replaces Adrian Sutil at Force India in 2012, doesn’t expect it to take too long to settle in at the team and get back into the swing of things.
The German driver, who made his debut with Williams in 2010, was dropped by the outfit despite taking pole position at the Brazilian GP. He then spent a year as Force India reserve.
He doesn’t expect that year out to have an impact on his racing capabilities.
“I did 14 free practice sessions [in 2011], which kept me very sharp, and kept me in there,” he said. “It’s just a question of how quickly I can get back into that weekend rhythm, getting your mindset for qualifying, and for the race.
“I hope that within one or two weekends it will all be back!”
His year with the team in a reserve role has given him the chance to familiarise himself with the way the team works and with everyone who contributes, which Hulkenberg believes will give him a better chance than if he had joined as a complete stranger.
“I know everyone in the team, I know the engineers, I know how they operate,” added the 24-year-old. “In the winter there’s plenty of time to discuss other stuff with them, how we handle race weekends, how we communicate. I’m comfortable with everyone in the team and at the factory, and I’m looking forward to working full time with them.”
