Nico Hulkenberg described his German Grand Prix exit as “a tough one to take” after he crashed out of contention for a potential podium position.
Hulkenberg ran as high as second place on home ground at Hockenheim as he excelled in the mixed weather conditions.
The German then dropped to fourth, relinquishing spots to the Mercedes drivers mid-race, before he became one of several drivers to come unstuck at the final section of the track.
He slid wide onto the treacherously slippery run-off area and was helpless to prevent his Renault R.S.19 from becoming stuck in the wall.
“It’s a tough one to take,” said Hulkenberg. “I’m upset for myself, the team and for Renault because they deserved an excellent result.
“It’s one of those days where you have to make it stick, and I’m just gutted with how it ended especially in front of the home crowd.
“The final corner was very tricky as it was damp. I lost the rear a bit, went into a spin so I opened the steering and went onto the black tarmac.
“It was like ice there and by that point I couldn’t stop the car. We were doing a phenomenal job, strategy was very difficult so it hurts.”
Hulkenberg’s exit compounded a difficult day for Renault as Daniel Ricciardo’s early retirement meant it left without a point, while midfield rivals scored heavily.
“I could see a lot of smoke coming out from the back of the car and that was our day done,” said Ricciardo.
“It’s certainly a shame. I watched the rest of the race and it looked a lot of fun out there.
“I would have loved to have been racing as there were opportunities for big points.”
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