Nico Hulkenberg was praised by Audi boss Allan McNish after he expertly avoided an incident with a ‘bloody good save’ at the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix.
The opening lap of the Dutch GP was filled with drama, with Max Verstappen sensationally crashing out at the final corner.
Gabriel Bortoleto had a moment when he lost the car, spun around, and created a smokescreen around him, plunging the cars behind into its path.
With teammate Nico Hulkenberg closely behind, a side collision would have happened if it weren’t for the German’s quick reflexes. Hulkenberg was approaching the spinning Bortoleto at high-speed in the middle of the track. Despite being unable to see clearly, Hulkenberg reacted immediately, choosing to go left to avoid colliding with Bortoleto.
The potential crash was missed, and both drivers managed to leave the alarming moment without an accident. Bortoleto kept the R26 out of the wall and rotated back around to continue his race.
‘A bloody good save’
Audi Racing Director Allan McNish reflected on the incident to media, including Motorsport Week, and praised both drivers for how they handled the moment.
“I watch their two onboards and am live every second with them, which is why I’m turning grey very quickly at times,” he joked.
“There are two factors. One, when something’s happening ahead of you, there is a mental process, but there’s also an instinct, and it’s an instinctive knowing where to go and what to do.
“And some people have got it, some people don’t, and when the car starts to sort of spin, it goes in this particular direction, and it’s a trajectory, and then after that, there’s an element of instinctive judgment: how far do you go in which direction?
“Certainly, with a car on a banking, that’s a different thing, though, because they tend to go up the way as opposed to down the way. Which is why I was very impressed with what Gabriel was able to do to keep it in the middle of the circuit, basically, and not for it to spoon up into the wall.
“But without doubt, whether it was instinct or whether it was skill and focus or anything else, I don’t know. But it was a bloody good save.”
Hulkenberg has had several standout moments throughout his career. But his quick reflexes in moments that could be detrimental are certainly one of his most exceptional talents.
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