Hulkenberg finishes fifth for Force India in Sepang

Force India's Nico Hulkenberg

Sepang: Nico Hulkenberg put in a giant-killing drive in yesterday's Malaysian Grand Prix, the Force India driver making good use of a two-stop strategy to finish fifth after a late-race tussle with Fernando Alonso.


Force India's Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg, had started seventh on the grid but moved up a place when he jumped Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari off the line.

He kept sixth through the pitstops but a mid-race decision to change to a two-stop strategy allowed Hulkenberg to get the jump on Alonso who was on a three-stop plan.

With a number of issues putting Daniel Ricciardo out of contention, Hulkenberg was on course for a fourth-place finish but, in the end, Alonso was able to make use of his fresher tyres to get past the Force India.

"It was a pretty straightforward race, managing the tyres and a very strategic race but I think a great result for us," Hulkenberg said after the race. "Great to pull off the two stop strategy and generally a big success to come away with ten points here."

Asked when the decision to move to a two stop was made and whose call it was, Hulkenberg said: "It was during the first stint, basically around lap twelve."

"We were still going well, the tyre was consistent, the pace was okay, I didn't have much degradation and then we discussed it and basically it was a team decision to convert to two stops and give that
a go."

Hulkenberg's fifth place finish in yesterday's race comes on top of another points-scoring result in Australia two weeks ago and the 26-year-old believes he and Force India can
sustain that form over the coming races.