Hulkenberg defends Stroll following Ricciardo crash

Nico Hulkenberg has come to the defense of Lance Stroll following the contentious incident at the Chinese Grand Prix involving Daniel Ricciardo.

Stroll faced significant backlash from fellow drivers, including Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri, following the incident where the Aston Martin driver collided with Ricciardo as the first safety car period was concluding in Shanghai.

The Canadian received an in-race penalty from the stewards and was issued penalty points for his actions, which ended Ricciardo's race and severely impacted Piastri's afternoon when Ricciardo's car was lifted into the air and struck the back of Piastri's McLaren.

Although both Australians sustained severe diffuser damage, Piastri managed to salvage eighth place while Stroll retired from the race.

While many Formula 1 fans placed blame on Stroll, Haas racer Hulkenberg offered a defense, stating, "It was quite a spectacle going into Turn 14. All I witnessed was Lance not decelerating much, lifting up Daniel, and as I turned the corner, I lost sight of them. From my perspective, they had collided, and I couldn't ascertain if they had continued."

Hulkenberg also speculated that Stroll might have been caught off guard, citing the significant 'concertina effect' often seen on safety car restarts, and suggesting that Stroll may have had cold brakes, resulting in reduced stopping power.

Regarding his own race performance, Hulkenberg continued his commendable season with a third points finish out of five races, securing 10th place. He praised the team for their turnaround from a challenging start to the weekend, emphasizing the importance of flawless execution to achieve their current position in the competitive field.