Hulkenberg hopes seventh can deliver Renault target

Nico Hulkenberg says he is hoping to hold onto his qualifying position to score a seventh-place finish for Renault which could be enough to move his team above Toro Rosso in the Formula 1 world constructors’ championship.

Renault are now four points behind Toro Rosso for sixth place in the constructor's championship after Hulkenberg’s 10^th place in Brazil as it targets the Italian squad in Abu Dhabi.

A torrid weekend for the Faenza squad means they are unlikely to reach the points, engines turned down and Hartley facing a grid penalty for a new MGU-H, which could make any points finish crucial.

If Hulkenberg finished in his qualifying place and Toro Rosso failed to score any points it would move Renault up to sixth and relished one of his best qualifying sessions of the season.

“We know it’s only qualifying and anything can happen in the race, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position,” Hulkenberg said. “I had one of my best quali laps this year in Q2 and I was very pleased with that.

“We will approach tomorrow as a normal race, but are hoping we can hang on to that seventh place.”

He said the dropping temperatures in Q3 had proved a challenge - a potentially difficult indicator for a race that goes from twilight to dusk – but said he remained confident in a good race.

“In Q3 I was starting to struggle a bit more, as the temperatures were dropping off but we see that every year,” he said. “The long run pace has felt pretty good and I have felt strong in the car so we are as confident as we can be at this stage.”