Hulkenberg: Alonso has different priorities with dual F1, WEC campaign

Nico Hulkenberg says he admires Fernando Alonso “looking for fresh challenges” with his dual Formula 1 and World Endurance Championship campaign in 2018 but warns of the difficulties ahead.

The Renault driver completed a part-dual season in 2015 when he contested WEC’s 6 hours of Spa and Le Mans 24 hours with Porsche, winning the iconic endurance event at Circuit de la Sarthe, alongside his F1 campaign with Force India.

Hulkenberg plans to keep a close eye on Alonso’s 2018 plans as he is set to combine a full WEC and F1 campaign after agreeing a deal with Toyota and McLaren. Alonso will be able to compete at every round in both series after WEC organisers switched the date of the Fuji 6 hours to avoid a clash with F1’s United States Grand Prix.

The German says he wouldn’t want to take on the same dual challenge as Alonso because he prefers to focus on one series but understands the two-time F1 world champion’s motivations.

“I prefer to focus on one thing but he is in a different position in his career and his life,” Hulkenberg said. “He is a multiple world champion and is looking for fresh challenges, maybe he has different priorities, I don’t know.

“For him it is slightly different as he is doing the whole season whereas I did two events and testing and that was only in period of six months. At the time, it was quite demanding as it was a lot of extra traveling, a lot of extra time that you don’t have to think about F1. I think it is quite a challenge he has taken on for himself.”

On Saturday, Hulkenberg completed Renault’s F1 filming day at Circuit de Catalunya alongside Carlos Sainz in preparation for the start of pre-season testing at the Spanish circuit which begins on February 26.