Nico Hulkenberg had his first test in Porsche’s 919 LMP1 car at Motorland Aragon in Spain earlier this week.
The Force India driver intends to compete in the the Le Mans 24 Hours and Spa Six Hours races next year in addition to his full F1 programme. However since his plans were announced a revised 2015 F1 calendar has been released with an added round in Korea which clashes with the Belgian round of the World Endurance Championship.
Hulkenberg said his first experience of the endurance prototype was “a hundred per cent positive”.
“The 919 is great to drive. It has a lot of downforce in fast corners and the hybrid power to accelerate out of slow corners is impressive. The preparation from the simulator was very realistic and I found the night driving especially cool.”
Porsche also ran regular LMP1 drivers Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley at the test along with Porsche GT racers Michael Christensen, Frederic Makowiecki and Nick Tandy.
Pictures: Nico Hulkenberg’s first Porsche 919 test
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Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
12th December 2014, 11:55
Some very awesome pictures !
Sad about that lame livery… it’s supposed to mean something but it looks awful
Carlitox (@carlitox)
12th December 2014, 12:05
You have to see it from the top, it says “Porsche Intelligent Performance”, though it doesn’t quite fit ;)
To me it’s the opposite, this is the one most amazing racing car of 2014. Nice shape, nice livery (to me XD), and nice sound (I love the electric sound when it brakes or accelerates, and after that you get a nice roar). Plus 335km/h in LM spec with no stupid helps. Awesome.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
12th December 2014, 18:49
I know, hence why I said “it’s supposed to mean something”.
You hardly see racing cars from above anyway :P why not make something good looking and PLEASE GOD not white?
anon
12th December 2014, 21:55
When you say “no stupid helps”, I presume that you mean no form of driver aids? In which case, you’ll find that there are more driver aids permitted in sportscar racing than in F1.
All of the LMP1 cars are fitted with traction control systems, which are fully legal under the regulations. Asides from that, the regulations state that teams running energy recovery systems must have a braking system that ensures a constant braking load distribution – a regulation that at least one manufacturer team has been accused of abusing to effectively run anti-lock brakes on their car.
Carlitox (@carlitox)
13th December 2014, 4:13
Nope, I meant DRS and well, it has a sort of KERS (the Hybrid Boost). I’m OK with TC, it makes the series road relevant and doesn’t mean less talented drivers win. They might not need to be easy on the throttle but they have to drive it ;) But mainly, I meant DRS and other gimmicks, such as the fast degrading tyres.
Didn’t know about that last thing you mentioned though, about the illegal ABS. Gotta have to look it up :)
matt90 (@matt90)
13th December 2014, 10:17
It doesn’t fit at all. They used that terrible livery so they could have a single advert where they looked at it from above and overlaid the missing letters.
Sharon H (@sharoncom)
12th December 2014, 12:04
I don’t think Korea will actually happen. It seems a race of convenience to get around the engine regulations. Why else would it be scheduled a week before Barcelona?
Patrick (@paeschli)
12th December 2014, 13:37
+1 He’ll likely be able to participate at the 6 hours of Spa.
BJ (@beejis60)
12th December 2014, 13:48
I’m more excited for this (WEC with Hulk) than the entirety of the 2015 F1 season.
Jess
12th December 2014, 14:34
Oh man, me too.
DaveD (@daved)
12th December 2014, 15:37
Sad to say (in a way), but me too! I have lived and breathed F1 for so long that it’s hard for me to admit, but Bernie and his attempts at attention are starting to turn me off so much that I have a hard time tracking things without a permanent grimace these days. :(
He’s just patently offensive as a human being.
Ibrahim (@ibrahim)
12th December 2014, 13:59
He’s looking like a boss in that first photo!!
Arnold Triyudho Wardono (@ernietheracefan)
12th December 2014, 15:28
Let’s hoping for the cancelation of Korean GP
(Hulk accept this while Bernie is not amused..xD)
Stephen (@stabel91)
12th December 2014, 16:21
Hulk in Porsche kit just looks right.
DaveD (@daved)
12th December 2014, 20:59
Well, at least in WEC, he and Webber are not so penalized for being taller/bigger than average so much compared to smaller drivers.
Piotr E. Hogarth (@pehogarth)
12th December 2014, 21:14
Fantastic pictures, nice departure from traditional F1 imagery.
SauberS1 (@saubers1)
12th December 2014, 22:49
I’m glad to this.
markus
12th December 2014, 23:09
Car #14…is there still talk of nando doing Le Mans?
Arki (@arki19)
12th December 2014, 23:20
Hulk is certainly earning my respect.