'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 2023 F1 Mexican GP witnessed an entertaining battle for the final points-paying position between Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon. Following the conclusion of the race, the intense on-track tussle transformed into off-track banter.
Midway through the race, Hulkenberg held track position ahead of Ocon, who had charged from the 15th-place starting position. Before sizing up a move on the Haas driver, Ocon hilariously intimated his rival's team over the radio about the impending overtake.
He said over the radio:
"You can say to Haas that I'm gonna go for it. So they better be ready."
While everyone patiently waited for Esteban Ocon's daring move for several laps, he was unable to pull it off. Even with DRS and slipstream, the Alpine driver couldn't beat the Haas, which boasted the highest straight-line speed of all teams. He had to wait for Hulkenberg's tires to fall off.
After several failed attempts, the French driver ultimately had the last laugh as he took the final points-paying position ahead of his teammate Pierre Gasly and finished 18 seconds ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in P13.
The tussle didn't end there as the Haas driver teased Esteban Ocon for failing to overtake him. He wrote on his Instagram Stories:
"You must really like my rear end... What took u so long @estebanocon."
Ocon didn't hesitate with his reply as he continued the banter on Instagram:
"You didn't see mine for very long.." followed by a winking face emoji.
Although both drivers were anonymous for much of the Mexican GP, their on-track tussle did provide some entertainment for the audience.
Haas F1 team member describes Nico Hulkenberg's weakness
Nico Hulkenberg reached a major milestone last weekend in Mexico, as he started his 200th F1 race. The German driver has driven for multiple teams including Williams, Force India and Renault.
Hulkenberg joined Haas earlier this year and was immediately up to speed with his teammate Kevin Magnussen. While the former holds the upper hand in terms of qualifying speed, his poor race pace is compounded by the fact that the Haas VF-23 also has the same shortcoming.
Ayao Kamatsu, Trackside Engineering Director at Haas, revealed Nico Hulkenberg's weakness as he said to Formula1.com:
"He is somebody that you can develop the car with and then in qualifying this is as fast as this car is going to go. So, that’s been very fantastic. If there is a weakness, his weakness is race pace, and unfortunately, the weakness of this car is race pace as well."
Kamatsu added that the veteran driver's feedback has been "hugely beneficial" for the team.
With three rounds left this season, Hulkenberg has scored nine out of 12 points for the team and currently sits at the bottom of the constructors' standings.
