Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg says he is relishing the challenge of driving a Formula 1 car in Russia during the inaugural Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom Oct 12.
The German is looking forward to his first visit to Russia and has high expectations from the new 5.853-km circuit.
"It's always fun to explore a new place and this will be my first visit to Russia. So far I've only seen a few photos of the paddock and the track layout so I will arrive there with a very open mind about what to expect," the 27-year-old said.
"However, I do have high expectations because I know that the organisers have made a big effort to make the race a success."
However, he isn't willing to compare the new track with other existing one.
"It's hard to look at a track on paper and really get an understanding of how it will feel to drive. I prefer to go there and experience things before I make judgements and talk about track characteristics. So in that sense it's too early for me to compare it with another circuit. What is clear is that there are some really quick sections and a lot of right-angled corners," the German driver said.
"It's fun to learn a new track and I look forward to the first few laps of free practice. I would say that after about 10 laps you've done your learning and start to feel comfortable. After that, you can focus more on improving the car's performance."
Hulkenberg is currently in eighth position in the drivers' standings with 76 points, behind leader Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes with 266 points.
