The F1 demolition that will be tough to repeat

Focus. Attack. There's just one opponent you need to beat. At its core, Formula 1 has a simple premise: defeat your team-mate. It doesn't matter if you're driving the title-winning Mercedes or a back-of-the-grid Sauber. You go into every grand prix with a clear objective.

Get the better of your team-mate in qualifying and the chances of scoring more points on Sunday increases. Achieve that consistently and everything begins to snowball - the focus of the team shifts in your direction.

New, improved aero reaches your car first. You get priority in pitstop strategies. Mechanics know they aren't being overworked in repair jobs and you become the golden boy of the team.

Meanwhile, over there, on the other side of the garage is your hapless team-mate. You can see him, sulking and avoiding eye contact. His car is in bits again after he tried too hard to keep up with you. Under a furrowed brow his eyes regard the telemetry intently. Why can't I take that corner in top gear?

He loses confidence, motivation, passion. Training becomes a chore. The media pile on the pressure and his drive in the team is under threat. Before he realises it, his Formula 1 dream is over. You are the winner.

It wasn't so long ago that Jolyon Palmer was Renault's leading light. He wasn't prone to emotional outbursts, he relished the engineering challenge of F1, and was well-liked amongst his crew. I remember just a few days after his first points finish in Sepang 2016 we had lunch in Tokyo, and he spoke with a mix of relief and joy at the result.

At the time he didn't know what the future held but, soon enough, Renault gave him the nod over Kevin Magnussen for another year. The Dane had the edge in raw speed, but Palmer was more diligent in his work ethic. Everything was rosy... until Nico Hulkenberg appeared.

After three years at Force India, Hulkenberg came into 2017 wanting to drive for a manufacturer team, something he'd had a taster of when racing for Porsche at Le Mans. But by switching to Renault he knew the likelihood of him achieving that much sought-after first podium would diminish - but only in the short-term.

The Hulk went into last season with one clear objective: beat Palmer. And very quickly he began to assert his status in the team. It was akin to watching Conor McGregor step in to the ring with someone with no martial arts training.

Across the first 16 races of last year Hulkenberg outqualified Palmer 16-0 and was on average 1.1 seconds quicker on Saturdays. By the 17th race - Austin - Hulkenberg had amassed 34 points, (including three sixth places), while Palmer had just eight - a solitary points finish in Singapore. And, lo, it was game over for Jo - his chance was over and he was replaced by Carlos Sainz Jr for the last four races of the season.

With great equanimity, Hulkenberg scored another eight points in the Abu Dhabi season finale to ensure Renault overhauled Toro Rosso for sixth place in the constructors' championship. On the pitwall there was high tension, but on the team radio, the Hulk was cool and calm: "It's what I'm here for," he said. It was another top result to finish what was an excellent year for the 27-year old.

"It's going to be tight between us. I just need to make sure I'm on top of my game weekend-by-weekend."
Hulkenberg on Sainz

Just before Christmas, Hulkenberg was in the UK debriefing the season past with his engineers at Enstone and participating in various sponsor duties before beginning his holidays. One evening I caught up with him in London to reflect on his first year with Renault.

After jostling with the Christmas shoppers off Mayfair's Piccadilly, we met at a boutique watch store in Burlington Arcade, where Nico was visiting one of Renault's sponsors, Bell & Ross. With glass of champagne to hand he was enjoying the festivities of the season - and deservedly so.

If we discount grid penalties, in pure pace Nico achieved a 100% qualifying record against both Palmer and Sainz in 2017. The only discrepancy was Austin, when a reliability problem prevented him from competing, so the record books show 19-1.

"But it would have been 20-0," interjects Hulkenberg. A 100% record against a team-mate in qualifying is rare - it's only happened in F1 three times in the past 25 years. The last occurrence was Fernando Alonso's 18-0 defeat of Nelson Piquet Jr at Renault in 2008.

"Across the whole season it was probably the best qualifying year of my career. It was difficult for Jo [Palmer] because he was struggling initially, where I was quite comfortable from the off. But it was good even when Carlos [Sainz] came in to keep that record up."

Traditionally, some teams focus their efforts on having a clear number one and number two car, while others are proud of maintaining equality. Was there any favouritism towards Nico at the expense of Jolyon?

"I don't think so," says Hulkenberg. "I think that was just the natural effect of how it is in life. If there is such a big discrepancy and spread between two cars, the focus always switches to the more successful car.

"But the team, internally, didn't let him down or leave him at the side. He was getting the same attention - but he wasn't getting the results."

After Palmer's departure, Hulkenberg had to focus his attention on beating a new team-mate in the last four races of the year: the highly rated Sainz.

The Spaniard made his F1 debut at Toro Rosso in 2015 alongside another rookie, Max Verstappen. And while the Dutchman has impressed mightily, being fast-tracked into Red Bull's senior team, Sainz shouldn't be dismissed. He's quick.

Back in their Toro Rosso debut year it was Sainz who overall had the faster pace in qualifying over Verstappen. If you discount a 1.259s discrepancy in Singapore (when Sainz hit the wall), in comparable qualifying sessions he was 0.195s quicker than Max.

And that pace was immediately evident when he joined Renault at the tail of last season. In qualifying he began to haul the second Renault up into Q3 alongside Hulkenberg and applied pressure. Hulkenberg still came out on top, but the average qualifying gap had shrunk from the 1.1s surplus to Palmer, to just 0.2s against Sainz.

A thoughtful look passes over Nico's face when I show him the data. He knows that in 2018 he has a battle on his hands.

The fight between the pair will be one of the most intriguing contests of the season and shouldn't be forgotten against the other two eagerly awaited intra-team duels: Verstappen vs Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull and Esteban Ocon vs Sergio Perez at Force India. The question is whether Sainz can do to Hulkenberg what he did to Palmer?

"It's going to be tight between us," says Hulkenberg, grinning. "I just need to make sure I'm on top of my game weekend-by-weekend."

Focus. Attack. One race at a time: one opponent to beat.