Hülkenberg eager to return to racing

For its 8th season in Formula 1, Haas will trust two experienced pilots. Kevin Magnussen, returned to the discipline in 2022, will be accompanied by Nico Hulkenberg, 35, back full time three years later. The German nevertheless had the opportunity to compete in four races in the discipline during this time interval with Racing Point then Aston Martin, the latest being the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2022. The German veteran did not need much time to get his bearings during pre-season testing although he admits he prefers racing to testing. .

« I've been running most of my life, it's what I was trained to do and I think the running DNA is so ingrained in me that when we start working I know what to do, explains Nico Hülkenberg. Everything clicks instinctively. I felt really good from the start and throughout the test, which I'm delighted with. Since then I have been relaxing, training and analyzing all the data (...). I’m more of a racing guy than a testing guy, so I’m looking forward to the moment where it matters and matters a little more. I'm ready for attack mode! »

Particularly helped by a new title sponsor, MoneyGram, the American team hopes to climb the hierarchy in 2023. “ The middle of the grid has always been tight, and small things make all the difference in whether you are at the top or bottom and even one good or bad day can have a huge impact, Hülkenberg believes. We just have to make sure we do our homework, develop our car efficiently and maximize what we have. »

During this Bahraini test weekend, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg completed a combined total of 415 laps, accumulating important data for the first race of the season. Enough to satisfy Guenther Steiner: “ It's been an incredible job from the whole team, both on the track and across our three factories, to put us in the position we're heading into for the race in Bahrain and hopefully we'll have a result that reflects this hard work. »

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