Hulkenberg Expresses No Remorse for F1 Return Despite Challenges with Haas

Nico Hulkenberg was brought on by Haas to replace Mick Schumacher, who had shown a propensity for accidents, in the latter part of 2022. This relaunched Hulkenberg’s Formula 1 career, which seemed to be at its end after Renault (now known as Alpine) replaced him with Esteban Ocon for the 2020 season.

In his time with Haas during 2023, Hulkenberg has demonstrated his skill, especially in qualifying. He has made it to the Q3 segment six times and even qualified third in Canada, though he later received a penalty for a red-flag infringement. These accomplishments overshadow those of his team-mate, Kevin Magnussen, who has only one Q3 result.

While Haas has managed to achieve decent results in qualifying, the team has struggled during races due to problems with tyre wear, made worse by the loss of downforce while in the group. This has affected race stints.

Consequently, Hulkenberg’s points tally stands at nine, compared to Magnussen’s two, and Haas is positioned eighth in the constructors’ championship.

In an interview with F1 Flow.com, Hulkenberg reflected on the uneven results, stating, “We keep fighting, we keep working.” He acknowledged the challenges, saying, “I knew it was not just going to be sunny days.” Though he expressed frustration, especially after great qualifying sessions, he noted that the positive aspects of his return outweighed the Sunday struggles.

When asked about his full-time comeback after filling in as a substitute five times for Racing Point/Aston Martin during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hulkenberg confirmed his contentment, saying, “Oh, yes – 100%.”

Regarding the VF-23’s issues during races, Hulkenberg explained that the problem was “actually very simple” and came down to “a loss of grip.” This leads to more sliding, increased heat, and more wear on the tyres, creating a detrimental cycle. He admitted that the car’s design is beneficial for switching on tyres during qualifying but tends to overwork the tyres during extended stints in races, leading to difficulties.

Photo by: Zak Mauger / F1 Flow Images

Read Also:

• The aspect of Verstappen’s style that Hulkenberg sought to emulate during his years away from F1
• Gasly on 2023 being his ‘unluckiest’ year in F1
• Aston Martin confirms remaining budget for 2023 F1 car development

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword: Hulkenberg

More about fokus keyword: Hulkenberg

• Hulkenberg’s F1 Profile
• Haas F1 Team Official Website
• F1 2023 Season Overview
• Alpine F1 Team
• Aston Martin F1 Team