John N
The Haas team is hoping to become a regular upper-midfield contender within the next two years by signing veteran racer Nico Hulkenberg for next season. Hulkenberg, 35, will make a full-time racing return with the American squad next year, lining up alongside Kevin Magnussen and replacing Mick Schumacher.
The German started 2022 strongly but faded as the season went on. He’s just two points clear of AlphaTauri in the fight for P8 in the constructors’ championship.
“The near-term future is to get our team back to where we want to be, at least in the midfield or maybe even an upper-midfielder if not in P8,” said Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner when speaking in the Yas Marina paddock on Thursday morning following the announcement.
“We want to fight properly in the midfield because this year we were fighting up and down, fighting again – it’s been a little bit up and down, a roller coaster this year.”
“We’re looking forward to a little bit of stability next year. We made a big step this year from where we were the last two years, but we want to continue to get better and better. That is the aim, because the other teams obviously want to do the same.”
K-Mag on partnering up with Hulkenberg in 2023 💪
And *THAT* comment in 2017 😂#F1 @HaasF1Team pic.twitter.com/Cieq1R3CQe
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 17, 2022
Schumacher’s departure brings an end to Haas’s experiment to run young drivers; experience will top their wishlist when looking to fill their second seat for 2023, in a bid to return to the kind of performance they showed in 2018.
“I’m not blaming it on Mick that we are where we are, but in general, our team stagnated in ’19 and then in ’20, we went down. So we need to go forward again and that’s the best with experienced people and drivers which have done this before; they can bring experiences into our team which they have made in other teams
Hulkenberg hasn’t raced full-time since 2019 but has subbed in on five occasions since, three times in 2020 and twice this year – replacing Sebastian Vettel for the opening two Grands Prix of the year.
Steiner is confident that Hulkenberg can get up to speed quickly, the German beginning work on Tuesday after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when he drives for Haas in the Pirelli test. “We looked at that one as well but when he came in, when he replaced drivers in the last years, he was pretty on the ball straight away,” he said.
“Aston Martin just texted us now that they let him drive for us on Tuesday. Thanks to them for letting us do that. Then we can sharpen him up next week, and then also we have got the pre-season testing in Bahrain and I think he will be straight on it.
“Physically, these F1 cars are quite demanding and it will take him some time to get used to it; but he’s pretty fit and I don’t see it [being a problem]. We obviously had that question as well: Is he straight on the ball when he comes back after being out?
But then you look at the results he did when he just jumped in at the last minute, he was pretty good.”
