F1 team boss 'really impressed' with star driver's return as contract decision looms
F1 team boss 'really impressed' with star driver's return as contract decision looms
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has voiced his profound appreciation for Nico Hulkenberg's performances this Formula 1 season.
Steiner's commendation comes as Hülkenberg continues to shine on the track, outpacing his teammate Kevin Magnussen with a string of impressive accomplishments.
"I'm very, very impressed," Steiner said to motorsport-total.com.
Hulkenberg's re-entry into F1 after three years as a non-full-time driver for Aston Martin/Racing Point raised questions about his ability to swiftly adapt to the rigours of the sport.
However, Steiner's reservations were quickly dispelled as Hulkenberg showcased his exceptional skill and dedication from the outset.
"We took him for a reason, because we know he can drive a racing car," Steiner explained. "He didn't need any time, because he was there from day one, which is very good. That's really very impressive."
Steiner also emphasised the broader contributions that Hulkenberg has brought to the team beyond his driving prowess.
"Also as a person, he tries to help the team, and that's what we wanted with this experience," Steiner affirmed.
The team's decision to bring in Hülkenberg was driven by his experience and willingness to contribute to the collective growth of the team.
In direct competition with his teammate Kevin Magnussen, Hulkenberg's performance has been consistently stellar. With a qualifying score of 9:3 in his favour and an impressive record of five Q3 finishes, Hulkenberg has proven his prowess on multiple occasions.
"That's not bad, is it?," said Steiner when told about Hulkenberg's qualifying record. "And he's scored nine points, so he's pretty good in the race."
READ MORE: Ecclestone blasts 'UNSUCCESSFUL' team boss for Schumacher saga
Hulkenberg being held back?
Despite Hulkenberg's heroics, the Haas VF-23's race pace is abysmal. In fact, former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes the German would be better off in 'any other cockpit'.
"It's evident that the car performs well in qualifying but struggles to keep up in races due to aerodynamics and tire wear," wrote Schumacher in his column for Sky Germany.
"It's only logical that a driver who is in the top ten on Saturdays and then finds himself at the back of the field during the race is disappointed. Something urgent needs to happen at Haas!
"Regarding his future, it's uncertain how many other F1 opportunities are available for Hülkenberg," he wrote.
"Probably, any option would be better for him than Haas. There's an impression from the outside that other teams have more potential."
Although Schumacher would prefer to see Hulkenberg move on, the German looks set to sign a new contract with the American team which will see him continue on the grid in 2024.
READ MORE: Who is Guenther Steiner? Haas chief and ‘Drive to Survive’ sensation
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F1 Standings
Drivers
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Nyck De Vries
- Liam Lawson
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2023
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Australia 2023
- Grand Prix of China 2023
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2023
- Miami Grand Prix 2023
- Qatar Airways Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell'emilia Romagna 2023
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2023
- AWS Gran Premio de España 2023
- Grand Prix du Canada 2023
- Grand Prix of Austria 2023
- Aramco Grand Prix of Great Britain 2023
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2023
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2023
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Italy 2023
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2023
- Grand Prix of Japan 2023
- Qatar Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of the United States 2023
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2023
- Rolex Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2023
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2023
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