Hulkenberg 'ready to go' after intense two months

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Haas' Nico Hulkenberg is "sharp, fresh and ready to go" after an intense two months of physical training to prepare for his return to F1.

Hulkenberg enjoyed a handful of outings in 2020 and 2022 as a substitute for Aston Martin F1, but the German hasn't raced full-time in F1 since 2019, his final year with Renault.

The 35-year-old veteran, who holds the unenviable record as the F1 driver with the most starts – 181 – without a podium finish, had an opportunity to drive Haas' new-generation car at the sport's post-season test in Abu Dhabi last November.

But he'll only have a day and a half next week in Bahrain to get up to speed with his team's 2023 challenger, although he briefly sampled Haas' VF-23 at the car's shakedown at Silverstone last week.

However, physically the Hulk is well prepared and ready to get down to business.

"The off-season was a mix of things," he said. "There was a lot of gym, to be honest, it was an intense two months that I used pretty well to build up the physical strength again.

"Obviously there was Christmas-time with family and friends. All and all it was an enjoyable time, but I’m sharp, fresh and ready to go now."

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Hulkenberg is paired at Haas with 30-year-old Kevin Magnussen, the duo forming one of F1's most experienced line-ups on the grid, a choice purposefully made by team boss Guenther Steiner.

In the past, there was a bit of friction between the two drivers following their on-track spats, but it's all water under the bridge today and Hulkenberg has no concerns about his working relationship with his teammate.

"We are only getting to know each other now, really," added Hulkenberg. "It’s difficult to judge a driver’s driving style if you haven’t done a few races together.

"You really need to see data to see and be able to compare. That will take some time before we can answer that but working relationship-wise, I have no concerns whatsoever.

"I think he’s very professional, very experienced too. We’ll push each other to push the team forward."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.