Hulkenberg goes Barbie blonde for Hungarian GP

©Haas

Nico Hulkenberg created a buzz in the Budapest paddock on Thursday when he appeared rocking an all-new blonde bob.

The Haas driver's unexpected transformation left fans and fellow racers doing double-takes and wondering if they had accidentally stepped into a promo sequence for 'Barbie'.

The timing of the Hulk's new hairstyle was uncanny as the long-awaited pink Hollywood blockbuster will be released on Friday.

So, was this a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the iconic doll, or was the Haas charger simply making a bold fashion statement to stand out on the track?

Either way, he certainly captured everyone's attention.

Haas set to extend Hulkenberg contract for 2024

"It's fascinating what a bit of dyed hair can do," Hulkenberg told the media.

"The Barbie movie is coming out and I thought a bit of extra PR for me would pretty handy at this time of the season!

"Actually, I wasn't aware of it, I didn't really play with Barbie and Ken when I was a child - so I just ran into this one and it is bad timing I guess."

Moving away from the hair-raising distraction, Hulkenberg addressed his racing prospects for this weekend. Haas has implemented a few updates on its car, specifically in the floor area of its VF-23.

The German driver is hopeful the changes will deliver some incremental gains, but he's keeping his expectations in check.
"Here, it's very hot, it’s very demanding on tyres so you know, it's going to be definitely a tough weekend for us," he said.

"We have a few little upgrades to the car, on the floor, so hopefully, they can push us along a little bit but I expect the very, tight field again, so every session matters, every lap matters.

"I think qualifying, for us, with the new rules of how we have to run the tyres, with the Hard in Q1, is probably not favourable for us.

"So there is an extra challenge there, but we'll just take it on."

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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.