Hulkenberg: Haas set to become a ‘serious competitor’ in F1

Nico Hulkenberg will leave Haas at the end of the 2024 season to join Audi-Sauber’s F1 project, but the German driver believes the US outfit is heading towards a bright future thanks to its ongoing investment push.

Hulkenberg, who returned full-time to Formula 1 in 2023 with Haas, has been a key part of the team's resurgence, helping it overcome past struggles with tyre degradation and consistency.

So far this year, the F1 veteran’s efforts have yielded six top ten finishes which, coupled with the points scored by teammate Kevin Magnussen and substitute Ollie Bearman – who replaced the Dane in Baku, have left Haas a strong seventh in F1’s Constructors’ standings, just 3 points behind RB with six races to go.

Reflecting on his time with Haas and the team's future, Hulkenberg believes that the American squad is undergoing transformative changes that could lead to significant long-term rewards.

"I think the team is set up very well now," Hulkenberg said in an interview with Autosport.

"And I think it's a working organization, and I think we've proved that to some extent this year with the changes that happened over winter."

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• Hulkenberg: Haas has momentum to beat RB to sixth in standings

Haas’ offseason overhaul has not only improved its performance on the track but also led to crucial strategic decisions behind the scenes.

One of the standout developments – in addition to Ayao Komatsu replacing former long-standing team principal Guenther Steiner – is the decision by team owner Gene Haas to approve a recruitment drive that will boost the team’s size by 10%.

But the team is also investing heavily in infrastructure improvements at its UK base in Banbury. This surge in resources is expected to play a vital role in enhancing Haas’s competitiveness moving forward.

“It [also] always depends also on many other factors,” insisted Hulkenberg. “Commercially – what kind of partners do they have, what are the budgets, what are the resources?

“That's obviously a key element in that kind of question. And I don't know that going forward, what will happen here.

“But I hear that there is some more exciting stuff in the pipeline for the team, which will only help them, I think.

“And I think Haas is going to be a serious competitor in the years to come, especially definitely next year still because the regulations are stable.”

Hulkenberg also touched on the uncertainty surrounding the major regulation changes that will take effect in 2026, when everyone starts from scratch.

But he sees this as an opportunity for teams like Haas to outperform expectations if they approach the changes better than their rivals.

"2026 is an unknown for everyone, but the exciting thing is 2026 is a white piece of paper and that makes it so interesting for everyone who could do a better job than other teams and stand out,” he said.

As Hulkenberg prepares for the next phase of his career with Audi-Sauber, he’ll leave Haas on a positive note, with high hopes for its continued rise.

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