Nico Hulkenberg, back in the Formula 1 fray with Haas, isn’t closing doors on future opportunities, hinting at potential interest in the emerging Sauber-Audi collaboration. The 36-year-old German driver, despite enjoying his 2023 return to the sport, voiced his candid thoughts on Haas’ struggles, particularly the underwhelming ‘B’-spec car update.
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Hulkenberg described the team’s upgrade efforts as “Sobering and alarming,” emphasizing the need for introspection. “We have to be honest with ourselves and admit that it doesn’t meet our needs if we put so much work into converting the car and then the end result is almost the same. It’s our job to do better next year,” he asserted.
While Haas’ technical partner Ferrari made strides in addressing tyre wear issues in 2023, Hulkenberg remains cautiously optimistic about these improvements trickling down to Haas. “I do not praise the day before the evening,” he remarked. “Let’s wait and see what happens next year.”
When probed about Haas’ struggle for pace, Hulkenberg pointed to multiple factors: “There are several things that come into play: size of the team, budget, infrastructure, the quality of the people.”
With Audi progressively taking the reins at Sauber, speculation about Hulkenberg’s involvement has surfaced, given his eligibility for a switch in 2025. Addressing these rumors, Hulkenberg played it cool: “Only time will tell. Let’s see how the season goes next year. Do we have a competitive car? Which people are recommended for which tasks? I can’t answer with confidence now. We probably have to position ourselves a little differently internally so that the same thing doesn’t happen again.”
Hulkenberg, acknowledging his experience, knows his value in the paddock, especially with veterans like Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton proving age is just a number in F1. “Fernando and Lewis are good ambassadors,” he said with a smile. “They show that you can still be fast when you’re older.”
Contemplating his own F1 longevity, he shared, “I’m 36 now. As of today, yes,” when asked if he sees himself racing at Alonso’s age.
