Formula 1 news: Nico Hulkenberg is excited by the potential being shown by Haas
- Planet Sport writer
- 11 April 2023
Veteran Formula 1 driver Nico Hulkenberg says good things are happening at Haas after he scored his first points of the season in Australia to add to the team's decent start to the season.
Hulkenburg returned to F1 this season after three years away after Haas signed him to replace Mick Schumacher as Kevin Magnussen's partner.
The decision shocked many around the Formula 1 grid given the testy past relationship between Hulkenburg and Magnussen but that appears to be water under the bridge.
The German has proven to be a shrewd signing for Haas and has out-qualified his teammate in every race so far, which is a long way from where they were last season with Schumacher struggling to get around the track in one piece.
"I feel a lot of good things happening still. I'm refreshed, I've got a good mindset, a very positive mindset, I'm feeling hungry," he said.
"I really enjoy working with the team, exploiting the car, experimenting with the car, and we've got a very nice rhythm and momentum, and I think that's what we want to preserve and keep now, and take that into the next couple of races.
"It's my third race after three years out," he noted. "It's wild and interesting how people get so used to it and spoiled so quickly. The first few races I mean, we've been in Q3 two times, once I think 11th.
"Kevin [Magnussen] scored a point in Jeddah, I was in the points now, so I think if you take a step back and look at it, I think it's not a bad start of the season.
"Obviously the beginning of the season is such a steep learning curve for the team," he said. "But also for myself after the time away. So I feel pretty happy and confident that there's more good things ahead of us.
"I felt good from the get-go. I think the connection between me and the car, obviously, we're still growing, we're still only in race three. And I feel like it's getting better and better, which is nice."
