The Haas Formula 1 Team is set to extend Nico Hulkenberg’s contract, according to Team Principal Guenther Steiner.
Nico Hulkenberg will receive a new contract with Haas for the upcoming season as compensation for his successful first half of 2023 according to reports from the German media.
The German is taking part in a full F1 season for the first time since 2019 and has so far impressed, despite spending some time on the sidelines, the German instantly made a good impression at Haas especially with his ability to get the V-F23 running fast for a single lap.
This season, Hulkenberg has outscored teammate Kevin Magnussen by nine points to two and notably posting the second-fastest time during the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session.
The Haas driver has also made five Q3 appearances whereas Kevin Magnussen has only made one. This comes while the Haas has been having trouble managing its tyres this season.
The 35-year-old signed a one-year contract with the team when he made a full-time comeback to racing in Formula One, but according to sources in German media, his performances have already persuaded Guenther Steiner to extend the current contract.
“[The new contract] will be worked on soon. Gene Haas is coming to the races in Belgium and Hungary,” Steiner told Sport.de. “We’ve already talked about the contract, but it’s better to do it in person than by phone or video.
“The new contract won’t be long in coming… It’s coming and we hope to get it done as soon as possible to be able to announce a new deal, because we are very happy with Nico.”
Hulkenberg never really left the sport despite missing out on a full-time race seat for three seasons. As the Aston Martin’s backup driver, he started four Grands Prix for the team.
Steiner continued, saying he was shocked at how quickly his driver had gotten back into shape following his break from the sport.
“I didn’t expect him to be in such good shape right away,” Steiner said. “He hadn’t been a full-time driver for three years, but he came in here and it clicked right away.
“We knew he was good, but we didn’t see that he would be in such good shape immediately. Within the team he has a good relationship with everyone.
“As a driver, he is good at explaining what he wants. It is nice to see how he performs and how he competes.”
