(Motorsports news) After being discarded by the team then known as Renault (now Alpine) in favor of Esteban Ocon for 2020, Hulkenberg’s F1 career appeared to be ended until he was hired by Haas to replace the accident-prone Mick Schumacher in late 2022. Since then, he has excelled in qualifying for Haas, competing more frequently than his current teammate Kevin Magnussen, who has just one Q3 result, making six 2023 Q3 appearances and qualifying third in Canada before being fined for a red-flag violation in that session. 

However, Haas has only been successful so far this season in qualifying since race stints are impacted by a tyre wear issue that is made worse by losing downforce when running in the pack. Hulkenberg now only has nine points, compared to Magnussen’s two, and Haas is ninth in the constructors’ standings. When questioned by Motorsport.com about the level of satisfaction he derives from such an imbalance in outcomes, Hulkenberg responded, “We keep fighting, we keep working.  

“When we signed the contract and I arrived here, I knew it wouldn’t all be sunny days. There will be difficult days and work ahead of us as well. Of course, it is a little frustrating and disappointing in that particular moment on Sundays, or during the race and just after. not just for me, but also for the entire team. since we are all involved. Additionally, you had a fantastic Saturday and undoubtedly feel pumped. This raises expectations, particularly those of others.  

However, I believe that we have understood for a few months now that the Sunday concerns are simply too significant at this time to manage expectations within the team. “However, I still find it enjoyable. The benefits of being home still outweigh the drawbacks on Sundays, in my opinion. When asked if he was satisfied with his decision to return to racing full-time after making five substitute F1 outings for Racing Point/Aston Martin during the COVID-19 epidemic, Hulkenberg responded, “Oh, yes – 100%.” 

The VF-23’s problem with racing through traffic, according to Hulkenberg, was “actually very simple” to handle while driving. “It’s just a loss of grip,” he continued. “And you just start sliding further when you lose entire grip, not just in one specific region or on one axle. “Sliding generates heat, which in turn increases tire wear; this is obviously a vicious cycle.” 

But in the wrong order. It’s the cause of our challenging Sundays because, let’s say, I believe we do suffer more than our primary competitors. “But the vehicle is also generally quite good at switching on tyres due to the way it is built and designed, which clearly works out well in qualifying. But when you have to run extremely extended spells in a race, it tends to overwork the tyre, which is when it’s not working out so well.

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