Nico Hulkenberg, soon to leave Haas for Sauber/Audi, believes the American team is making significant strides that could elevate it in the Formula 1 ranks. Reflecting on his successful two-year stint with Haas, which included a season under former team principal Guenther Steiner and another with new engineering director Ayao Komatsu, Hulkenberg expressed optimism for the team's future.
In 2024, Haas has shown a marked improvement in the constructors' championship standings, with its car package now more manageable on tires. This has allowed Hulkenberg to translate his impressive qualifying performances into six points finishes, alongside contributions from Kevin Magnussen and replacement driver Ollie Bearman. Currently, Haas is in a tight race for sixth place in the constructors’ standings, trailing just three points behind RB.
Team owner Gene Haas has committed to a recruitment initiative aimed at expanding the team’s workforce by 10% and has approved significant upgrades to the facilities at their UK base in Banbury. When asked about Haas’s prospects as he transitions to Sauber,
Hulkenberg stated, “I think the team is set up very well now. And I think it's a working organisation and I think we've proved that to some extent this year where with the changes that happened over winter. It [also] always depends also on many other factors. Commercially – what kind of partners do they have, what are the budget, 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 Haas is going to be a serious competitor in the years to come, especially definitely next year still because the regulations are stable. 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," added Nico
The German Driver finished 9th in the recently concluded Singapore Grand Prix. Hulkenberg is Audi's first confirmed F1 driver signing and will join the team for its final Sauber year in 2025.
