According to German press reports, Nico Hulkenberg may receive a new contract from Haas due to his good performances in the first half of 2023.
The German is competing in a full Formula 1 season for the first time since 2019 and has impressed teammate Kevin Magnussen, who leads him by seven points in the World Cup points race. Hülkenberg, who set the second-fastest time in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix, originally signed a one-year contract with Haas, but according to team boss Günther Steiner, due to the German’s excellent performances so far, a contract extension is on the horizon.
“We will soon start working on the new contract. Team owner Gene Haas will attend the Belgium and Hungary races. We’ve already talked about the contract, but it’s better to do it in person than by phone or video. The new contract will not be long in coming. He’s coming and we hope we can announce the new contract as soon as possible, because we’re very satisfied with Nico.” Steiner told Sport.de, adding that he was surprised Hülkenberg was able to adapt so quickly to Haas, having driven just four races between 2020 and 2022 while serving as reserve driver for Aston Martin.
“I didn’t expect him to be in such good shape right away. He wasn’t a full-time competitor for three years, but he came here and it clicked right away. We knew it was good, but we didn’t think it would be so good right away. He has a good relationship with everyone on the team. As a competitor, he explains very well what he wants. “It’s nice to see how it performs and how it competes,” added Gunther Steiner, Haas team principal.
