Haas F1 team confirms that Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen will continue with the team in 2024, ending any rumours about their lineup. True to his word, Guenther Steiner hasn’t waited too long to confirm his drivers.
There was some uncertainty about Magnussen’s future, with Guenther Steiner making clear before the summer break that Hulkenberg was outperforming his teammate. Thus, extending the German driver’s contract became a priority.
However, whilst there were small question marks surrounding the Danish driver, Haas have already made clear they are uninterested in signing rookies.
With this in mind, there were few viable alternatives to K-Mag, who (despite having a difficult season) is still a valuable asset in the market.
Guenther Steiner gave his official comments on the news:
“I think it’s safe to say that we’ve had an extremely solid driver pairing this season in Formula 1, and ultimately, there was no reason to look to change that moving forward.
Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Haas VF-23.
29.07.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 13, Belgian Grand Prix, Spa Francorchamps, Belgium, Sprint Day.
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“Kevin is obviously a very well-known quantity to us, and I’m delighted he’ll return for what will be his seventh season in Haas colours.
“With 113 starts for our team alone, we know where his strengths lie and his knowledge and experience of our organization pairs very well with that too.
“On the other side of the garage, Nico simply slotted in without fuss or fanfare and proved himself to be a valuable member of the team. He’s approaching 200 starts in Formula 1, and we’re very happy to be the beneficiary of that experience behind the wheel.”
Kevin Magnussen’s official comment:
“I’m obviously very happy to see my relationship with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team extended once again.
“My return in 2022 had been unexpected but was filled with numerous highlights, and although this season hasn’t gone quite as we’d hoped, we’ve still managed to get into the points and show the potential in the package we have.
BAKU CITY CIRCUIT, AZERBAIJAN – APRIL 30: Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-23 during the Azerbaijan GP at Baku City Circuit on Sunday April 30, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Mark Sutton / LAT Images)
“There’s plenty of racing remaining in 2023, and we’ve got a lot of work to do to continue to understand the VF-23 – that learning can be applied into the 2024 car.
“My thanks, as always, go to Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for giving me the opportunity to keep racing in the sport I love.”
Nico Hulkenberg also gave his comment:
“It’s nice to get things sorted early for next season to just keep the focus on racing and improving performance.
“I enjoy being part of the team and share Gene and Guenther’s passion for it. We’re competing in a very tight midfield, and I’m looking forward to building on what we’ve done together so far and taking that forward into 2024.”
Author: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
