Gunther Steiner admits Nico Hulkenberg rejected Haas twice before joining the American team in 2023

Nico Hulkenberg returned to Formula 1 with Haas after a three year hiatus from full-time racing.

Gunther Steiner admits Nico Hulkenberg rejected Haas twice before joining the American team in 2023

Gunther Steiner [L] Nico Hulkenberg [R] (images via IMAGO)

Nico Hulkenberg joined Haas F1 in 2023 to make a return to racing in the pinnacle of motorsport. Hulkenberg has a decent record across his career, though he has the unfortunate record for most race starts without a podium finish.

Gunther Steiner lured the German driver to the team to replace the fired Mick Schumacher. Hulkenberg had not raced a full season in F1 since 2019 when he raced for Renault F1. Steiner revealed that Haas actually talked about a potential contract with the German driver five years prior to his 2023 entry with the team. Steiner said Haas held conversations twice with the 36-year-old, failing to sign him on both occasions.

I think we missed out on hiring Nico in the beginning. We talked with him twice, and we always missed out on hiring him. It was his decision, not ours. I think he’s a good driver, and maybe five years ago, he was an even better driver and maybe he would have brought us more success at the time.
Gunther Steiner said, in an interview with The Athletic
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Nico Hulkenberg managed nine points in his first season back, outperforming his teammate Kevin Magnussen. The 36-year-old shone especially in pace over one lap, managing numerous successful qualifying sessions for the team.

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Nico Hulkenberg open to Sauber move after 2024

Nico Hulkenberg joined the Haas F1 team for the 2023 season and proved himself with nine points scored. Hulkenberg has signed a contract extension with the American team until the end of the 2024 season, which is a turbulent time for the F1 driver market.

Nico Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg (via IMAGO)

The Sauber F1 team is experiencing a lot of change themselves, as they prepare for Audi’s F1 entry in 2026. Alfa Romeo left after 2023, ending their time in F1 and causing a controversial rebrand. Nico Hulkenberg is open to the idea of joining the team though, as the Swiss team will be making progress ahead of the Audi entry. Hulkenberg said that depending on which car is competitive by the end of 2024, he could potentially consider a switch.

Let’s first see how the season goes next year. Do we have a competitive car? Which people are recommended for which tasks?
Nico Hulkenberg said in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport

Audi’s entry will be significant for the Formula One grid, posing a possible threat to the frontrunners right off the bat. This is good news for Hulkenberg, as the carmaker has already expressed their wishes to hire both an experienced driver and at least one German athlete for their squad, both of which fit Hulkenberg’s profile perfectly.

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