Hülkenberg returns to Jeddah, this time as a regular driver
The Haas driver, Nico Hülkenberg, will compete in his second Grand Prix with Haas in Jeddah. It's a circuit that the German driver already knows, as he raced there last season with Aston Martin, replacing Sebastian Vettel. This race will give him the opportunity to learn a bit more about the VF-23.
For his second race with Haas, Nico Hülkenberg arrives at a circuit he already knows. Although he spent three seasons as a substitute, the German took part in the start of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last year with Aston Martin, standing in for Sebastian Vettel who was suffering from Covid-19.
This time, Hülkenberg returns to Jeddah as a starter. It’s a track that he loves: “This track is unique and special. It’s incredibly fast and gives you a huge adrenaline rush,” declares the German driver in a press release from his team.
« I enjoyed last year and I hope to enjoy it even more this year. The Jeddah circuit is known for being a dangerous circuit, sometimes on the verge of losing control. Last year, only 13 out of 20 drivers made it to the finish line. This is a risk that the German driver is aware of: « In qualifying, a small mistake can have negative consequences and as a driver, you are aware of that », he says. Nico Hülkenberg also approaches this circuit differently from Bahrain: « It is an urban circuit, so you always start a bit cautiously, and session by session, you push harder as you get closer to the limit », explains the Haas driver.
Kevin Magnussen also loves this circuit, on which he also drove for the first time last year. “Last year was my first time there and it is a really fun and exciting track to drive on. I hope it will always be an thrilling place to race,” says the Dane.
Learn more about the behavior of the Haas
The Jeddah circuit is also, like for the other teams, an opportunity to learn more about the behavior of their car, particularly in terms of aerodynamic downforce. Nevertheless, he believes that it will take more than two races to fully understand the car: « The characteristics of the track are very different from those of Bahrain. Therefore, it will take more than two races to fully comprehend the car and see which track characteristics suit it best ». This is a conclusion shared by his Danish teammate: « I think it will take a few races […] We will have a rough idea of where we stand ». For now, Nico Hülkenberg says « he is in an ongoing work situation where things are still very dynamic and can change from one track to another ».
