Haas have had a difficult few seasons in Formula 1. Shady sponsors, Russian involvement, and a misfiring Schumacher; they have had it all. However, the latest driver decision by Gunther Steiner has definitely silenced his critics. Nico Hulkenberg has come out of the wilderness and immediately shown his pace against Kevin Magnussen.
Their Season So Far
Haas has endured a difficult Formula 1 season in 2023. In 2022, they started brilliantly with Kevin Magnussen but their performance trailed off by the end. This year, the VF23 has shown its pace. But its tyre degradation has let both drivers down during the races.
The two Haas drivers have been consistent, even for places out of the points, and have brought the car home. This is exactly what Gunther Steiner wanted when they replaced the crash-happy Mick Schumacher. Haas, along with other teams, is in a much better financial position due to the cost cap.
However, Haas is still running just around the cap. Therefore, having two experienced heads is helping their cause massively. Their highlights have been a P2 by Nico in qualifying in Canada, and Kevin fighting Charles Leclerc in Miami.
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Driver Performances
Nico Hulkenberg had a lot of people voicing their criticism of his return. Much of it was due to him replacing fan-favourite Mick Schumacher. However, in just a few races, he silenced everyone. His immense one-lap pace in that Haas is there for everyone to see. He has made it to Q3 6 times in the 8th fastest car. That’s the same number of times Sergio Perez has managed to do so in a Red Bull.
Kevin Magnussen has had a surprisingly tough time against his German teammate. This was supposed to be an equal pairing, but Nico has had the measure of Kevin on most weekends. Kevin doesn’t have a contract after 2023, so it is in his best interest to start delivering a little more.
How has the car evolved?
The Haas car hasn’t had a lot of upgrades. The few upgrades it has had have failed to make the car better on its tyres. It will be interesting to see where they go from here.
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Predictions
With Haas having two consistent drivers, they have an advantage over Williams. However, Alex Albon has been mighty this season. The coming few tracks will play a massive role in deciding who finishes 7th.
