Haas announced last Thursday that he had signed Hulkenberg for next year to replace Mick Schumacher as Kevin Magnussen’s teammate.
This will be Hulkenberg’s first full racing season since 2019 when he drove for Renault, having since made a handful of starts as a substitute driver.
To help Hulkenberg with his preparations for next year, Haas gave the German the full day of testing in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, giving him the chance to sample the 2022 Haas.
Hulkenberg completed 110 laps as he had the chance to learn the team’s systems and reacquaint himself with the physical demands of an F1 car, his most recent test being with Aston Martin in August.
“It was tough, it was tough,” Hulkenberg said. “I also felt some human degradation towards the end of the day, but that was to be expected.
“I actually did better than expected to be honest. So that’s good, but obviously still three months of hardcore preparation now.
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-22
Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Hulkenberg had experience with the new generation of F1 cars through his reserve role at Aston Martin, testing Pirelli tires and competing in two races earlier this year when Sebastian Vettel was suspended. spread by Covid-19.
But he felt the test was good for “reminding you and showing you again the intensity of these cars”.
“Then you add racing and competition to it, that’s yet another story,” he added.
“But I have a plan and I know what to do.”
Haas finished the season eighth in the Constructors’ Championship as he rebounded from a pointsless year in 2021, although he struggled to maintain his early season form.
Kevin Magnussen finished fifth in round one in Bahrain, and while he scored a shock pole in Brazil, the team failed to record a better-than-ninth result in the final 12 rounds.
Hulkenberg felt the test was a useful way to give Haas an outside perspective of the VF-22 car, as well as help familiarize him with the team’s basic operations.
“The team has been working with this car all year, so they know it pretty well,” said Hulkenberg.
“But sometimes hear it from someone who comes [in]because drivers get used to the car quite enough, even for a day, you can get used to it quite easily – sometimes it’s good to have someone new coming along who has a different opinion and perspective.
“But for me it was about getting a taste, experiencing the car, getting the mileage and a lot of standard basic procedures which are also important because pre-season is quite limited, as we know.”
Haas announced last Thursday that he had signed Hulkenberg for next year to replace Mick Schumacher as Kevin Magnussen’s teammate.
This will be Hulkenberg’s first full racing season since 2019 when he drove for Renault, having since made a handful of starts as a substitute driver.
To help Hulkenberg with his preparations for next year, Haas gave the German the full day of testing in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, giving him the chance to sample the 2022 Haas.
Hulkenberg completed 110 laps as he had the chance to learn the team’s systems and reacquaint himself with the physical demands of an F1 car, his most recent test being with Aston Martin in August.
“It was tough, it was tough,” Hulkenberg said. “I also felt some human degradation towards the end of the day, but that was to be expected.
“I actually did better than expected to be honest. So that’s good, but obviously still three months of hardcore preparation now.
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-22
Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Hulkenberg had experience with the new generation of F1 cars through his reserve role at Aston Martin, testing Pirelli tires and competing in two races earlier this year when Sebastian Vettel was suspended. spread by Covid-19.
But he felt the test was good for “reminding you and showing you again the intensity of these cars”.
“Then you add racing and competition to it, that’s yet another story,” he added.
“But I have a plan and I know what to do.”
Haas finished the season eighth in the Constructors’ Championship as he rebounded from a pointsless year in 2021, although he struggled to maintain his early season form.
Kevin Magnussen finished fifth in round one in Bahrain, and while he scored a shock pole in Brazil, the team failed to record a better-than-ninth result in the final 12 rounds.
Hulkenberg felt the test was a useful way to give Haas an outside perspective of the VF-22 car, as well as help familiarize him with the team’s basic operations.
“The team has been working with this car all year, so they know it pretty well,” said Hulkenberg.
“But sometimes hear it from someone who comes [in]because drivers get used to the car quite enough, even for a day, you can get used to it quite easily – sometimes it’s good to have someone new coming along who has a different opinion and perspective.
“But for me it was about getting a taste, experiencing the car, getting the mileage and a lot of standard basic procedures which are also important because pre-season is quite limited, as we know.”