Nico Hülkenberg ended his partnership with Haas on a positive note, achieving his tenth top ten finish of the season in the Abu Dhabi GP.
In spite of it being a rather positive position and his best starting spot of the whole season, his happiness is marred by the fact that he had received a three-place grid penalty after Qualifying.
Post-qualifying penalty
The German driver was set to start the last round of the season from a very impressive P4, but was then investigated for failing to follow the race director’s notes in terms of overtaking on the pit exit through the tunnel.
He talked about the disappointment in getting the penalty post-race.
“What was it like hearing about the penalty? Yeah, it was not fun, not great.
“But the circumstances kind of pushed us in a way into it. And then, when that happened, we didn’t know things that we knew two minutes later.
“It’s just the dynamic of the sport, and we came out the wrong side of it yesterday.
“So that’s really unfortunate.”
P7 in the Constructors’Standings
The regret over the lost starting position was heightened by the fact that only five points ultimately separated the American team from Alpine, rivals for P6 in the Constructors’ Championship heading into the race.
Due to the German’s penalty, Pierre Gasly had taken advantage and moved up the grid to start P5, finishing ahead of Hülkenberg in the race by just three seconds as they crossed the line in P7 and P8.
However, Hülkenberg recignised that a 4-point swing between him and the Frenchman had they finished the other way around wouldn’t have been enough to sway things in Haas’s direction.
“It didn’t cost that one position over Pierre today. Even if we would have finished seventh and him eighth, it would have not changed anything in the championship.”
The decisive moment definitely had been at the Brazilian round, during which both him and his teammate at the time Oliver Bearman had a very difficult race in the wet, whereas the Alpine pair of Esteban Ocon and Gasly had ended up taking a surprising P2 and P3 on that crazy Sunday afternoon.
Alpine has also looked a long stronger in the dry recently, with Gasly regularly in Q3 since the Austin update and scoring points in four of the last six rounds.
“It slipped through our hands in Brazil, unfortunately.
“Obviously, they took a huge chunk out of us, and in Qatar, too.
“I think their progress rate has been very impressive in the last quarter of the season.
“Pierre has also driven amazingly. No mistakes, very consistent, as we know him. So yeah, fair play to them,” he concluded, praising his rival’s form as Gasly pipped Hülkenberg to P10 in the standings by a single point.
Ayao Komatsu’s first season in charge
All in all, the former Racing Point driver is extremely satisfied with his and his team’s 2024, especially when comparing this campaign compared to last year when Haas shredded their tyres in race trim.
Hülkenberg was also very impressed with the job Ayao Komatsu did in his first year in charge, believing the team can become serious contenders at the top of the midfield and potentially even more in the future.
“Very good [year].
“I mean, you always forget quickly where we were last year and how down we were some days and how much s*** we had to eat. It was tough last year.”
“To have come out and turned that situation around like we did, it’s a hell of an achievement from everyone in the team.
“I really enjoyed being part of that. It’s been very enjoyable with everyone.
“I think Ayao has done a fantastic job this year as TP.
“So many things came at him, and he’s really worked through all of them. It’s been impressive and good.
“So yeah, I just leave happy.
“They’re a strong contender if they keep working like this. I know they’re a serious contender in the future.
“And, yeah, probably in and around the fight for P5.”
Most enjoyable year and good consistency
2024 ranks as one of his best seasons ever from a personal point of view, regularly scoring points and putting the car in Q3.
“Definitely one of the most consistent.
“I feel I probably had similarly good seasons, 2017, 2018, even going back, 2016. I’ve had a lot of those seasons, I think.
“But probably it’s the one that I’ve enjoyed the most, the highs as well as the lows.
“Just enjoyed the challenge, enjoyed being here.”
A recent friendship with Magnussen
The German driver also discussed his recently blooming friendship with Kevin Magnussen, who has been his Haas teammate for the most part in the past two seasons.
He is leaving Formula 1, becoming a BMW LMDh driver, whereas Hülkenberg is switching to Sauber.
Their relationship has definitely had its rough moments, but ever since his part-time return on the Formula 1 grid in 2022, he admitted, it has become a great one, with the duo also bonding on becoming fathers to little girls around the same time.
“Hell of a turnaround. That’s life for you.
“I think our relationship really started in 2022 when I stepped in for Seb in the Aston. Then from 2023, there was really never any friction.
“I think we’re really on the same frequency. Very similar points in life on the private side.
“But also, the outlook on life and how we have to work for the team, common interest at heart for the team, it’s been super enjoyable.”
Although Hülkenberg had a decisive advantage in qualifying and the points head-to-head, he says the Danish driver pushed him hard.
“I know on the numbers it might look that it was a bit one-sided, but I never felt that way.
“I’ve always felt it was small things that made a difference, and he’s really pushed me a lot, and I’ve pushed him.
“It’s been very enjoyable and very good,” he summed up his praise for the Dane.
