Nico Hulkenberg is looking forward to the start of his second season in Haas F1…
Question: In the offseason, Ayo Komatsu took over as team manager. What kind of relationship do you have, what changes do you expect?
Nico Hulkenberg: I have a good relationship with Ayo. Last year we worked closely together throughout the season. I think we’re in for some big changes, but it’s exciting.
Other teams sometimes also appoint technical specialists to the position of team leader, and that works well. I think Ayo will bring a lot of technical knowledge and know-how to the team.
Q: Has this affected you after your first full season in three years and how did you spend the offseason?
Nico Hulkenberg: Racing is great, that’s why we train and stay in shape. The off-season went well, in the first two weeks after Abu Dhabi I relaxed a bit, met friends and rested a bit, and in mid-December I returned to training. I didn’t have to travel much during the off-season, I spent time with my family and prepared.
Question: The team has prepared new products for the podium in Austin, but you preferred to return to the old version of the car for the remaining races of the season. Does the new VF-24 include these new features? What are your expectations of the car?
Nico Hulkenberg: I hope, taking into account last year’s experiences, that the car will be a little better.
You always want to do better than last year, that’s normal. Last season was difficult for us, we want to improve, especially on the race distance. I’ve seen the new car, it really looks better, it’s an evolution. We managed to fix some things, but before we start testing it is always difficult to assess the balance of power.
Question: How is Kevin Magnussen doing?
Nico Hulkenberg: Awesome. We fit together well and have had no problems or friction. We have a lot in common: we are experienced, family, we both returned to Formula 1 after a break. We have similar requirements for the car. It is a pleasure to work with him.
Question: What are your goals for this year?
Nico Hulkenberg: Have fun and maintain a positive attitude. From a sporting point of view, we obviously want to improve on last year’s results and achieve more. Last year we had a lot of good qualifications, now the task is to earn more points in the races.
Q: Last season you crossed the 200 Grand Prix mark. Do you feel as fresh as you did in 2010?
Nico Hulkenberg: Certainly! I’m in great shape. The experience of two hundred Grand Prix helps enormously. Physically I feel absolutely fine. I trained a lot in the winter and am ready for the new season.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
