The Haas team made impressive strides during the Austrian Grand Prix. Nico Hülkenberg emerged as the hero of the day, driving his VF-24 to a sixth-place finish, marking his best performance of the season. Kevin Magnussen secured eighth place, ensuring double points for the team. This performance reaffirms Haas and the future Audi’s decision to give Hülkenberg a shot.
“I fought like a lion,” the German driver chuckled during an interview with Sky Sports. Hülkenberg found himself in a fierce battle with Sergio Pérez during the final stages of the race. “In the penultimate lap, I almost went off the track at turn ten,” he recounted with wide eyes. “I briefly ended up on the grass, which was really tricky. That mistake put me under pressure, but I deliberately let Checo pass me at turn three to get DRS. That was my only chance.”
Hülkenberg’s Impressive Performance Despite Pressure
With Pérez and both Alpines on his tail, Hülkenberg managed to hold his ground impressively. “I didn’t expect to be able to defend for so long,” said the Haas driver. “At first, I thought ‘let’s see what happens, maybe I can wear out Pérez’s tires a bit more’. And that happened, although it was pure survival. In the last lap, my heart rate was at two hundred!”
Competing with Good Friend Max Verstappen
Hülkenberg was pleased to be able to compete with good friend Max Verstappen. Although the German was quickly lapped, he was able to keep up with the RB20 reasonably well. “When I got the blue flags, I thought he would disappear on the horizon,” said Hulk. “Of course, I just came out of the pits with new mediums and he was already quite advanced in his stint. I could really keep up in all corners and at the same time save my tires. It was fun and it felt a bit like I was driving around in P2. That was good for the feeling.”
Teammate Kevin Magnussen’s Successful Race
Teammate Kevin Magnussen also did well in Spielberg. His eighth place ensured that Haas collected a whopping twelve World Championship points, a dream score for the American racing team. For comparison: in 2023, Haas scored twelve points in the entire season.
