"I wanted to have the kick again" - F1 returnee Nico Hulkenberg on what brought him back to the sport
Nico Hulkenberg has said that the race in Miami brought back his urge to race in F1 again.
The driver took a backseat from racing in F1 at the end of the 2019 season. He was the reserve driver for Aston Martin for the last few years and raced five times in this while. The German will now make a return to the sport next season.
In an interview with AMuS, Hulkenberg talked about how his yearning to return to F1 came back. He said:
"Maybe around the race in Miami. That was a gigantic event. The track, the cars and the atmosphere pulled me back in. From then on, I wanted to get my kick back and compete. This has intensified more and more."
Very happy to move into a full-time drive with @HaasF1Team in 2023. I feel like I never really left Formula One and I am excited to get the opportunity to do what I love the most again. I want to thank Gene & Günther for their trust! https://t.co/47cBbm1YJl
Regarding his initial plans at Haas, Hulkenberg said that he wants to get used to the car and get acclimatised with all the related processes and procedures. He said:
"I want to get a feel for the car, get a taste of Formula 1 and clock up kilometers. This is an extra test day for me. Next year before Bahrain each driver has only one and a half days. That is not much. That's why every round is important to get used to the processes and procedures again and to get to know the new team. And to identify things about the car that can be improved."
Asked about being rustiness being a factor on his return, the German said that it does not happen with him. He said:
"Doesn't rust. Of course I have to get used to certain things again. I'm joining a new team with a new car. It always takes some getting used to. In terms of driving, going to the limit and tyre management, there are no problems at all. Physically I still have to work — especially in relation to the neck with the centrifugal forces."
Nico Hulkenberg shares wild story of him getting seat in 2020 German GP
Nico Hulkenberg had done a few appearances as the super-sub in the last three years. The wildest of them was when Otmar Szafneur called him on Friday morning to come to the track for the race ahead of the 2020 German GP at the Nurburgring.
Hulkenberg elaborated how he was having a leisurely cup of coffee when he received the call from Szafneur,
"That was really wild. I was sitting at a friend's table in Cologne at ten o'clock in the morning and had a leisurely cup of coffee. Then suddenly Otmar calls and tells me that he needs me and hangs up. I say to my buddy: He's joking. Three minutes later, it's Otmar's turn again and asks me: Did you get it? You have to come to the Nurburgring immediately."
He added:
"I to him: Is it true? Then I just sprinted to the car and broke all the records from Cologne to the Nurburgring. That was a hot ride. I turned up there two hours before the start of qualifying, was last in practice, but still scored points in the race. Of course, the Racing Point was also a good car. That was quite an intense experience."
Congratulations to Max & @redbullracing !
World Champion ²
#f1 #JapaneseGP https://t.co/VQs30SY2Gh
Hulkenberg was one of the drivers who was touted to achieve great things in the sport. However, he could not get a seat in a top team and was unable to reach the heights in the sport many expected him to.