Haas have dropped Mick Schumacher and signed Nico Hulkenberg as his replacement for 2023 F1 season.
Schumacher’s departure comes after two difficult seasons for the 2020 F2 champion who has recorded just two top-ten finishes of eighth and sixth in Great Britain and Austria this year.
Haas have therefore turned to experience in Hulkenberg who makes a full-time return to F1 for the first time since 2019, despite having deputised for three races in 2020 and 2022 for Racing Point and Aston Martin respectively of which he has been involved with over last three seasons as Test Driver.
Four of those stand-in races came due to positive Coronavirus tests for Sergio Perez and Sebastian Vettel at 2020 British GP, 70th Anniversary GP and 2022 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix respectively, whilst he replaced Lance Stroll at 2020 Eifel Grand Prix due to illness which was later confirmed as Coronavirus.
“I’m very happy to move into a full-time race seat with Haas F1 Team in 2023. I feel like I never really left Formula 1,” commented Hülkenberg on his return to F1 after previously driving for Williams, Force India, Sauber and Renault in full-time roles.
On finally securing a full-time race seat after three seasons on the sidelines, Hulkenberg said: “I’m excited to have the opportunity to do what I love the most again and want to thank Gene Haas and Günther Steiner for their trust.
“We have work ahead of us to be able to compete with all the other teams in the midfield, and I cannot wait to join that battle again.”
Haas Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, is “naturally very pleased” to sign Hulkenberg for next season as he pointed to the German’s “experience and knowledge” plus “being a great qualifier and a solid, reliable racer”, which will be crucial to helping the team next season.
Hulkenberg will partner Kevin Magnussen which Steiner believes will ensure Haas has “a very credible and well-seasoned driver line-up which we believe will help push the team onwards up the grid.”
Steiner also issued the following tribute to Schumacher, in which he thanked the German for all of “his contribution to the team over the past couple of years,” during which he had to endure an unplanned change of teammate after Nikita Mazepin was dismissed during pre-season this year.
The Italy-born Team Principal also praised Schumacher’s progress as he said: “Mick’s pedigree in the junior categories was well known and he has continued to grow and develop as a driver in his time with Haas F1 Team – culminating in his first Formula 1 points-scoring successes earlier this season.
“While choosing to go in separate directions for the future the entire team wishes Mick well for the next steps in his career path and beyond.”
Haas have confirmed that Hulkenberg will drive for the team at next week’s post-season test alongside Pietro Fittipaldi.
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