Haas has confirmed Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen will stay with the team next season. The continuation of the driver pairing is no surprise given Team Principal Guenther Steiner's comments suggesting as much before the summer break, but now official confirmation has put the matter to rest. It means the American-owned outfit has avoided the lengthy driver line-up saga it endured last season as Mick Schumacher's eventual dismissal was drawn out until the final weekend of the campaign in Abu Dhabi, where Hulkenberg's return to the grid after three years away was revealed. The German has impressed on numerous occasions this term despite a lack of competitiveness from the VF-23 as tyre overheating and degradation issues limit progress - a second-place finish in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix [before a grid penalty] underlining his prowess behind the wheel. Whilst Magnussen has struggled for form compared to his own comeback last season, the Danish driver has still contributed to the 11 points scored by Haas to leave the team sitting eighth in the Constructors' standings. "I think it’s safe to say that we’ve had an extremely solid driver pairing this season in Formula 1 and ultimately there was no reason to look to change that moving forward,” said Steiner. "Kevin is obviously a very well-known quantity to us, and I’m delighted he’ll return for what will be his seventh season in Haas colors. With 113 starts for our team alone, we know where his strengths lie and his knowledge and experience of our organisation pairs very well with that too. "On the other side of the garage, Nico’s simply slotted in without fuss or fanfare and proved himself to be a valuable member of the team. "He’s approaching 200 starts in Formula 1 and we’re very happy to be the beneficiary of that experience behind the wheel. "We’ve had to tackle our issues this season with regards to the VF-23, we don’t hide from that, but we’ve been extremely fortunate to have had two drivers whose feedback is invaluable in assisting our engineering objectives. "Kevin and Nico gelled well right from the get-go and together they’ve both scored points, and in particular, Nico has excelled in qualifying – getting into Q3 on six occasions. "Having not raced in Formula 1 full-time since 2019 that shows you just how professional he is and how he’s looked after himself physically. "Of note is also just how much energy both drivers bring to the table, they’ve been fantastic not only in terms of their engagement within the team, but critically, in our partner activations and fan-facing opportunities. "Kevin and Nico are clearly enjoying their time in the sport, they both have mature heads on their shoulders, and they fundamentally understand what it is we’re asking of them. "In turn, now it’s down to us as a team to look ahead to 2024 and ensure we have a car that’s capable of scoring points consistently."
Building
"I’m obviously very happy to see my relationship with the team extended once again," added Magnussen. "My return in 2022 had been unexpected but was filled with numerous highlights, and although this season hasn’t gone quite as we’d hoped, we’ve still managed to get into the points and shown potential in the package we have. "There’s plenty of racing remaining in 2023 and we’ve got a lot of work to do to continue to understand the VF-23 – that learning can be applied into the 2024 car. "My thanks, as always, go to Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for giving me the opportunity to keep racing in the sport I love." Reacting to his renewal, Hulkenberg commented: "It’s nice to get things sorted early for next season to just keep the focus on racing and improving performance. "I enjoy being part of the team and share Gene and Guenther's passion for it. "We're competing in a very tight midfield and I’m looking forward to building on what we’ve done together so far and taking that forward into 2024."
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