Hulkenberg: Andreas Seidl is Audi. He runs that team, he is the link
F1 NewsWednesday, 29 May 2024 at 17:12
It would be fair to say that in his Formula 1 career that began with Williams back in 20210, Nico Hulkenberg has never had a crack with a big team in winning form. Is his swansong with Andreas Seidl-led Audi going to change that
While Audi is not a big team the aspirations are there to be one, but as yet it is marking time before the tired and hapless Sauber Team aka Stake F1 Team morphs into the storied German manufacturer. And for them, the first driver signed for VW Group's first serious foray into F1 is Hulkenberg.
For Audi, they have signed a veteran F1 driver with vast experience. With 200-plus Grand Prix starts to his name albeit without a podium to his name let alone a victory. Nevertheless, it's a road well travelled for Hulkenberg, who is working wonders with Haas, easily outshining Kevin Magnussen in the sister car.
The pressure to secure his future, year-on-year was a trait of The Hulk's career in F1. Thus no surprise he relishes the fact that he has a deal for the foreseeable future with Audi: "Definitely very comfortable and positive. For me, it is quite unusual. Usually, I have to wait longer in the season to know what is happening to me. I am grateful for that and happy. I can focus on the present. I am very grateful."
Hulkenberg's rookie 2010 F1 season was followed by an enforced sabbatical in 2012 before Force India came calling the following season. He stayed with them until the end of 2016, the stretch interrupted by the 2013 season with Sauber. Renault followed from 2017 until the end of 2019.
Hulkenberg: I did not do much planning
In 2020 and 2021 Hulkenberg was out of a full-time drive but did a couple fo races with both Racing Point and Aston Martin during those seasons. In 2023, Hulkenberg got the call from Haas to replace Mick Schumacher for 2023. He will remain with the American team until the end of this season, before a season with Sauber. Then the Audi adventure begins in 2026.
Hulkenberg admits that this had not been part of his plan: "Since my comeback, I was not expecting anything. I came back because I felt I was not done with driving I missed the competition in F1. The years I was not driving I thought I could do a better job than the guys racing in F1.
"I wanted to come back and I made the comeback. I did not do much planning. I learned there was a time limit on this. I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the ride compared to the start of my career."
As for the timing, over a decade into his career in the top flight, Hulkenberg reasoned: "It's irrelevant. I am happy with my career and with the opportunities that come to me. I earned it. The rest is still to come and to be written."
In 2015, with permission from Force India, famously Hülkenberg won the Le Mans 24 Hours driving Porsche 919 Hybrid with co-drivers Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy. The team boss at the time was Andreas Seidl.
Can Andreas Seidl turn Audi into a F1 winning force?
The former McLaren man, now Audi team principal is the common denominator in the surprise early signing of Hulkenberg. Ferrari-ousted Carlos Sainz seemed to be their first choice. He may still be as the Spaniard has yet to ink a deal for 2025 and beyond. Sainz and Hulkenberg were teammates at Renault in 2017. Seidl knows them both well.
Hulkenberg acknowledged the Seidl-factor: "Andreas is Audi. He runs that team. Of course, Andreas is the link. It is easier if you have someone somewhere that you have worked with and that you know from the past. Of course, it helps. But it is not because of him that I go to Audi. It is because of the package includes Andreas Seidl? Yes."
Hulkenberg may be excused a grimace when watching Sauber's final days unfold. Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou more often than not slowest of all in most sessions, and way off the pace in race trim.
Hulkenberg: I know what Audi are doing
When asked if he is ready for the change from Haas to Audi, Hulkenberg: "I hope so. I hope it has changed a bit. I know what Audi are doing, they're investing in the facilities, the infrastructure, the resources, growing the team and hiring the manpower. I was there ten years ago, in 2013. I expect there will be a little bit of changes ten years later or more."
While Audi is a big manufacturer, this is no guarantee of success in F1 as many automotive giants have found out over the years. At 36 and no podiums to his name how patient will Hulkenberg be?
"No driver is patient!" he declared. "We always wanted everything yesterday. For me, you know, it is all around the 2026 regulation changes. It is a very good opportunity. It is kind of a reset button. It is completely new on the car side on the aero side on the powertrain side. That's where it becomes very interesting.
"It gives a much more level plain field and for a new manufacturer, obviously it is very valuable and very good timing. It gives the best possible opportunity to start and be competitive. They had a very long lead up time. Four years by 2026. Now it is down to the people involved to be successful.
Who will be Nico's teammate at Audi?
As for the identity of his teammate, Hulkenberg ventured: "I think I get well with anyone. I am easygoing so I don’t have a preference. I don’t have any pressure to know it now. I am not involved. It is not my decision. I am very relaxed about the choice of a teammate."
Haas surprised many by parting ways with F1 team principal Guenther Steiner, which coincided with a better car and overall performance by the team under new boss Ayao Komatsu. At least they are scrapping for points and Hulkenberg tends to do 'magic tricks' in Qualifying.
Of his final Haas car, Hulkenberg revealed:"It was totally different than expected. I guess we were not expecting such a positive and big turnaround. Obviously, with our last year's finish, we did not expect anything positive with last year’s finish.
"We got burnt a little bit last year. Especially on Sundays. Hence, we lowered our expectations and targets. Then once we started the season and started working with the car we were positively surprised by the work from the team, the engineers, the designers, and the guys in the team.
"We had a better package than we thought. It surprised us," admitted Hulkenberg.
(Interview by Agnes Carlier with Nico in Monaco)
Big Question: How long for Audi to win in Formula 1?
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