Nico Hulkenberg believes Haas’s present funding drive will assist it turn out to be a “critical competitor within the years to come back” in Formulation 1, as he prepares to move to Sauber/Audi.
The German driver will depart Haas after a fruitful two-year stint on the American squad – one season working underneath former crew boss Guenther Steiner and one 12 months within the new regime underneath former engineering director Ayao Komatsu.
Haas is in a a lot better constructors’ championship place in 2024 as its automotive bundle not destroys its tyres throughout races.
This implies Hulkenberg’s continued qualifying heroics since returning as a full-time F1 driver in 2023 have been transformed into six factors finishes, with Kevin Magnussen and his one-off substitute Ollie Bearman additionally scoring.
The crew is at the moment simply three factors behind RB in an in depth battle for the profitable sixth place within the constructors’ championship.
Workforce proprietor Gene Haas has already been satisfied to log off on a recruitment drive designed to extend the squad’s 300-person measurement by 10% and is believed to have additionally green-lit a major funding within the services on the crew’s UK base in Banbury.
When requested how he predicts Haas’s future will go as soon as he heads to the Sauber crew that can turn out to be Audi in 2026 amidst F1’s subsequent guidelines reset in an unique interview with Autosport, Hulkenberg replied: “I believe the crew is about up very nicely now.

Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-24
Picture by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Photographs
“And I believe it is a working organisation and I believe we have proved that to some extent this 12 months the place with the adjustments that occurred over winter.
“It [also] at all times relies upon additionally on many different components. Commercially – what sort of companions have they got, what are the funds, what are the assets?
“That is clearly a key aspect in that type of query. And I do not know that going ahead, what is going to occur right here.
“However I hear that there’s some extra thrilling stuff within the pipeline for the crew, which is able to solely assist them, I believe.
“And I believe Haas goes to be a critical competitor within the years to come back, particularly undoubtedly subsequent 12 months nonetheless as a result of the rules are secure.
“2026 is an unknown for everybody, however the thrilling factor is 2026 is a white piece of paper and that makes it so attention-grabbing for everybody who might do a greater job than different groups and stand out.”