Hulkenberg ‘in a happy place’ with Haas car in sweet spot

Nico Hulkenberg delivered a standout performance on Friday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, placing his Haas VF-24 in a competitive position during the final practice sessions of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

The German driver, who is set to leave Haas for Sauber next year, ended FP2 with the third-fastest lap, trailing only McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Hulkenberg finished just 0.462 seconds behind Norris, setting a promising tone for Haas as they chase a lofty target: outscoring Alpine by six points to secure sixth place in the constructors’ championship.

The strong performance also carried over from FP1, where Hulkenberg set the sixth-fastest time, narrowly behind Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who has been a key scorer for Haas’s closest rivals.

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“It was a very solid Friday,” Hulkenberg said following FP2. “From P1 this morning, the car felt somehow in a happy place in the sweet spot, which is obviously a good place to start from, a good foundation.

“Now we need to try and preserve that – try to improve little things here and there and just optimise everything. Be good on the operations side and execute cleanly.”

Hulkenberg’s teammate Kevin Magnussen also impressed, finishing eighth in FP2, confirming that Haas is well-positioned to capitalize on any opportunities that may arise.

Despite the positive signs, the Hulk remained cautious about the road ahead, acknowledging the stiff competition he will face in Saturday’s qualifying.

“I think in P2 a lot of guys were out of position for whatever reason,” Hulkenberg said. “Many main drivers didn’t run this morning, so maybe it had something to do with that.”

He admitted that breaking into the top 10 in qualifying would not be easy but was optimistic about the team’s chances if they could execute a clean session.

“I think it’s still going to be a challenge to get into the top 10 and into Q3, but I think it’s possible if we do a really good job,” Hulkenberg added.

As the final qualifying session of the season approaches, Hulkenberg and Haas will be eager to carry Friday’s momentum into Saturday, where a strong starting position could provide the springboard needed for a strong result in Sunday’s season finale.

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