After another difficult round at the São Paulo Formula 1 Grand Prix, Nico Hülkenberg sounds the alarm at Haas – fearing that the team will be at the back of the pack next year, after a considerable update to the car introduced at the United States Grand Prix that fell far short of the expected effects.
The veteran told Sky Deutschland that the revamped version of the VF-23 did not bring any progress: ‘It adds little or nothing. We get something on one lap, but on the second and third laps, nothing works anymore. The very old asphalt in Interlagos causes problems for our car. The aerodynamics completely disintegrate in some corners’.
According to Hülkenberg, it is known that the update did not bring the much-needed improvements: ‘It is not a clear step forward. We understand that now and we know it. In some places, it seems similar, better in some places, worse in others. So, in the end, it is balanced. But we really needed a real step forward in performance, and unfortunately, that did not happen’.
As the current season nears its end, the German emphasized that without progress, Haas risks falling behind in 2024: ‘We have to analyze and see how we approach the issue of the car’s concept and aerodynamics for next year. That is currently our biggest weak point and we have to solve it. Otherwise, it will be similar next year’.
