Nico Hulkenberg will return to Formula 1 next year as a replacement for his compatriot Mick Schumacher. This week, he was already allowed to wrap up the test in Abu Dhabi for his future team. There, he was asked, among other things, whether he feels sorry for Schumacher, who has to give up his seat to the 35-year-old German.

Last week, the decision was finally made: the German driver will return to a full racing seat at Haas next year after a long time on the sidelines. Hulkenberg is thus making a surprising comeback on the grid. After all, his contract at Renault expired in 2019 and he then made a few appearances for Racing Point and Aston Martin in 2020 and 2022. Mick Schumacher's contract expired and Haas looked at several options for 2023. In the end, the US team did not continue with Schumacher, so he is already quitting the king class after a fledgling Formula 1 career of just two years.

Pity

Hulkenberg made his first appearance in his Haas livery this week when he took part in the Abu Dhabi test for his new employer. At the Yas Marina Circuit, he was asked if he feels sorry for Schumacher:"No, that's part of Formula 1. We are all fighting for our careers. Many drivers have been replaced by another driver with more experience. Whether that is two more years or 10 is irrelevant. That's how it goes in Formula 1," said Autobild.

Improvement

The former Aston Martin test driver believes he can get more out of Haas than Michael Schumacher's son. "It is a team with a lot of potential," Hulkenberg stressed. "2021 was very difficult for them. This year they fought back and finished eighth. And I see room for improvement. I think there are things we can do better as a team. I'm here because I want to find out. Also for myself, for my own career. That's why we came together."

The talks began in the summer when Hulkenberg himself contacted Steiner and says they looked at his career, statistics and substitutions. "In the talks, I was able to convince them that I would be a good choice," he said.