Written by Evan Veer, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
The MoneyGram Haas F1 team has retained its current lineup of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg for the 2024 Formula 1 season. Standing at a combined 346 race starts, the pair possess a wealth of experience, and both drivers appear to be in a comfortable position within the team.
The stability that comes with maintaining such a strong lineup has definitely been a factor in the team’s decision to renew both contracts, as stated by team principal Günther Steiner: “I think it’s safe to say that we’ve had an extremely solid driver pairing this season in Formula 1, and ultimately there was no reason to look to change that moving forward”
Both drivers entered the team in somewhat unusual circumstances: Magnussen was called in unexpectedly, due to the ousting of Nikita Mazepin, just ahead of pre-season testing back in 2022. Despite having moved to race endurance prototypes for a year, Magnussen clearly had not lost his feeling for Formula 1, earning twice as many points as his teammate as well as a coveted maiden pole position at the Brazilian grand prix.
On the other hand, Nico Hulkenberg was signed to the team for the 2023 season, despite only having competed in five races over the past three years. Despite his lack of a full-time seat, the German thrust himself back into the picture as a reserve driver for Racing Point (now Aston Martin) after an impressive last-minute callup for the team in 2020. This season Hulkenberg has certainly proven Haas right in their choice to call him back, as he currently stands at nine points in the championship, compared to his teammate’s two.
The Haas duo were delighted to continue for 2024. Magnussen said: I’m obviously very happy to see my relationship with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team extended once again. My return in 2022 had been unexpected but was filled with numerous highlights, and although this season hasn’t gone quite as we’d hoped, we’ve still managed to get into the points and shown potential in the package we have.
Hulkenberg too expressed his desire to continue with the team for the future, saying: It’s nice to get things sorted early for next season to just keep the focus on racing and improving performance. I enjoy being part of the team and share Gene and Guenther's passion for it. We're competing in a very tight midfield and I’m looking forward to building on what we’ve done together so far and taking that forward into 2024.”
All in all, Haas have made a clear decision to opt for stability and experience in their lineup, something that was certainly missing during the rough past few seasons. These qualities should help the team rebuild itself further, in its newfound financial stability, in the hopes of climbing the pecking order in the years to come.