Nico Hulkenberg has explained his rationale behind the unusual step
of running a different specification of car to team-mate Kevin
Magnussen in the Las Vegas Grand Prix. In the United States, Haas
introduced a sizeable upgrade package it hoped would cure its tyre
degradation issues and allow it to fight to climb up the
Constructors’. However, the team is yet to score a point with the
package, and sits 10th in the standings, with Hulkenberg reverting
to the pre-Austin spec in Las Vegas. Magnussen will retain the
upgraded VF-23 package, as German Hulkenberg offered a simple
explanation for the unusual step. Hulkenberg explains unusual Haas
choice “It just comes down to personal preference,” Hulkenberg told
media including RacingNews365. “We’ve had three races with the new
package and whilst there were maybe some small benefits, there were
also some not-so-good aspects with it. “It was not the step forward
that we needed from a big update, and I think I just felt a little
bit more comfortable and confident on the old package. “With the
two circuits that we have here now, it favours that slightly more,
hence that call.” When asked how the team would handle a situation
of himself favouring one package and Kevin Magnussen the other for
2024 development, Hulkenberg insisted deeper work needed to be
done. “It just means we have to reconsider, both of them aren’t
good enough,” he said of the packages. “We need to do a better job.
We need to find performance elsewhere and, just reconsider, and
look harder and deeper.”
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