Gene Haas to approve new Hulkenberg contract

Jul.19 (GMM) A new contract for Formula 1 returnee Nico Hulkenberg is now just around the corner.

Haas boss Gunther Steiner has told sport.de that a new deal for Germany’s sole f1 driver should be finalised before the sport takes its traditional August break.

He said he will “certainly work on the new contract” in the coming days.

“Mr (Gene) Haas is coming to Hungary and Spa,” said Steiner. “We’ve already talked about it.

“But it’s nicer when you can do it in person than by phone or video,” he said when asked about Hulkenberg’s negotiations. “It won’t take us long.

“Hopefully we can announce it as soon as possible. We’re happy with him.”

Indeed, Steiner says the 35-year-old has overperformed since returning to F1 this year following a three-year break.

“I didn’t expect him to get in shape straight away,” he said. “He came straight in and it worked immediately.

“We knew he was good, we all knew that, but we didn’t know that he’d be on form straight away.”

Haas is currently just eighth in the constructors’ standings, but Steiner thinks the US-owned team can race past the impressively-improving Williams.

“Obviously, I would prefer seventh,” he said. “We’d have to do a good job as Williams is doing very well on fast tracks.

“We have to fight for it but I don’t know if it’s possible yet.”