Foes become friends? Why Nico Hülkenberg now gets on better with Haas Formula 1 team-mate Kevin Magnussen
“Suck my balls” were Kevin Magnussen’s words to Nico Hülkenberg in the media pen after the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix. The relationship between the two Formula 1 drivers has not exactly been the best since then, but that seems to have changed after Hülkenberg took over from Mick Schumacher in 2023 and became Magnussen’s team-mate at Haas
The two have been driving together in the same team for a year now and the German praised his relationship with his former enemy on the sidelines of the race weekend in Saudi Arabia: “It’s good. It’s pretty positive and smooth. There have been no problems, friction or anything like that, as many people might have expected because of the history. But the exact opposite is the case. “
“Most unsportsmanlike driver”: What happened in Hungary in 2017
But what exactly caused the situation in Hungary in 2017? Hülkenberg wanted to overtake the Dane on the outside of the second corner, but Magnussen allowed himself to drift wide and pushed the then Renault driver into the grass, whereupon Hülkenberg lost two positions.
In the end, the German retired shortly before the end of the race with damage to the gearbox, while Magnussen in the Haas also failed to score points in 13th place, but there was a reunion with the Haas driver in the post-race interviews.
“Once again the most unsportsmanlike driver in the field,” said Hülkenberg, congratulating Magnussen, who in turn gave an interview on Scandinavian television. To which comes the familiar reply: “Suck my balls.” Hülkenberg counters: “Yeah, they’re really good, mate. Keep it up, that’s great.”
It is also important to know that Hülkenberg was given the Renault cockpit for 2017 by Magnussen, who was Jolyon Palmer’s team-mate the year before. While the Briton was allowed to stay, the French works team signed Hülkenberg from Force India for the new season, whereupon Magnussen switched to Haas.
Hülkenberg 2024: “We get on really well “
It’s all the more amazing how Hülkenberg can now talk about Magnussen: “We get on really well and work well together, I think,” he says in Jeddah. “There were a few situations on the track last year where we didn’t even hold each other up. “
“We knew we were using different tires or strategies, and it didn’t even take a radio call. In terms of the set-up and the requirements for the car, we are pretty much in agreement and working in the same direction. So that’s very good.”
