Guenther Steiner has revealed that Nico Hulkenberg U-turned on joining Haas, several years 🎉before finallꦚy arriving.

Hulkenberg has hugely impressed for Haas this season, coinciding with Steiner’s exit as team principal, and has earne💦d a big move 💙to Sauber/Audi in 2025.

Hulkenberg, now aged 37, has driven two seasons for Haas but alm🐻ost arrived much earlier in the team’s evolution.

“Nico was always a talentಌ 𒈔who was always in the wrong place, at the wrong time,” Steiner told the Sky F1 podcast.

“I tried to get him. I’m not saying he would’ve been in the right place at the right time in our first year൲! But I rated him highly.

“We almo♋st got him to sign a contrac𒆙t but he bailed out.

"I got him, in the end! All good.

“With Kevin Magnussen we spoke. H💝e wasn’t racing at the ti🌌me.

“Ferrari helped us a lot, getting to the first race꧒. We made a deal with him to take on Esteban Gutierrez.

“Th🏅e year after, we took Kevin after h🌱is year at Renault.

“With Hulkenberg we didn’t get him in 2016 but we go💖t him two yeꦯars ago.

“I can’t be upset if he made a🐲 decision. But, if I make a decision, don’t get upset 🍌with me!

“That is how we roll…

“We always had pretty decent drivers.”

Steiner detailed how he convinced drivers in Haas' early days: "Tell them what your aims are. Tell them credibly wha💎t you can aꦏchieve.

"Then people got interested.

"It wasn’t easy - teams were failing, or had failed, and a new tea✅m was coming.

"I explained what we were going to do and that’s why 🍒they came.

"You always need to be lucky, as well♔. Right place at the right time. A few drivers were available, who didn🏅’t have a seat.

"We took that to our advantage."

Hulkenberg and Magnussen were finally paired last year by Steiner, a major change🐓 of philosophy from inexperienced rookies to grizzled veterans.

Since Steiner♈ left his role, Hཧulkenberg in particular has excelled as an overachiever.

Magnussen, however, is set to leave F1🎀 afꦜter losing his Haas drive.

Rookie Ollie Bearman an👍d Esteban Ocon will be the new-look duo in 2025 u♋nder Ayao Komatsu’s leadership.