WWhen racing drivers change teams in Formula 1, they initially have to overcome a number of snags. Example one: the many unfamiliar faces. Nico Hülkenberg was kindly given a list by his new Haas racing team with all the names of the around sixty men and women along the route, along with photos. He doesn’t have them all ready yet, but of course the friendly press lady’s name is Jessica, not Julia, as the German journalists want to make him believe, so he won’t let himself be fooled. “Careful with the Germans,” he says and smiles at the Englishwoman, who knows how to joke. Be careful with the Germans.
Second problem: the steering wheel. The many buttons, switches and controls are arranged differently than Hülkenberg is familiar with, because the hybrid drive comes from Ferrari and no longer from Mercedes or Renault, with whose power plants he previously drove. Ever slouched behind the wheel? “Of course, a few times,” Hülkenberg is happy to admit and explains that it will take a while before every move is right.
