Experienced Hulkenberg got hungry again: 'F1 is like a drug'

His Dutch is almost accent-free. "Stroopwafeltje, yeah. Some broodje frikandel, some nice Dutch specialities. I'd say that I enjoy it still now," laughs the German driver during an exclusive interview with GPblog. How did he become so proficient in the Dutch language? He says he does not know, although it probably played a part that he grew up a stone's throw from the Dutch border and spent many of his junior racing years in the Netherlands.

He is likely to be considered "semi-Dutch", as Hulkenberg himself says, even though he holds a German passport. "My first steps in racing and go-karting were in Holland. My first driving [experience] was in Eefde, my first races were in Holland, so that had a meaning and an impact back then. I've always had a good connection to Holland. Like I said, I grew up around Dutch people, with CRG Holland, from when I was ten years old. That left a mark," Hulkenberg looks back.

'Would love to be champion, but I am happy'

Hulkenberg was born even closer to the Dutch border than Max Verstappen (who was born in Hasselt, Belgium). Verstappen eventually chose to race with a Dutch licence (could have been Belgian) and has become an absolute folk hero. Hulkenberg is certainly popular in Germany too, but he has not managed to achieve the status of, say, Michael Schumacher or Sebastian Vettel - or that of Verstappen in the Netherlands.

"With Max, they're a nation that will always support someone if you're winning, if you're at the front and if you're champion," Hulkenberg says. "It was the same with Michael 20 years ago. And with Vettel, when he had his time. When you're in Formula 1, but you're not really making enough of an impact at the front, then that doesn't happen. That's the reality," states Hulkenberg, who then goes on to say he is certainly not jealous. "Obviously, I would like to have had a more successful career. I would have loved to have a world championship title or something. But I'm happy. I'm happy with where I stand. I know what happened in my career. But at the end of the day, I'm happy and enjoying my life."

Hulkenberg got hungry again

Perhaps that is the secret of his current success. Hulkenberg nods. "Enjoying. The three years break that I had was kind of good and healthy for me to disconnect, to step away from Formula One and from racing, detox and change my perspective a little bit also. How I perceive and see the sport. I built the hungriness for it again, which obviously is important in this business."

At the age of 36, Hulkenberg is certainly not done with Formula 1. He will finish this season at Haas before the German joins Stake (Audi in 2026) for several years. Earlier, he spoke of kicking off after his first stint in the sport; racing in Formula 1 can be compared to addiction - in the positive sense of the word, of course. "F1 is a bit like a drug as well because the adrenaline rushes we get, it's highly competitive. Obviously, as a driver, you are in the spotlight, in the driving seat. You have a lot of responsibility, a lot of adrenaline rushes and kicks, doing quali and racing. It's a fascinating industry and job to do."

That also made Hulkenberg not look or watch other racing classes during his years out of the sport or for the immediate future. "F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. This is the ultimate challenge here. The best drivers, best everything, the most dynamic, fastest cars in the world. That's why. When I grew up, this was always where I wanted to be. This is what I was aspiring to. So that's why I wanted to be back here and not somewhere else."

Being mentally fit is key, according to Hulkenberg

The German is performing above expectations with Haas. "I think I was always good. But, in F1, it's a long season. It's difficult to always be 100%, to always maximise every weekend. I think that's one of the big challenges in Formula 1 now. Over 24 weekends, to have very few mistakes, to cut out the bad days or minimise them as much as possible.

"It's all about head space. You need to be happy, you need to be hungry. You can’t artificially produce or fake that feeling. That's what I feel right now. That's why I feel very happy and comfortable in my position and my skin, and look forward to the rest of this season and the years after."

Hulkenberg does not find it difficult to stay fit. "Many people in the public still don’t really appreciate and understand how physical it is to do a Formula 1 Grand Prix," he says. But the strain is different from, say, football, where the risk of injury is higher and, as a result, a long-term career can be at risk. "So, like you see with many cases, with Fernando, with Lewis, who are even a few years ahead of me, they're still able to do it."

Quitting? Hulkenberg is not thinking about it (yet)

So when does Hulkenberg think it is enough? "Until the wine goes off, I don't have the due date," he responds. "As long as I’m getting the performances, I think I would be the first one to admit and to say, look, it's time for a younger guy to take over. But obviously, you need younger people to come in to kick my ass for that to happen. But as long as I can keep up with them and beat them. I think as long as I feel happy and enjoy it like I do now, I will continue."