Magnussen praises old rival Hulkenberg: 'He will be a great asset'

Magnussen and Hulkenberg have never been teammates, but the two drivers do have a history together. At the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix, Hulkenberg was pushed off the track by his new teammate. In front of the cameras, the German went to seek an answer from Magnussen. The response? "Suck my balls, honey."

So best friends the two drivers are definitely not, but Hulkenberg has already confirmed that the altercation from years ago has been ironed out. Magnussen reveals that the two drivers do not really have a relationship, but the Dane has a lot of respect for his new teammate.

"We don’t really have a relationship. Everyone talks about our little thing in Hungary back in 2017. Of course that’s what everyone brings up, but actually, I have a lot of respect for him. I’ve said that even before he was going to join our team," Magnussen says during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

'Hulkenberg is a very consistent driver'

Magnussen and Hulkenberg will spend a lot of time together in 2023. The German replaces Mick Schumacher at the team after the young driver failed to convince Haas of his qualities. Hulkenberg's experience will come in handy within Haas, which had the youngest line-up on the grid last year.

"I don’t know him as a person yet, but I will get to know him next year, and I’m looking forward to it. I think he’s going to be a great asset to the team. He’s going to bring a lot of experience. I feel like he was always someone who was about to get a top drive, getting good results in a midfield car. He’s shown to be a very consistent driver," Magnussen says.

Editor-in-chief Tim Kraaij reported from Abu Dhabi for this article.