Steiner was on the money: Hulkenberg was the right pick over Schumacher

When the Haas Formula 1 team announced its 2023 driver line-up, many hoped it would give the son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, Mick, another shot to redeem himself.

Unfortunately for the Schumi camp, the team opted to part ways with the young German driver, signing another German 11 years his senior: Nico Hulkenberg.

The returning driver will turn 36 in August, making him the oldest driver on the grid after Fernando Alonso (41) and Lewis Hamilton (38). For Haas, drastic change was needed because Schumacher's 2022 accidents had dented any chance of him being retained for the new season.

Teaming up with Kevin Magnussen, who also returned to the team in 2022, The Hulk has had to prove to the team that he was the right option. And impressions after just three races suggest that Hulkenberg is doing just that.

Note: The 2023 F1 season is 23 races long, but Hulkenberg's progress over the first races can't be overlooked.

Hulkenberg bests K-Mag's number

When Magnussen rejoined Haas at the start of the 2022 F1 season, many wondered how quickly he would settle into a rhythm after a year away. But he did so beautifully, scoring points in his first race back. Then-teammate Schumacher failed to score.

In 2023, now joined by Hulkenberg, K-Mag did not score a point first-time out in Bahrain, while The Hulk made an untimely error on the opening lap, subsequently ruining his race. In Saudi Arabia for Race 2, Magnussen finished 10th, with Hulkenberg 12th.

In Australia, Hulkenberg finished the crazy race in seventh place and scored six points. With it, he leapfrogged Magnussen, who is still on the solitary point he scored in Jeddah.

Even in qualifying for the opening three races, Hulkenberg outperformed Magnussen, with the German