Guenther Steiner has revealed that Nico Hulkenberg U-turned on joining Haas, several years beforeﷺ finally arriving.

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

Hulkenberg, now aged 37, has 🌳driven two seasons for Haas but almost arrived much earlier in the team’s evo🔯lution.

“Nico was always a talent wh𝔍o 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 t🔥he right time in our first year! But I rated him highly.

“We almost got him to sign a contract but he baile⭕d ouඣt.

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

“With Kevin Magnussen we spoke. He 🅠wasn’t racing at the time.

“Ferrari helped us a lot, getting to the first 🌃race. We made a deal with him to take on Es﷽teban Gutierrez.

“The year after, we took Ke✅vin after his year at Renault.

“With Hulkenberg we didn’t get him in 2016 but we gꦚot him two years 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 da♕ys: "Tell them what your aims are. Tell them cre🌊dibly what you can achieve.

"Then people got interested.

"It wasn’t easy - teams were failing, or had failed, and a🍌 new team 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."

Hulkenber꧙g 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, Hulkenberg in particular has excౠelled as an overachiever.

Magnussen⛦, however, is set to leave F1 after losing hi🀅s Haas drive.

Rookie Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon will be the new-look duo in 2025 under Ayao Komatsu’☂s leadership.