Steiner: “Hulkenberg is a bully and got away with it”

Haas team boss, Gunther Steiner, has come out in defence of his drivers after the Hungarian Grand Prix and called Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg a bully.

Hulkenberg had a few confrontations with both Haas drivers in the race, coming together with Grosjean at the start, in a collision that effectively ruined the Frenchman’s race. Later in the race Hulkenberg was in a battle with Magnussen and he felt like he was unfairly pushed off the track when he attempted to overtake the Haas.

Steiner was upset with the fact that Hulkenberg got off relatively lightly for his part in the Grosjean collision but then went and complained to the stewards in an attempt to get a more severe penalty for Magnussen after he had already received a 5 second time penalty.

"I sum it up like: Nico was the guy who destroyed Romain's race, and then we get a penalty with Kevin," he said."Kevin did the right thing and stood his point there, in my opinion. Why would he lift? It's a tough battle.Nico went to the stewards to ask for a harsher penalty for Kevin, which I think is childish, immature. Is it supportive to run into Romain? He's a bully and he got away with it for a long time and now maybe it's time someone stood up to him. He's a good driver but he doesn't need to be like this."

He went on to later discuss Magnussen’s comments in the press pen where he told Hulkenberg to “suck my balls” after Hulkenberg had disrupted one of his interviews, and said it was the right thing to say. Steiner said in response: "It's the right way to say it, why would he say anything else? He got the penalty, if [Nico] thinks he needs more he needs to look at his Turn 1 incident."

Sam Gale