MoneyGram Haas F1 Team's 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season will continue with Round 4, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, at the Baku City Circuit.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team enters the event in seventh position in Formula 1's Constructors' Championship, on seven points, buoyed by successive points finishes in the previous grands prix in Saudi Arabia and Australia. Kevin Magnussen collected 10th place around the streets of Jeddah prior to Nico Hulkenberg scoring seventh position in Albert Park, capturing MoneyGram Haas F1 Team's best result since July 2022.

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team drivers Magnussen and Hulkenberg both know their way around the Baku City Circuit. The pair were part of the driver line-up for Baku's inaugural race, which ran under the European Grand Prix moniker, in 2016 - with Magnussen sixteenth and Hulkenberg scoring points in ninth. That remains Hulkenberg's highest Baku finish, though Magnussen bettered his result in 2017 when he classified a strong seventh.

Azerbaijan and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team have a shared connection as both joined the Formula 1 championship in 2016. Azerbaijan's historic capital Baku, adjacent to the Caspian Sea, is the location for its annual grand prix, with an eclectic temporary facility set up around the city streets. The 6km layout - the third-longest on the current schedule - features contrasting sections that give the circuit a unique flavor. That includes long straights punctuated by 90-degree turns, a narrow and twisty section around the Old City, and a full-throttle sector along which drivers will remain flat out for 2km.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will this year host the first of six planned F1 Sprint events - the first time the Sprint weekend format has been run at the Baku City Circuit - now inclusive of a stand-alone Sprint Shootout qualifying session on the Saturday to set the Sprint grid. It will be the first experience of F1 Sprint for Hulkenberg, while Magnussen has prior know-how of the format, scoring points in all three of last year's Sprint events.

The Australian Grand Prix was one to remember for many reasons. What were the emotions when Nico finally crossed the line and brought home his first points for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team?
Guenther Steiner: "It was one of those moments where you thought he could make points and do it, and hopefully a lot more. Then immediately the frustration sets in with what could've been if there had been a different decision from the Race Director. In the end, we're happy with seventh place, and the six points we scored takes us forward in the Constructors' Championship again. All in all, a very good race weekend for us in Australia."

What has the team been up to in the three-week gap and has this provided a timely reset for the next leg of the calendar?
GS: "With the unintended break, we tried to make the best out of it. Firstly, I told people to rest a little bit and get ready for a tough season in front of us as, the real season starts now with the double-header and then the triple-header. The design team is working on the last little bits for upgrades that we bring in the next races, starting in Miami. We also put a few things in place like the race team going to a team bonding event for two days in Wales."

We head to the Baku City Circuit for Round 4 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Championship. The team hasn't scored around the City of Winds since 2017, is the VF-23 the car that will break that streak?
GS: "It's difficult to say because it's not only our form. I think our car isn't perfect but I don't know where the rest of the cars are perfect this year. I let myself be surprised when we go out in first practice and see what we can do, but this year it could be possible that our car scores points in every race. That's the aim anyway so let's hope after 2017, 2023 is the year that we score points in Baku."

For the first Sprint of the season, Formula 1 and the FIA has approved a revised format for separate qualifying sessions for the Sprint and the Grand Prix. Are you in favor of mixing up a traditional weekend format or do you prefer the standard practice, qualifying and race set-up?
GS: "I definitely prefer the new set-up because Saturday morning practice is pretty pointless as you couldn't change anything on the car, you just went out there, did laps and tried to understand the tires - I don't think that's very interesting for the fans. A second qualifying is a lot better for the fans and also for us as it gives you excitement. We've got a lot of things going on at the weekend, two qualifying sessions and two races, and I think that's great for the sport."

Coming back from a three-week break - what did you get up to and how did you spend your time away from the track?
Kevin Magnussen: "I spent my time in Denmark and the three weeks were great for really getting into training. It's not often during the season that we get such a continuous period of time where you can train routinely every day and get into it. That's been great and of course just spending time with my family recharging the batteries."

The Australian Grand Prix was one to remember for many reasons. With your race coming to a premature end, was it still satisfying to see Nico score his first points for the team and show the potential of the VF-23?
KM: "My race wasn't great, of course, not finishing but on the other hand, Nico scored some good points and that's really great. When you don't have a good race yourself, your team-mate can make up for it and we want to finish as high as we can in the Constructors' Championship and improve on our P8 last year. That's what it's going to take all through the year, both of us delivering on a consistent basis."

We head to the Baku City Circuit for Round 4 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Championship. The team hasn't scored around the City of Winds since 2017, when you brought it home in seventh, do you think the VF-23 is the car that will break that streak?
KM: "I hope we can score some points this year. Last year, we were in the running towards the end of the race but then my engine broke down. So, last year we had the pace but didn't finish it off because of reliability and hopefully this year we can have a strong weekend again and not have any issues. I'm positive that we can be strong."

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix marks the first Sprint event of the season. You managed to score in every Sprint weekend last year, is there a reason you think you and the team suit a more fast-paced format?
KM: "I don't think there's any particular reason we scored points every time but of course I'm hoping we can keep that streak going, that's the aim. I think we have good pace in the car at the moment and hopefully we can capitalize on that in both the Sprint and the race."

Formula 1 and the FIA has approved a revised format for separate qualifying sessions for the Sprint and the Grand Prix. Are you in favor of mixing up a traditional weekend format or do you prefer the variety that three practice sessions brings to fine tuning a car's set-up?
KM: "I think it's good that we get two qualifying sessions because it means that you can go for it a little more in the Sprint. There's not the extra penalty of having to start at the back for the race on Sunday if you don't finish, even though of course you want to. There's a little more reward in the risk versus reward ratio for taking risks and that's good for the show, good for us drivers and it's more fun."

Coming back from a three-week break - what did you get up to and how did you spend your time away from the track?
Nico Hulkenberg: "Obviously it was a calmer, quieter time but we did the normal debriefing from Melbourne and then some preparation for Baku and Miami. It's about to get pretty hectic so we also had a simulator day setting-up and preparing those two races. I've done a lot of training also, trying to maintain the best fitness possible and as a family we moved to Mallorca for two weeks to recharge the batteries and get ready."

The Australian Grand Prix delivered your first points for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, and the fifth time you've scored seventh place around Albert Park. How does it feel to get your first points with the team before the three-week break?
NH: "Getting your first points is always positive and it's a box ticked, it's done. I feel in the first two races - even in Jeddah - a lot of progress was made behind the scenes and a lot of good work was put into the car and the set-up. We're still experimenting a lot with that so hopefully there's more to come but definitely it was a nice feeling to have a strong, solid race and come home with points into the break."

Moving to Round 4 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It marks the first Sprint event of the season and your very first participation in a Sprint weekend. What are your opinions on the format and as a driver with over 180 grand prix starts, does this bring welcomed new challenges over the course of a season?
NH: "It's the first Sprint for me and obviously from a spectator's point of view it's very interesting. For me also it's much less practice, only one hour, and straight into a meaningful session - it reminds me of my junior days - and I used to like that. I go into it with an open mind just accepting the challenge, which is less preparation time, and you need to hit the sweet spot earlier. Baku is a pretty spectacular and challenging high-speed circuit so we're gearing up for a tough but interesting weekend."