Feature
Would you rather with Dennis Hauger
Race winner in 2023, Dennis Hauger is looking to reassert himself in the Drivers’ Championship fight in Imola this weekend.
Before the action resumed though, the MP Motorsport driver gave his thoughts on the possibility of winning a Norwegian Grand Prix, a trip to Indy and how being too cold is no problem at all for him, naturally.
WEIGHTS OR CARDIO
“Weights. I just don’t like cardio as much. I did quite a lot of it before the season but it’s gone kind of downhill from there.”
HOME OR MONACO GP VICTORY?
“I don’t have a home race but if I did then I would win my home race. I’ve already won in Monaco and there’s never been an F1 race in Norway before so that would be awesome.”
UNDERSTEER OR OVERSTEER?
“Oversteer. I think you would be faster with a lot of oversteer than a lot of understeer. Driving style-wise, my preference is that way. It’s obviously a balance but I like it a bit on the nose. It depends on the car in terms of style and technique. But most of my career I’ve preferred having an oversteery car.”
GIVE UP YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL FOR A YEAR OR EAT IT EVERYDAY FOR A YEAR?
“I’d probably give it up for a year. I don’t know what my favourite meal is to be honest! I guess baked potato with some things on it, I like that from back home. I used to eat it a lot as a kid so probably that. I don’t think that would be healthy to eat every day for a year. So I’d give it up and then it would be good to have again after a year.”
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HANDS FOR FEET OR FEET FOR HANDS?
“Hands for feet. Like an ape. It’s more handy – literally!”
FIRST TO ARRIVE OR LAST TO ARRIVE?
“First to arrive. I wouldn’t say I’m that person all the time, but for some stuff I want to be the first one. It’s a showing the commitment thing.”
TOO HOT OR TOO COLD?
“Too hot. Most of the time in Norway I’m too cold anyway so I’d rather be too hot. Getting hot in the car is unpleasant, like in Jeddah for example but I wouldn’t mind being a bit too hot compared to too cold. It can get like -25°C or -30°C in the winter. There’s no bad weather, only bad clothes. That’s what we say.”
RACE SUIT THAT’S TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL?
“Too big. Too small is just painful with the belts and movements and everything so it doesn’t look so nice but it’s more comfortable. During the tests this year, I had a bit of a tight suit so I had to get one that fit properly, so that wasn’t very comfortable.”
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ROCK OR HIP HOP?
“Probably for a race weekend I’d go with rock. That’s my style on a weekend but outside of a race, I’d say probably more rap and hip hop. I have my race weekend playlist sorted.”
KARAOKE OR DANCE OFF?
“Neither to be honest! Probably karaoke, why not. A dance off would just look silly to me. I probably have a go to song but not one I can think of right now.”
WIN THE INDY 500 OR THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS?
“Ah that’s a tough one. What did the others say? That’s so hard! They’re two different disciplines that are so high up there. Probably the Indy 500. Why not. It’s super-fast, I’ve always looked at Indy as a really cool thing since I was young. I’ve not watched as many long-distance races but that’s obviously a thing too. It’s part of the Triple Crown so it’s all in the same ballpark to me, but Indy would be the most fun to me.”
TELEPORTATION OR ABILITY TO READ PEOPLE’S MINDS?
“Teleport places so I don’t have to travel and do the flights.”
OPTION PRIME OR PRIME OPTION?
“Depends on the position but in the normal position, option prime. For the fun of it, prime option. Usually, the most fun races are done on prime option. People are on option prime and you can get past them.”
SHOEY OUT OF YOUR TEAMMATES SHOE OR YOUR BOSSES SHOE?
“Probably my boss’s shoe. Jehan would have been driving so it would be horrible.”
LATE-BRAKING DIVE DOWN THE INSIDE OR SWEEP ALL THE WAY AROUND THE OUTSIDE?
“To be honest I feel like I should say inside but I’ve always been on the outside, or tending to make moves around the outside both in F3 and F2. I would say outside, it’s more usual for me at least.”
WIN FROM POLE OR LAST?
“Win from pole. It would be less dramatic, the fun one would be from last but you want to have a good weekend overall and that means starting at the front and winning from pole.”