Nico Hulkenberg: Haas can fight for fifth place

Hulkenberg's stellar showings at the Austrian and British Grands Prix have been instrumental in bolstering the team's standings in the Formula 1 Constructors' Championship.

At the Red Bull Ring in Austria, Hulkenberg led Haas to a double points finish, securing a commendable sixth place, while his team-mate, Kevin Magnussen, finished eighth.

This outstanding result was followed by an equally strong performance at Silverstone, where Hulkenberg once again claimed sixth place.

Thanks to Hulkenberg's back-to-back sixth-place finishes, Haas added a significant 20 points to its tally in the Constructors' standings over the course of these two Grands Prix.

The team now boasts a total of 27 points, placing them just four points behind sixth-placed Red Bull, which has 31 points. Fifth-placed Aston Martin remains ahead with 68 points.

Hulkenberg's belief in an improved Haas has been evident in his recent performances. His contributions have not only strengthened the team's position but also fuelled optimism about Haas's ability to climb the Formula 1 pecking order.

"[It was] obviously a nice rewarding feeling to get eight points again, to get P6 two times in a row," Hulkenberg said.

"Unexpected, but I think deserved, we worked for it, we stayed clean, no mistakes, good strategy.

"I think the best of all though is the performance that we've had.

"The update really did something to the car, and I genuinely think we're in the fight for the fifth fastest team now.

"Sometimes Aston [Martin], sometimes Alpine, sometimes some others maybe, but I think we're there, we've been pretty consistent this season and I think we can hang on to that."