From Norwegian flanders to the worldwide motorsport scenary, Dennis Hauger, 18 years old, blew away his contenders in F3 to become the first Norwegian driver to win the title. In our little chat with him he told us about his family and the support they gave him to become the person he is now, overlooked his past few months and unveiled his future plans and dreams.
ABOUT F3 SEASON
If you have to choose 3 words to describe your 2021 season, what would they be?
Consistent, hardworking and enjoyable.
How did you cope with 3 races per weekend? Have you found some issues training physically and mentally through these long breaks during this season?
As a driver I want to drive as much as I possibly can, to gain experience. I wish I could drive more than what we do now, because these breaks are way too long.
In your opinion, which was the most enjoyable race of this year?
Probably Red Bull Ring, starting P12 (for the reverse grid) and ending the race with a win was a cool and rare moment. But I think also during Hungary weekend , Race1/2 were fun with some cool moves as it is hard to overtake there.
Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull Content Pool
Is there a moment from this F3 season that you would like to change?
Not really. I think Race 2 in Barcelona where I crashed was some lost points but learned a lot from the mistakes I made this season and came back stronger every time; so its experiences I gain from in the future.
How is your relationship with the Prema team and your teammates?
Great! I am so happy that I got to do this season with Prema. They have been so welcoming, and balance work and fun perfectly. It was a good tone between us teammates [Arthur Leclerc and Olli Caldwell] as well, which always make the racing more enjoyable.
You are in the Red Bull Junior Team. Does this position put more pressure on your shoulders or does it motivate you?
It definitely motivates me. Working close with such a professional and successful team is awesome.
ABOUT HIS FUTURE
After winning Formula 3, in fact, Hauger was immediately included among the names taken into consideration for the jump in Formula 2. There is no doubt, therefore, about his participation in the next championship, even if nothing is really official yet!
Despite the veil of uncertainty, Dennis was called by the Prema team to carry out the end-of-season tests with the Formula 2 cars. Would have been a taste of what awaits him next month of March?
How do you imagine your future experience in F2? What do you expect?
You never know what to expect, but taking the next step is always an exciting and interesting part of the job.
As of today, how close do you feel to becoming an F1 driver?
Formula 1 is the ultimate dream, but my main focus now is on next year and Formula 2.
Are there any other championships you would like to compete in?
F2 and F1 would be good steps forward obviously but other than single seaters it would be cool to try 24-hour races and some other types of cars aswell, think there is always stuff to learn from the different categories.
A glance to Hauger past..
What was your dream when you were a kid?
I have always dreamed about being a F1 driver and living of my passion motorsport.
Can you tell us something about the reality of motorsport in Norway and the context in which you grew up?
In karting it’s quite small compared to Italy for example and no teams, so me and my dad worked on the kart to race in Norway and had fun with that before we started international karting.
Do you think that your good results are bringing more Norwegians into motorsport?
Yeah I believe so, Norway has shown a crazy amount of interest since Netflix “Driver to Survive” series came out. And I have done good at the same time as the only norwegian [driver] so its cool to see the interest grow.
Your fame’s shown up in a difficult moment for all the world. Do you have a close relationship with your fans or do you think that the pandemic situation affected this relationship? Do social networks have an important role in it?
I wish the situation was different, because I enjoy meeting fans when I get the chance. I try to be active on social media so I can connect with, and show some bits of my life on/off track to the fans.
Therefore, we have to thank Dennis Hauger for this chat on behalf of all of Multiformula, wishing him good luck and wishing him to reach every goal with the determination that have always distinguished him!
