Haug worked for the Pforzheimer Zeitung in his home town of Pforzheim as a volunteer before joining as a trainee journalist. He then moved to Motor-Presse-Verlag in Stuttgart, part of the Gruner + Jahr group, where he became head of motorsport for Auto Motor und Sport magazine and rose to deputy chief editor in 1988. Alongside his journalism he raced cars, finishing second at the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1985 and competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup. In 1986 he was given the opportunity to privately test a Williams Formula One car.
Haug joined Mercedes-Benz in 1990 with a brief to revive the manufacturer's competition credentials. He maintained the Mercedes presence in Group C sportscar racing before building the company's involvement in the DTM. Klaus Ludwig won the DTM drivers title in 1992 and again in 1994; Bernd Schneider won both the DTM and International Touring Car Championship titles in 1995. Haug was also instrumental in the relaunch of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2000, a series in which Mercedes subsequently dominated across multiple seasons.
Under Haug, Mercedes-Benz returned to Formula One after nearly four decades' absence. In 1993 he negotiated a partnership with Peter Sauber, with engineering assistance that resulted in Sauber cars carrying the legend Concept by Mercedes-Benz on their engine covers. In 1994 he extended the arrangement to include a Mercedes-badged engine supply for Sauber, developed in conjunction with the UK-based manufacturer Ilmor.
Following Karl Wendlinger's serious accident at the 1994 Monaco Grand Prix, and with McLaren seeking a new engine partner, Haug negotiated the McLaren-Mercedes supply arrangement beginning with the 1995 season. That partnership produced Mika Häkkinen's consecutive World Championship titles in 1998 and 1999, and Lewis Hamilton's title in 2008.
In 2009 Daimler AG and Aabar Investments acquired a 75.1 percent stake in Brawn GP. Under Haug the team was rebranded as Mercedes GP for 2010 and continued operations at the Brawn facility in Brackley. The departure of Haug was announced on 13 December 2012, with Toto Wolff taking over the role.
Separately from the Mercedes F1 programme, Haug played a central role in returning Dodge to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in 2001 with an Intrepid model and the development of the Dodge R5P7 V8 engine. He recommended Dodge partner with Bill Davis Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Evernham Motorsports, Petty Enterprises, and Melling Racing, with Penske Racing added in 2003.
After leaving Mercedes at the end of 2012, Haug remained a commentator and pundit in German motorsport media.
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