Nico Hulkenberg has driven for many teams throughout his career in Formula 1. He started his career in Formula 1 with Williams in 2010. Despite delivering their first pole position in over 5 years, he was not retained and moved on to Force India. Since then he has driven for Sauber, again for Force India, Renault, Racing Point (Now Aston Martin), and is currently serving as a reserve driver for Aston Martin.
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Ever since 2019, Hulkenberg hasn’t got regular racing time with a team. While he raced for Racing Point in 2020 for a couple of races, he acted as a replacement for Sebastian Vettel for two races in the current season as his fellow German driver tested positive for Covid.
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Is Nico Hulkenberg eyeing a return to Formula 1 as a regular driver?
Each year when some team part ways with their driver, Hulkenberg gets linked to race for them. And kudos to him for not giving up on his hopes of racing regularly again in Formula 1.
SUZUKA, JAPAN – Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Renault Sport F1 walks in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Recently, Hulkenberg was asked whether he was training hard every day. Nico replied he was not as he is the third driver and only needs to race for the team in case of an emergency. This was a pretty standard reply. However, what followed has got his fans’ hopes up.
Nico continued, “The training intensity is also probably a little less and lower than at the beginning of my career or than when you are active. But who knows? Maybe there is an opportunity for next year, for the future. So recently I’ve been picking up the training intensity.”
Coming back to being linked with teams at the end of each season. Nico has been linked with a return to Williams after they decided not to field Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi for another year. Another team that is looking for a driver next season is Haas. Could Nico’s comment be a hint of a move to one of these teams?
Will Williams go for Nico Hulkenberg? Or will they look elsewhere?
Williams was strongly linked to being in talks with Hulkenberg to replace Nicholas Latifi. The German is currently being linked with a move to Haas to replace Mick Schumacher as well.
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – NOVEMBER 29: Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Renault Sport F1 prepares to drive in the garage during practice for the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 29, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates . (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)
Rookie driver Nyck de Vries, however, hasn’t made the decision easy for Williams. He came in as a replacement for Alexander Albon at the Italian GP, who underwent appendicitis surgery. De Vries impressed when he finished 9th in the race and picked 2 points for Williams. However, he, later on, joined Red Bull’s sister team, AlphaTauri.
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