Hulkenberg: Future to be decided in ‘another few weeks’

Nico Hulkenberg says a decision on his racing future is “a matter of another few weeks” as he continues to evaluate options for 2020.

Hulkenberg lost his Renault F1 seat for the 2020 season to Esteban Ocon before missing out on a drive at Haas when the team opted to retain Romain Grosjean.

The decisions have left Hulkenberg short on options for next year, with Alfa Romeo and Williams appearing to be the only realistic landing spots should he remain on the F1 grid.

Asked for an update on his racing plans for 2020, Hulkenberg said that while nothing had been set in stone yet, he was hopeful of securing a programme in the short-term future.

“Well ideally it would be that it’s all done now and we move on. It’s not done yet,” Hulkenberg said in Russia on Thursday.

“I think it’s a matter of another few weeks. I don’t think it will take that much longer to be honest, so obviously the sooner the better.

“It’s good for everyone to have clarity, but as of now, it’s nothing yet.”

Hulkenberg said in Singapore that he was yet to consider any options outside of F1, wishing to postpone doing so until he knew there was no chance of him remaining on the grid for 2020.

Formula E would appear to be a logical option for Hulkenberg, and while the German driver said he had heard there was interest from the series’ side in his services, he had not spoken to anyone there.

“I haven’t even talked to them to be honest so I don’t know where this is coming from,” Hulkenberg said when asked about a Formula E drive.

“I heard that there was people coming, or wanting to talk, via friends and stuff, of people we know in common.

“But I haven’t pursued that yet.”