In an interview with the media today, Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg has stated that he feels his future may lie in the World Endurance Championship with Porsche if he fails to get a competitive drive in Formula One.
The German who is considered as one of the star drivers in grand prix racing in recent years, will race with Porsche in the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the WEC round at Spa this year.
Hulkenberg currently races in F1 with Force India, but he has endured a difficult start to the 2015 season as the Silverstone-based squad was the last of the F1 teams to run its 2015 car during pre-season testing. In his interview with the media today, Hulkenberg has stated that his arrangement with Porsche could be his future. Hulkenberg stated the following:- “Maybe this [Porsche] is a new home for the future.”
At the moment, the Force India team has also delayed the introduction of a B-spec car, and both Hulkenberg and teammate Sergio Perez are expecting difficult times until then.
Further on in his interview today, Hulkenberg who says he has not been in contact with any other teams in Formula One; currently suggested Porsche may be where his future lies. Hulkenberg added the following:-
‘I’m still working on it to try to bring my career forwards. My goal to win races and become world champion remains. At the moment everything is quiet. It’s only April.’
Hulkenberg sums it up nicely for me. All he can do is try and move forward his Formula One career with the help of his management team as much as possible. It is clear that he is motivated to be in the sport and wants to have the success that every racing driver dreams of. But currently all he can do is work on the situation as much as possible; even if its quiet at the moment.
In the latter stages of his interview today Hulkenberg insisted that Force India could struggle until it introduces the heavily-updated B-spec car in the Austrian Grand Prix, the eighth round of the championship. Hulkenberg admits himself that his current situation is not easy but he can only do what he can do. Hulkenberg said the following:-
‘It is not an easy situation at the moment. I think in the next two months – until Austria – not too much should be expected from us. At least we have something to work towards, but the reality is that right now we are simply too slow and can’t do very much.’
As Hulkenberg rightly points out, the situation for himself and the Force India team isn’t what they would like at the moment, but they have to make the best out of the situation they are currently in. As he says himself, this is something that the team have to work towards and they have to push with everything they have to get the VJM08-B car out in Austria and it has to be the step forward that many expect of them and what the team need it to be.
But what is clear is that Hulkenberg deserves to be in Formula One and in a competitive car. Throughout his career, he has shown time and time again just how talented he really is and how he can get the performance from a car that simply doesn’t reflect the natural talent he possesses for racing. You have ‘pay drivers’ such as Pastor Maldonado who bring the money needed to race in the sport, but in my eyes; he just isn’t talented enough to be there and as result, Hulkenberg loses the chance to drive for a competitive team such as Lotus who have achieved the success that he wants and aspires to achieve in his career.
To hear him say that driving for Porsche for WEC could be his future is something that many would agree with me on this; we don’t want to hear. But if he cannot find a competitive drive in Formula One that he rightly deserves; then he has to look at other options of motorsport that could give him the chance to win races and championships. And you cannot blame him for thinking that WEC could be the right option for him.
I truly hope that Hulkenberg gets the competitive drive in F1 that reflects his talent and ambition and we don’t lose him to another series such as WEC who may get to unlock the potential that Hulkenberg has within him as a racing driver. Because if anyone deserves success in Formula One; it is without a shadow of a doubt Nico Hulkenberg.
Images courtesy of the Sahara Force India F1 Team.
