Hulkenberg open to possible racing return once F1 career is over

Nico Hülkenberg has opened the door to a potential return to sportscar racing, following his latest stint in Formula 1.

The German was hired by Haas to replace the error-prone Mick Schumacher, who made too many mistakes during his second year at the team in 2022.

Hulkenberg has proved to be a safe bet for the team after making six Q3 appearances in 2023, which is more than team-mate Kevin Magnussen so far this season.

At the Canadian Grand Prix he produced a lap time that was good enough for third fastest before he was penalised by the stewards for a red flag infringement, and has scored nine points.

Hulkenberg: I think there is a couple of more years in F1

But while he has shone in qualifying, the VF-23 has been a problem for Haas in the races due to its excessive tyre wear exacerbated by the lack of downforce when running close to other cars.

This means that the results for Hulkenberg have not always reflected the potential, with his only points finish being at the Australian Grand Prix earlier in the season.

When asked if he had any doubts about continuing his future with the team, Hulkenberg told media, including RacingNews365: "No, I was pretty confident that we will have a second year."

Hulkenberg has previous history racing in the World Endurance Championship, having won the 24 hours of Le Mans on his debut in 2015 with Porsche.

A number of works drivers have started to appear in the premier Hypercar category, and the German is not ruling out a return in the future once he is done with F1.

"The honest answer is I don't know and I haven't given that any thought. I feel very good now and I think there's a couple of years left [in F1]," said Hulkenberg.

"If that feeling stays in me, if the speed stays there, and all these things, what happens after that? TBC."