F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Hulkenberg still up for full-time seat in F1 after 'fun' interim

Nico Hulkenberg says it's perhaps a long shot, but if a good opportunity arises to race full-time in F1 once again, he would be up for it having been wound up by his "fun" interim with Aston Martin.

As Aston's reserve driver, Hulkenberg was called up at the eleventh hour to replace a Covid-stricken Sebastian Vettel in Bahrain.

With no preparation and with only very limited simulator experience of F1's new generation cars, Hulkenberg dealt with multiple challenges in Sakhir where he qualified P17 and finished in the same position, outpacing

The German driver remained in Vettel's seat in Saudi Arabia where he acquitted himself well once again, outpacing Aston teammate Lance Stroll to finish his race P12.

"It was a demanding race, but I am happy with my performance considering my limited experience with the car," commented Hulkenberg in Jeddah.

"We put together a clean race, but unfortunately the events and opportunities did not really go our way. We gave it everything out there, but points were out of reach.

"I am happy to have helped the team by standing in again and I will remain on standby should I be needed again."

Vettel will reclaim his seat this week in Australia, and Hulkenberg will indeed be waiting in the wings, just in case.
The super-sub realized during his short interim that his old flame for F1 was intact. But would it be strong enough for him to embark on a full-time return to the grid?

"Yes, of course, if there is a good opportunity, definitely I'm up for it," he said.

"Now having been away and having done Bahrain, the rush of qualifying, the excitement of the race, the battling on Lap 1, there is a lot of great things that happen in Formula 1, and it's a lot of fun.

"So, if the right opportunity is there, of course, but that's not going to be an easy, easy task.

"I think everyone's learning curve is very steep with these new cars. There's lots to learn, you know, and we'll continue for the months to come."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Brown on F1 title fight: ‘We’re not celebrating until we’ve earned it’

McLaren boss Zak Brown has dismissed suggestions that his team has already wrapped up F1’s…

1 hour ago

Las Vegas GP: Russell keeps Mercedes on top in final practice

George Russell upheld Mercedes’ dominant Las Vegas form in FP3 on Friday, the Briton topping…

2 hours ago

2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix Free Practice 3 - Results

Full results from Free Practice 3 for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the United…

2 hours ago

Marko: ‘No chance at all’ for Red Bull in Las Vegas

Helmut Marko believes that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are unlikely to challenge for victory…

12 hours ago

GM revives bid to join F1 with accelerated talks for 2026 entry

Automotive giant General Motors is reportedly back in the game as a potential entrant in…

14 hours ago

Las Vegas GP: Thursday's action in pictures

The opening day of running at the Las Vegas GP was a smooth but chilly…

15 hours ago