Hülkenberg aims for the long term despite a one-year contract
Nico Hülkenberg hinted that he only had a one-year contract with Force India. But he intends to prove his worth in 2012 in order to establish himself permanently as a full-time F1 driver.
Nico Hülkenberg will make his return to F1 as a regular driver after a year of absence. Despite a strong debut in 2010 with Williams – including a pole position in Brazil, the German driver was not retained. Pastor Maldonado was preferred over him, and he ultimately had to settle for a reserve driver role with Force India.
This allowed him to participate in several Friday practice sessions and thus not lose too much contact with an F1 single-seater. His performances also convinced his team leaders, who decided to line him up alongside Paul di Resta in 2012, thereby sidelining Adrian Sutil.
The details of the contract between Sahara Force India and Hülkenberg have not been leaked in the press, but the German driver gave a hint during an interview. He indeed explained that he wished to settle permanently in Formula 1 and not just for 2012.
«My goal is to establish myself in Formula 1. I want to secure a full-time seat again for 2013, » Hülkenberg told Sky Sports News Germany.
It is therefore likely that Nico Hülkenberg’s contract is for only one season – probably with one or more additional options if the German’s performance is deemed satisfactory.
