Nico Hülkenberg has no plans to set a deadline for his Formula 1 career and is open to remaining with Audi beyond the end of his current contract in 2027. The German says he will continue racing for the manufacturer for as long as he enjoys competing, remains quick enough and Audi still wants him behind the wheel.
Hülkenberg heads into the summer break encouraged by the direction of Audi’s Formula 1 project despite a championship position that he believes does not accurately reflect either his own performances or the team’s underlying competitiveness.
Nico Hülkenberg believes Audi’s results do not tell the full story
Hülkenberg arrives at the summer break after finishing ninth at the Hungarian Grand Prix, a result that finally put him on the scoreboard for the 2026 season. The result also helped Audi move ahead of Williams in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship standings.
The German believes his campaign has been considerably more competitive than the Drivers’ Championship standings suggest.
“There is an enormous discrepancy between what you see in the standings and what has actually happened on track, as well as where we are as a team,” the 39-year-old told Sport Bild.
“Looking at the standings, you might think it has been a disappointing season, but if you analyse the individual races and the overall picture, the situation looks very different.”
Hungary finally provided some reward after several weekends in which Audi believed it had sufficient pace to fight for points but failed to convert that potential. Hülkenberg’s ninth place represented his first points of the 2026 season and continued Audi’s encouraging run before the summer shutdown.
Hülkenberg: “As long as Audi wants me, I’ll keep racing”
Questions have emerged in recent months about Hülkenberg’s future beyond 2027, when his current agreement with Audi is due to expire. However, the German has played down any suggestion that retirement is already approaching.
Instead, he remains focused on the present and on helping Audi develop into a stronger Formula 1 operation.
“Never say never, but it is far too early to talk about what will happen after 2027,” Hülkenberg said. “I live one season at a time.
“As long as I’m enjoying myself, the stopwatch is on my side and the team wants me, I will drive for Audi. I can imagine this adventure continuing for quite a while yet.”
Hülkenberg’s comments underline his belief in a project that has often performed better than its results indicate. Earlier in the campaign, Audi’s competitiveness was repeatedly obscured by missed opportunities and reliability problems, leading to questions over why the R26 was faster than its results suggested.
Audi progress remains Hülkenberg’s main priority
Before discussing any potential contract extension, however, Hülkenberg wants to see Audi continue moving forward. For the experienced German, the direction of the project matters more at this stage than negotiations about how many additional seasons he might spend in Formula 1.
“The only thing that matters right now is that the project is moving in the right direction,” Hülkenberg said. “And that is exactly what is happening. The rest will come by itself.”
Audi has shown encouraging signs during the middle part of its debut campaign, with the team increasingly able to fight at the front of the midfield. The final races before the summer break provided further evidence that the Hinwil-based operation is beginning to establish a more competitive baseline.
For Hülkenberg, that progress appears to be enough to keep retirement thoughts firmly in the background. As long as Audi continues developing, his performances remain competitive and the motivation is still there, the German sees no reason why his Formula 1 career has to end when his current agreement expires.
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