Nico Hülkenberg will continue his career with Force India, signing a two-year contract earlier today. This means that we can expect to see him piloting the orange racing machine for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. His current teammate, Sergio Pérez, will also be racing under contract for the 2016 season.
“He [Hülkenberg] has spent almost four years with us already and in that time we’ve seen him develop into one of the best racing drivers in the world,” said Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal. “Nico has the speed, the technical knowledge and the maturity to help us achieve some great results in the years ahead. We will do everything we can to continue delivering a car to match his talent.”
Hülkenberg proved his talent when he piloted the Porsche 919 Hybrid to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans event this year, along with co-drivers Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber. He began his relationship with the Force India team in 2011 as a test driver, after having spent the past two years with the Williams team. He had a brief run with Sauber, racing only a single season in 2013. When the Force India team rebooted their lineup, Hülkenberg was invited to return home and race with Sergio Pérez on Force India.
“I know this team inside out and I feel at home here so it made perfect sense to make a long-term commitment. The progress the team has shown over the last two years has really impressed me and gives me confidence for the future,” Hülkenberg stated. “It’s a great group of people who are hungry for success and want to keep improving year-on-year.”
Although the team is currently sixth in the World Constructors’ Championship, things are looking positive for them in the future. “I think we have the important things in place going forward and I want to continue growing with this team as we move even further up the grid.”
