Hulkenberg open to racing beyond 40

Nico Hulkenberg says he has no fixed retirement age as he prepares to continue with Audi into 2027, when he will turn 40.

The German turned 39 last month, leaving only Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton older among the current Formula 1 grid.

Asked by Mundo Deportivo whether he could imagine continuing until 45 like Alonso, Hulkenberg said performance will ultimately decide.

"It’s very impressive," he said when asked about the Spaniard.

"He’s still doing very well. The thing is, the stopwatch never lies in racing."

"As long as the stopwatch is good, as long as I’m happy and motivated to do this job... because it takes a lot of effort and a lot of energy to deliver those levels of performance and do all the things that are required."

"As long as that remains the case, I’ll be happy to continue. But I don’t know when it will change."

Hulkenberg also dismissed excessive nostalgia for the smaller, lighter and louder F1 cars from earlier in his career.

"You get used to any car," the German insisted.

"That’s the reality. You simply adapt and get used to what you have."

"I think we also idealise them a bit. I don’t think it’s realistic. So there’s no point in dreaming about it."