Nico Hulkenberg: “I don’t feel 100 percent happy with what I produced this year"

Nico Hulkenberg has found himself without a seat in Formula 1 next season. The former Renault driver has struggled to perform over the past few seasons and has admitted that 2019 has been challenging.

“Personally, it’s been a challenging year, it’s been up and down,” Hulkenberg said to Formula1.com. “It was hard to get a good momentum going this season. We had signs of really good results, but then the next one was down again. There were also quite a lot of technical hiccups which were quite costly, so it’s difficult to groove yourself in, to find the right balance, and to always hit the sweetspot.

Hulkenberg is without a racing seat for 2020 but doesn't like to hear the words that he's retired.

“It doesn’t feel like retirement for me,” he said. “Yes, I won’t be on the grid next year, but it doesn’t feel like the end.”

Hulkenberg will have a year out of the sport and will hope that the young talent coming through don't impress so that a seat opens up for him in 2021.