Nico Hulkenberg considers F1 retirement but his timeline may surprise you

F1 veteran Nico Hulkenberg has offered an update on when he might retire from the sport.

Hulkenberg is now 38 years of age, and heads into 2026 having finally banished his podium hoodoo during the 2025 season.

The German legend claimed his first ever grand prix podium at the British Grand Prix in 2025, bringing to an end the unwanted record of having started 238 races across his career without standing on the podium.

Hulkenberg has had two of the best seasons of his whole career in the last two years, putting in some exceptional qualifying performances and scoring regular points for Haas and Sauber respectively.

Now, he heads into 2026 amid some drastic changes. Not only are wholesale regulation changes coming to F1, but Hulkenberg's Sauber team have become the Audi Revolut F1 Team, with Audi entering the sport as a power unit manufacturer and team.

Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto will resume their partnership as team-mates but under different branding, and Hulkenberg has now issued an update on where the newly-named outfit may be fighting in the F1 pecking order.

The 38-year-old has suggested that where the team are after the first few months of the season will not impact his decision on whether to retire at the end of 2026 or not, surprisingly issuing the verdict that he could still race in the sport for 'years' to come.

"It's not crucial where we stand in February or March," he told Bild. "What matters is where we are six months later, just before the season finale, compared to the other teams.

"For me personally, it's about maintaining that positive feeling. As long as I'm enjoying myself, happy to come to the paddock and get into my car, I'll perform. Then the journey can certainly continue for a few more years. But that's not something I'm currently thinking about at all.

"I don't have a crystal ball to tell me how long I'll continue racing or even want to. I'm open to whatever comes next."

2026, the year legends depart?

While Hulkenberg is defiant in his belief that he can still compete at the highest level for a 'few more years', there has been rumours that the new 2026 regulations will favour the younger generation of drivers who have grown up in simulators and racing in sim racing events.

A number of older drivers are set to be out of contract at the end of 2026, including Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton's future post-2026 is likely to be entirely down to his and Ferrari's performance throughout the season, with the Maranello-based outfit needing more from the Brit in order to be convinced he is the driver to take them back to championship success.

For Alonso, the oldest man on the F1 grid at 44, he has already stated that his decision on whether to sign a new contract or not will be entirely on Aston Martin's performance.

If they provide him with a car capable of challenging for podiums and race wins in 2026, he has said that he will find it easier to walk away from the sport, but if they are still struggling in the midfield, he has hinted that he will want to sign another deal with his goal of claiming a 33rd grand prix victory still at the top of his mind.

It remains to be seen how many drivers leave F1 in 2026 never to be seen again in the series.

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