Nico Hulkenberg: No way back to F1 for Renault driver says Jacques Villeneuve

Nico Hulkenberg

No way back for Hulkenberg - Villeneuve

Do you agree with JV?

Matthew Scott

Saturday 16 November 2019 15:00

Nico Hulkenberg has no chance of reviving his Formula 1 career, according to Jacques Villeneuve.

Hulkenberg is expected to depart F1 at the end of 2019, with Esteban Ocon to replace him at Renault.

Talks with Haas and Alfa Romeo fell through, while Hulkenberg has said he is not interested in the only remaining seat on the grid at Williams.

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Villeneuve has little sympathy for the German however, suggesting he may have even outstayed his welcome in F1.

"He's been here for a long time," Villeneuve told Canal +. "He has the record for the most races without a podium, so he knows he's had a career that is probably longer than it should have been.

"But he's been lucky because, regardless of the cars he has had, he has always been a professional driver who is paid. He knows very well that his career in Formula 1 is over now.

"There will be no return. It's not like Ocon, who is young and still has everything to prove.

"This is a driver who has already had time to show everything. Unless there is a driver who gets sick and needs to be quickly replaced by an experienced guy, the teams are not going to be looking at him."

Alfa Romeo opted to remain with Antonio Giovinazzi over Hulkenberg, despite the Italian only picking up four points so far this season, but Villeneuve backed the move.

"Even if it was an option, it's better to take a risk on a guy you have doubts about than to go with someone who didn't show too much in 10 years."

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