At almost 37, Nico Hülkenberg is about to embark on a new phase of his career: the future Audi star on age and the different pressures of Formula 1
Nico Hülkenberg celebrates his 37th birthday on August 19: Despite his proud racing driver age, the veteran has just signed a multi-year contract with the future Audi team. Formula 1 drivers of the current generation are apparently like good wine, they get better and better with age
Hülkenberg himself is a good example of this, as are Lewis Hamilton, who will move to Ferrari in the winter at the age of 40, and above all Fernando Alonso, who continues to deliver top performances at Aston Martin at the age of 43.
“To be honest, I may be 37, but that doesn’t make me feel old or that I’m close to my sell-by date,” he says, ”I don’t see it that way, I don’t think about it either.” Rather, he takes it “step by step, season by season.”
Hülkenberg: “As long as I’m wanted here … ”
“I think I still have what it takes at the moment. And as long as that’s the case, it’s good. And I’ll keep going,” says the Haas driver, ”and as long as I’m wanted here – that’s obviously always the first thing that has to be fulfilled, that someone wants you in the car.”
But that’s not all: “I think the other thing is: if I felt that I couldn’t keep up with the young kids, then I would probably stop of my own accord. But I’m not there yet. And I don’t know when that will be, but that doesn’t matter,” says Hülkenberg.
He still feels young and fresh in his head, explains the driver from Emmerich, despite 217 Grand Prix starts. However, he does not undergo tests to compare his abilities with those of ten years ago, for example:
“I don’t really do any tests. But of course, because we always train, you know your body, you have certain limits and results from the past that you always match, and physically, I think it’s better than ever.”
The fact that this is not a problem is also demonstrated by his ageing rivals such as Hamilton or Alonso: “Yes, I think that is certainly partly due to the medical systems we have nowadays, or advantages if you compare it to a few decades ago,” says the future Audi star.
“And apart from that: Of course Formula 1 is physical, but not like soccer or tennis, where you run around and get problems with your joints or knees. It’s a different kind of strain in Formula 1, and one that is less sensitive to age.” Why Hülkenberg can continue to deliver top performance
