Nico Hulkenberg clarifies F1 future after 2025 misunderstanding

Days after a misunderstanding about his 2025 future, Nico Hulkenberg says he aims to present himself as well as possible for 2025 options.

During the week, Hulkenberg’s future at Haas looked as though it had been confirmed as a journalist stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the German driver had signed a new deal with the American squad for 2025.

The ‘admission’ was made at the launch of a new F1 Drive venue at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the reveal seemingly locking in another piece of the F1 2025 driver puzzle.

Nico Hulkenberg clears up confusion about F1 2025 contract

However, the reporting journalist was mistaken regarding Hulkenberg’s contract situation as the German driver retweeted an account stating the news and said: “Don‘t believe everything. Someone took a joke a bit too serious,” with a smiley winking face.

This was followed by a Haas spokesperson also clarifying that Hulkenberg was joking and the statement had been misinterpreted – Hulkenberg is currently not signed by Haas for the 2025 season.

The journalist also issued an apology tweet to clarify they had misunderstood the conversation, leading to the error.

In an interview with Sky Germany, Hulkenberg addressed the machinations of the driver market – one that has exploded into life following Lewis Hamilton’s dramatic move to Ferrari and opening up a seat at Mercedes.

With half the field yet to sign a contract for 2025, Hulkenberg reckons more seismic moves could happen.

“That will happen over time,” he said.

“A lot has already happened but, of course, much, much more will happen over the next few months.”

Might Hulkenberg find himself embroiled in the driver market moves as the year progresses? The German driver said a lot of that will come down to something he can’t affect – how competitively the Haas VF-24 allows him to race.

“It all depends a bit on how well you can recommend yourself in the first five or six races,” Hulkenberg explained.

“How good is the package? What can I do and achieve with it? [That’s] a bit out of my hands.”

PlanetF1.com recommends

F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is already confirmed for the 2025 grid?

Revealed: The early technical clues from F1 2024’s first six car launches

But drivers can still showcase themselves by maximising the best of a bad lot, if the VF-24 does prove uncompetitive as feared by new team boss Ayao Komatsu. That’s exactly what Hulkenberg intends to do.

“[I want to see] that I simply get the maximum out of 2024 and present myself as well as possible.” he said.

“[Then] everything else will fall into place. I’m now in the 13th year of my career.

“I know I’m not in a top team, a top car, but I simply have the task of making the best of it.

“[I want to] try to take Haas forward and do the best I can for myself and recommend myself for other tasks – or perhaps for a future here.

“Everything is possible, everything is open.”

Read Next: F1 2024 track action ramps up as Haas show off VF-24 in Silverstone shakedown