Nico Hulkenberg will continue for another year at Force India into 2015. Hulkenberg has scored in 13 of 16 races this season, including four fifth-place finishes, and currently sits ninth in the driver’s championship with 76 points.
“It’s good to confirm my plans for next season,” the German said in a team release. “This is a team I know extremely well and we’ve enjoyed a great year together with some special results. The team has big ambitions and I believe we can have a competitive package once again next year. We have a strong partner in Mercedes and everyone in the team is motivated and hungry for more success. I have a good feeling for 2015 and there is a lot to be excited about as we try to build on the results we have achieved this year.”
Added team principal Vijay Mallya, “Everybody in the team is delighted to see Nico remain a Sahara Force India driver for next season. We rate him very highly and he has done a tremendous job this year by consistently picking up crucial championship points. We know him extremely well: he’s a true racer and he knows how to motivate the team. I am convinced he is one of the best talents on the grid and I am proud that he will continue to race in the colours of Sahara Force India.”
Hulkenberg also drove for Force India as a reserve in 2011 and a full season in 2012 with a one-year detour to Sauber in 2013.
Signing with Force India this year was a marriage of convenience for both parties; admittedly, the paddock and F1 community at large still wonders what Hulkenberg could do in a truly top-flight car.