After 10 years and 177 Grands Prix, it was tschuss, not auf wiedersehen from Nico Hulkenberg as he bowed out of Formula 1 at the end of the 2019 season in Abu Dhabi. The 32-year-old German meant that it’s quite likely he won’t return to F1, having not had his contract with Renault renewed for 2020 – which left him wistful at the Yas Marina finale. “It’s going to be a shock,” said Hulkenberg, who has been replaced by Esteban Ocon at Renault. READ MORE: The Top 10 F1 drivers of 2019 - as chosen by the drivers “Since I’ve been seven I’ve been in this racing world, environment. [I've] always aimed for Formula 1 from seven pretty much, which is when you start to think and memorise stuff – so it’s been [my whole] life.

GRILL THE GRID: Renault

“[I’ve been] here for 10 years and now it’s going to be a break or a cut, so it is going to be a shock to the system. But in a way that’s exciting for me: see how I cope with that, see where my interest goes and what happens here. It’s exciting itself, that fact.” Making way for Ocon, Hulkenberg left Renault after three seasons with the Anglo-French team. Before that he raced for Force India (now Racing Point), Sauber, and Williams – with whom he made his debut in 2010. Asked whether it was ‘goodbye’ or ‘see you again’ to F1 in Abu Dhabi, he chose the former. READ MORE: Why Hulkenberg has no regrets as he bids 'farewell for now' to F1 “It’s tschuss for now for me, that’s what I’ve said, what I feel. I mean nobody knows in the future if there is an opportunity or not. I think nobody can foresee the future but I don’t know. It is fine, it is what it is and I can live with it and move on.”

Nico Hulkenberg receives guard of honour from Renault