Nico Hülkenberg says that while a return to Formula 1 remains his goal, he would only do so with an opportunity that “excites” him and allows him to be competitive.
Hülkenberg dropped out of F1 last year after having lost his Renault seat to Esteban Ocon, thus ending his nine-year stint in the sport.
With limited seats available, Hülkenberg ultimately ran out of options to remain as a full-time driver in the sport.
Speaking with CNN, Hülkenberg said that while having enjoyed a disconnect from the sport, he is still intent on returning to the topflight of motorsport.
“I’m very much up for it. That’s still my goal, my aim. But at the moment it’s obviously really tricky to say. A lot of factors are in there, and everything is kind of upside down anyway.
“I’m staying in connection and in contact with people. It’s still kind of a bit early, but if there’s a chance, I will definitely grab it.
“If it’s a good opportunity and something that really excites me and gets me going, then definitely I will push for that.”
Despite scoring his first – and to date, only – pole position at Interlagos in 2010, he failed to attain a podium finish across 177 starts, surpassing Adrian Sutil’s record.
Hülkenberg opted against a potential move to Williams for 2020, citing the team’s lack of competitiveness.
He said that a return to F1 would require “a decent car that gives you a good opportunity to compete.”
“I’m not saying obviously for victory, but at least that something you could work with, a car and a weapon that allows you to at least go for a top 10.
“I miss it, working with your team, with your guys, beating the others, sometimes more than other times. It’s fun, and I do miss a lot of that.”