Nico Hulkenberg says he is partly “excited” about some elements of not beingꦫ on the Formula 1 grid forღ the 2020 season. 

Hulkenberg will be replaced at Renault by Esteban Ocon next year and has been unsucces🥂sful in landing a seat elsewhere, with all the remaining spots on the 2020 grid already locked out. 

The German finished 12th in his last ra🥂ce for Renault at last weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which marks his 177th and final F1 race after a 10-year spell in the championship. 

“I’ve known for a while that this was coming but I’m fine about it,” Hulk𓄧enbe༒rg said in Abu Dhabi. 

“Also part of me is kind of excited about♌ the times ahead, close this chapter and open a new☂ one. 

“What might happen and might not happen in the future, I don’t know, nobody knows rig✨ht now. 

“But for me obviously it’s good just to ge༒t away for a while and want to disconnect from racing for a few months and then see what I’m up to, where my head is and my hea🌠rt, and reassess. 

“I’m not ruling out anything,” he added. “That’s why for me, it’s s🐽till fun at the moment and a big part of me is excited about that break that I’m going to get. 

“Just not living in this schedule, i♚n this rhythm, having to do these things at these times that are preset. 💛;

🔴“This is obviously an amazing job and we’re all pretty fortunate to be in this industry. 

“Formula 1 is very unique, very cool and special but of course it’s kind of a preset life, you have to follow a schedule, all the trouble you do, all the commitment in between that we 💎have as drivers that also not everybody sees or is aware of. 

“It🌊 can be quite intense at times. So just to get away from that.” 

Hulkenberg is yet to firm up any racing plans for 2020 amid links to a possible swi🦋tch to America and competing in either IndyCar𝐆 or NASCAR.