HULKENBERG TO RACE FOR SAHARA FORCE INDIA IN 2012

Stuttgart - Nico Hulkenberg will be back in Formula 1 as a race driver in 2012. The 24-year-old is going to line up next to British driver Paul di Resta for the Sahara Force India Formula One Team next season. Hulkenberg will therefore celebrate his comeback at the GP of Australia on March 18.

Nico Hulkenberg, 2012 Sahara Force India Formula One Team race driver: “I’m obviously delighted to be staying with Sahara Force India and to be given the chance to race next year. It wasn’t easy to watch from the sidelines this season, but I did my best to help the team and show what I was capable of. I’m extremely motivated for 2012 and would like to thank everyone for believing in me and giving me this chance. I’m keen to get down to work over the winter to develop our new car and help the team build on this year’s achievements. The first test in Jerez can’t come soon enough.”

Dr. Vijay Mallya, Team Principal Sahara Force India Formula One Team: “We identified Nico as a rising star at the end of 2010 and chose to evaluate him during the course of this season. Despite having only limited time in the car, he convinced us that he deserved a race seat for 2012.”

Timo Gans, Press officer and advisor of Nico Hulkenberg: “Nico deserved this chance by doing a great job on and off the track all over the year. For us, 2012 is a recommencement and I have no doubt, Nico will prove his enormous potential.”

Background information: Hulkenberg has already been test and reserve driver for Sahara Force India during the past season and has been in action 14 times, always fridays on a GP weekend. The driver from Emmerich, who won the GP2 title in 2009, has already been active as a race driver in 2010: In his rookie season he secured 22 points in 19 races (WC rank 14) and a pole position at the GP of Brazil with Williams-Cosworth.