Nico Hulkenberg to leave Force India

Nico Hulkenberg, the German Formula One driver, will leave Force India at the end of the current season 'to pursue other opportunities within Formula One'.

It is expected Hulkneberg will be heading to Renault for next year on a multi-year contract.

German driver Nico Hulkenberg will leave Sahara Force India at the end of this season ending his three year spell at the Silverstone-based outfit. In a statement released on Friday, the team said, " Nico Hulkenberg will leave Sahara Force India at the end of the season to pursue other opportunities within Formula One. His last race with the team will be in Abu Dhabi next month."

Team Principal and Managing Director Vijay Mallya said, “Everybody at Sahara Force India wishes Nico well as he embarks upon a different path in Formula One. Having spent five years with us, Nico has become a great friend and contributed a huge amount to the team’s success.

"He’s an outstanding driver, who has scored more points for this team than anybody else. While it’s true we will miss Nico, we respect his decision to explore fresh opportunities and it would be wrong to stand in his way.”

It is expected Hulkneberg will be heading to Renault for next year on a multi-year contract. The German had previously driven for Force India in 2012 after spending a season as the team's reserve driver in 2011.