Nico Hülkenberg has suggested he could remain with Audi beyond his current Formula 1 contract despite a challenging first half of the 2026 season. Those rumours were quickly dismissed by both Hülkenberg and the team, before the German finally broke his points drought with a ninth-place finish in Budapest. Hülkenberg insists Audi’s results do not reflect its true performanceSpeaking to Sport Bild, Hülkenberg argued that Audi’s progress has been significantly better than the Formula 1 standings suggest. According to Hülkenberg, Audi has missed several opportunities to score points throughout the opening 11 races of the season, leaving the team looking less competitive on paper than it has actually been. “As long as I’m having fun, the stopwatch is accurate, and the team wants me, I’ll drive for Audi.