Nico Hulkenberg is free to leave the Sauber outfit with immediate effect if he wishes, after he and his manager activated a termination clause in his contract with the team.
Hulkenberg is however likely to remain with Sauber until the end of the season, but a move elsewhere after that is highly likely amidst rumours that the team is under intense financial strain which has resulted in non-payment of employee wages – including Hulkenberg’s.
“I think it’s a difficult situation,” admitted the German when asked about the financial problems at the Swiss team.
“She [Monisha Kaltenborn] and the team management are trying to work on a solution. She’s assured me she’s working on that and there’s not much more I can say.”
Team principal and co-owner Kaltenborn is expected to announce a new sponsor in the coming weeks, but it’s believed she is also looking for an investor to buy part or all of the team to ensure it survives.
Among those rumoured to be interested include Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich – who’s football team already has a marketing deal with Sauber – and Boris Rotenberg, co-owner of Russian bank SMP and friend of Vladimir Putin.
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