Renault-bound Hulkenberg leaves Force India

Force India announced Friday that Nico Hulkenberg will be leaving after the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix next month with reports linking the German driver to a new job at Renault.
Hulkenberg will be signing a two-year contract with the French Formula One team, Germany’s Bild and Britain’s Autosport magazine suggested.
“Everybody at Sahara Force India wishes Nico well as he embarks upon a different path in Formula One,” said Force India team principal Vijay Mallya.
“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.”
Hulkenberg, 29, has started in 111 races for Williams and Force India and is lying ninth, on 54 points, in the 2016 drivers standings.
Yet to finish in the top three he claimed pole position in a Williams in Brazil in 2010 in his maiden campaign.
He will be replacing either Kevin Magnussen of Denmark or Briton Jolyon Palmer at Renault, with Force India now left looking for a driver alongside Sergio Perez.