Nico Hulkenberg was cut loose by Renault.Source:Getty Images. His weekend would be turned upside down, though, as the Racing Point team principal called him four hours before qualifying to ask him to fill in for an unwell Lance Stroll. “He’s put himself in the shop window,” Di Resta adds. FIA Pool. Nico Hulkenberg sat over a coffee with a friend in Cologne on Saturday morning when Otmar Szafnauer’s name flashed up on his phone screen. Red Bull chief adviser Helmut Marko says the team even reached out to Hulkenberg about driving for the team at the Eifel Grand Prix last weekend when Albon had an initial inconclusive COVID-19 test. Marko said Red Bull wants to make a decision about its line-up by the Turkish Grand Prix in November — and will award the seat to Albon if he is able to drive consistently at the Portugal Grand Prix and the San Marino Grand Prix in Italy. A veteran of 179 Grand Prix since his debut back in 2010, Hulkenberg’s consistency and experience speaks for itself, and is surely worthy of a spot on the grid for 2021. Albon was eventually cleared to race. “And Covid stopped the drivers for a long time so he was only a few races behind people, and at the Nurburgring it was probably like jumping back in the office and going again.”. Helmut Marko explained, “If Albon can continue to develop and improve, then he is a candidate for our car for 2021. We realised that the bigger picture was the team at the time.”. Hulkenberg has only featured this season as a replacement driver for Racing Point — but has impressed in his three Grands Prix since he was left without a seat following the 2019 game of musical chairs which saw Esteban Ocon replace him at Renault. Lewis Hamilton, Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly are all but certain to fill three of those, but that still leaves six seats across four teams to be filled. #hulkenback #2.0 ______ @kevinpaigeart @glenn_dunbar @f1, A post shared by Nico Hülkenberg (@hulkhulkenberg) on Oct 11, 2020 at 9:53am PDT. Max Verstappen says 2021 Red Bull candidate Nico Hulkenberg "would be a good teammate". “We have comparisons with [Daniel] Ricciardo and we can draw conclusions about where the drivers stand. Hulkenberg, having found himself in the worst possible position of starting this year watching races on TV, albeit from the comfortable chair of a TV studio, now seems to have the luxury of choice. Nico Hulkenberg isn’t done yet.Source:Getty Images. He made that quite clear when he was squeezed out of Renault at the end of 2019 and replaced by Esteban Ocon. Sport; Formula 1; Where will Nico Hulkenberg drive in F1 2021? Marko said Red Bull wants to make a decision about its line-up by the Turkish Grand Prix in November, with the ball in Albon's court. Nico is still young enough and has got fire in his belly to do the job. It was the third time Hulkenberg has stepped in for Racing Point at short notice this campaign, serving as a temporary replacement for Sergio Perez at both Silverstone races in August. Nico Hulkenberg deserved of 2021 F1 seat after stunning Nurburgring drive . They have a plethora of drivers to choose from, with three members of the Ferrari Driver Academy pushing for a spot in F1 next season: Mick Schumacher, Robert Shwartzman and Callum Illott. Red Bull, Alfa Romeo and Haas options explained The German could be the most reliable option available to … Safe to say, he wasn't pleased. Covid tier map shows the areas of England subject to each level of lockdown restrictions, How your MP voted on the free school meals motion backed by Marcus Rashford, When the clocks go back in 2020 - and why British Summer Time comes to an end, Plans for 'Tier 4' restrictions if current rules don't work to tackle coronavirus second wave, The Covid postcode checker explained, and which areas are in which tier. Albon is young, but we are aware that if he can’t stand the pressure, we can’t afford to be standing on one leg when it comes to the world championship. That is the situation. The 33-year-old continued to maximise his opportunities, one particular highlight being his pass on compatriot Sebastian Vettel on the pits straight, en route to finishing eighth. Nico Hulkenberg says he will continue talks with Formula 1 teams about a full-time return to the grid in 2021 - even if he doesn't get another chance to shine as a Racing Point stand-in this year. I don’t think that anyone would get closer than three tenths. It hasn’t exactly been a fairytale return to F1 for ex-Renault and Force India racer Nico Hulkenberg as he stepped in for Sergio Perez last weekend, however he revealed on Thursday that he’s already spoken to team principals around the paddock about a seat for 2021. We could sit together and have dinner at night, and then be rivals sitting across from each other in the garage. He was seen chatting pre-race with Haas boss Guenther Steiner, a team that presents the best option for either himself or Perez next season. Imagine both drivers at Haas – talented, solid performers and consistent point scorers. Red Bull eyeing Nico Hulkenberg as one of their 2021 options That is, according to former F1 driver and current pundit, Ralf Schumacher. Throughout his current teammate Alex Albon's struggles this year, Red Bull officials have consistently backed the British-born Thai driver. from a coffee in cologne to P8 in a never expected HomeGP 2020 .. wtf happened this weekend?! It would inject fresh energy into a struggling team. Nevertheless, F1 is a gruelling sport and with only 20 seats to go around, some quality drivers are inevitably left disappointed when contracts are not renewed. Nico Hulkenberg sat … The German in August stunned Formula 1 when he qualified third for the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone after he replaced Sergio Perez, who tested positive to COVID-19 before the British GP. “I would have expected nothing less than what Nico did getting in that car,” Hulkenberg’s former teammate Paul Di Resta tells i. He has been lucky already to get back in an F1 car this year. “For Nico his next move is not about where can he jump from there, it’s about him dedicating his future to that team and getting the best out of them, and making sure they get the best out of him.”.