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Haas F1 realistic: "Does a driver like Hulkenberg want to join us?"

21 August 2020 at 07:06
Last update 21 August 2020 at 11:32
  • GPblog.com

Nico Hulkenberg disappeared from Formula 1 after last season. The 33-year old driver was replaced by Esteban Ocon at Renault. He was unable to find a new seat for 2020 with another team, but now there is a very good chance that Hulkenberg will be back in the pinnacle of motorsport as of next season. Possibly with Haas F1.

Hulkenberg was allowed to take place in the Racing Point car during both Grands Prix at Silverstone. The German replaced Sergio Perez who was unable to take action due to a positive coronavirus test. The former Renault driver made a big impression on his return by finishing third in qualifying and beating Max Verstappen.

Haas F1 realistic about transfer Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg himself recently confirmed that he is in talks with two teams: Haas F1 and Alfa Romeo Racing. Both teams have struggled for form in 2020, which is why Guenther Steiner also wondered whether the arrival of Hulkenberg would be feasible given the current performance.

"I've spoken to him a couple of times and I get on well with him," the team boss of Haas F1 told the German branch of Sky. "We're not performing very well at the moment, so you have to look at it from his side to see if he would believe in it and if it suits him. He is a very good driver."

Is Hulkenberg too good?

Hulkenberg has 178 Grand Prix-starts behind him, but not once has he managed to score a podium. That doesn't mean that Hulkenberg has no track record and has proven to be really fast in the past. "From a certain level you don't want to be in a team that can't even compete in midfield," Steiner said being realistic.