Nico Hülkenberg was nearly chosen as Max Verstappen‘s teammate. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko reveals that the German driver was almost selected when the team decided to replace Alexander Albon in 2021. However, Sergio Pérez‘s victory in Bahrain thwarted Hülkenberg’s chances. ‘He was definitely an option,’ says Marko about the current Sauber driver.
In 2020, Red Bull decided to terminate Alexander Albon’s contract after a challenging season. Despite the British-Thai driver’s two podium finishes, the Austrian team was dissatisfied with the performance of their second driver. But who would replace Albon as Max Verstappen’s teammate? The choice was between Sergio Pérez and Nico Hülkenberg.”The Mexican driver had a successful season, with his victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix being the highlight. Pérez managed to climb from the last position to the first. Nico Hulkenberg also had a number of good results, despite being the reserve driver for Pérez’s team, Racing Point. The German qualified third at Silverstone and achieved point finishes at both the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix and the Eifel Grand Prix. Ultimately, the decision fell on Pérez, partly due to his phenomenal comeback race in Bahrain.
“Perhaps it’s a good thing he didn’t get the seat next to Max,” advisor Helmut Marko reflects on the decision in an interview with Sky Deutschland. “He was certainly an option. But then Pérez won the race in Bahrain. That happened exactly during the period when we had to make a decision, and then we chose him.” Pérez was expected to stay with Red Bull until the end of 2024. However, due to persistent disappointing results, he had to make way for Liam Lawson. The New Zealander was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda after just two races.
Sauber
The same Tsunoda, however, is still struggling to adapt to the RB21, leading to rumors that the second seat might soon become available again. Marko doesn’t think Hülkenberg should vie for the vacant spot. “I must say, he’s doing really well since his unexpected return,” says Marko. “He has a long-term contract with Sauber/Audi. That’s not something I would give up.”
