Helmut Marko revealed that Red Bull had considered Nico Hulkenberg as a potential new teammate for Max Verstappen. The driver market can be full of surprises: what would have happened if Nico Hulkenberg had joined Red Bull? The Sauber Stake driver was on Milton Keynes’ radar as a possible partner for Max Verstappen.
Helmut Marko shared the surprising backstory with Sky Deutschland.
In 2020, during a Formula 1 season shortened by the Covid pandemic, Nico Hulkenberg impressed Red Bull at the Silverstone Grand Prix. Called in to replace Sergio Pérez at Racing Point after he tested positive for the virus, the German qualified third and finished the race in seventh place.
He was then called up again for the Eifel GP for the same reason, this time replacing Lance Stroll. Despite starting from last on the grid, he finished eighth and in the points.
Nico Hulkenberg was thus added to the list of potential candidates for Red Bull, as the team was dissatisfied with the performances of Alexander Albon and Pierre Gasly that year. However, Sergio Pérez’s victory in Bahrain changed everything and led the Austrian team to sign him instead of the German.
“Maybe it’s for the best that [Hulkenberg] didn’t get that seat next to Max,” Marko told Sky Deutschland, confirming the talks that were ongoing at the time. “There were negotiations. Then Pérez won the race in Bahrain, which was still undecided.” That win turned out to be decisive.
Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber, the right place for him
There are no regrets about the decision, since Nico Hulkenberg’s career eventually took a different path. After three years as a reserve driver, the German returned to a full-time F1 seat in 2023 with Haas. This year, he’s part of the Sauber program.
“I must say he’s done very well since his unexpected return,” continued the Red Bull advisor. “He has a long-term contract with Sauber/Audi. That’s something I wouldn’t give up.”
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