Most recently, Nico Hülkenberg represented Sebastian Vettel impressively at Aston Martin - now he could, of all things, displace another German Formula 1 driver. According to a report, "Hulk" is the favorite for Mick Schumacher's cockpit at the Haas racing team.
Will Nico Hulkenberg return to Formula 1 again? According to a media report, he could succeed Mick Schumacher at Haas in 2023, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Because who will get the second Haas cockpit next to Kevin Magnussen in the coming Formula 1 season is still not certain. Team boss Günther Steiner has been playing for weeks and insists that the fight for second place is still open. For Schumacher, this means that his immediate future in the premier class is still in danger.
One of the candidates who could inherit the 23-year-old in the coming season is Hulkenberg, who is employed as a reserve driver by Aston Martin this year. Even more: According to "Auto, Motor und Sport", the Emmericher is not just a candidate for the US racing team, but even Mick Schumacher's "favorite for the seat".
Hülkenberg leads a long list of potential Schumacher heirs. In addition to the 35-year-old, Logan Sargeant, Felipe Drugovich, Colton Herta and Nyck de Vries are also named as drivers who could appear in the premier class in 2023, so they are automatically candidates for Haas.
At the same time, with Daniel Ricciardo and Nicholas Latifi, there are also two current pilots who, as of today, will be unemployed next year. They too could ultimately play a role in the considerations of Günther Steiner and Co. According to Steiner, Schumacher is also still in the running: "If he always performs like he did in Zandvoort, he's a candidate." It is not yet clear who will ultimately be awarded the contract.
A few days ago, Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer indicated how complicated the search for a new driver is. His racing team is also looking for a new driver for the coming season. According to Szafnauer, the French team's original list of candidates included 14 (!) drivers. This list must first be thinned out, explained the team boss. A process that takes time.
