Nico Hulkenberg had an unprecedented return to Formula 1 as he replaced Mick Schumacher at Haas for the 2023 season. And he instantly impressed everyone on the grid after his calm and level-headed performance in the chaotic Australian Grand Prix.
That’s why veteran F1 commentator Peter Windsor is pitching Hulkenberg a dream promotion in the paddock. Amidst the rising tensions between Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen at Red Bull, Windsor thinks Hulkenberg could be the right person to replace the Mexican race driver.
The 2023 season is seeing a growing rift between the two Red Bull drivers with Perez‘s rising title ambitions. Something which the Milton-Keynes-based team wouldn’t appreciate as it could cause instability in the team. Over here, Hulkenberg can come in handy as a suitable replacement.
“Obviously we want to beat each other!” 😅
Sergio Perez says there is respect in the rivalry between him and Max Verstappen 🤝 pic.twitter.com/cr299YvsDg
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 30, 2023
Nico Hulkenberg could be the perfect wingman for Max Verstappen
Windsor, impressed by Hulkenberg’s six-point performance in Australia and overshadowing his teammate Kevin Magnussen wondered what Hulkenberg could do with a Red Bull car. According to him, the German race driver would be the perfect wingman.
“He stopped right at the end, but what a drive. We know Kevin Magnussen is pretty good, but he just overshadowed him all day, and Nico was outstanding,” said Windsor. “I mean, what would Nico do in the second Red Bull as a wingman for Max Verstappen?”
He further adds that if going by merit, Hulkenberg also sits at par with Valtteri Bottas, Carlos Sainz, and Perez. According to him, all the latter three are performing the second driver roles in their respective teams, and so can the German driver at a top team.
Pure grit and utter determination is what it took for @LandoNorris to overcome a superb Nico Hulkenberg after a multiple laps-long battle Down Under! 💪👏
A happy day for Lando, who also picked up his first points of the year 🤗#AusGP #F1 @McLarenF1 pic.twitter.com/UfuCWPAsDG
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 2, 2023
Red Bull can fulfill his deepest wish
In a career that started in 2010, Hulkenberg has been seen as a talented driver. The 35-year-old has performed as a reliable lieutenant for several midtable teams in the paddock. However, his luck has been poor in F1 regarding podium success.
Despite coming close on several occasions, Hulkenberg has missed the podium finishes for some reason, and despite the 187 starts, he had never done a champagne celebration. But with Red Bull, he won’t only be a regular podium candidate, but also a contender for Grand Prix wins.
So, if Red Bull gives him some attention if they want to drop Perez, then it would be the biggest turnaround in the German race driver’s career. A couple of years ago, Hulkenberg almost quit hoping for his F1 comeback, but now some influential voices are making his case for the topmost move.
