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Max Verstappen Prefers Nico Hulkenberg as Red Bull Teammate, Reveals Father Jos

Published 11/05/2020, 1:29 AM EST

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Max Verstappen has been the sole challenger of the Silver Arrows all season. Red Bull have had problems with their second driver ever since Daniel Ricciardo made his surprise move to Renault at the end of the 2018 season.

Alex Albon has not lived up to the expectations this season. Christian Horner stated in the past that they are committed to Albon, whereas Helmut Marko made it clear that Albon’s seat is subject to his performance in 2020.

Hence, Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez are the three drivers in contention for Red Bull’s 2020 seat. It is pertinent for Red Bull to find a driver that can absorb the pressure of driving alongside Max Verstappen and adapt to the Red Bull car.

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Nico Hulkenberg Has “a Strong Mentality” to Deal With Verstappen at Red Bull : Ecclestone

Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, was reported stating that the duo would like to see Nico Hulkenberg as Red Bull’s second driver. He said, “for me, the most suitable driver for Max is the same one he would like too.”

He was later asked if he was talking about Nico Hulkenberg and he replied, “Yes, really him.”

Ex-F1 Driver Says Hulkenberg the “Perfect Number 2” at Red Bull

via Reuters

Nico Hulkenberg’s impressive 2020 cameos

His first appearance in 2020 was during the double Grand Prix in Silverstone. He was called in to replace Sergio Perez due to his COVID result. However, the German was unable to start in his first race in Silverstone due to power unit issues. He managed to secure a P7 finish in the second race in Britain.

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His second appearance was to replace Lance Stroll in Eifel after the latter had to back out due to some intestinal discomfort. Hulkenberg started the race from the 20th position on the grid. However, the German finished 8th as the driver of the day.

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Nico Hulkenberg has most races with a podium in Formula 1. Although, the father-son duo is not the only one who wants to see Nico in Redbull. Bernie Ecclestone has previously mentioned that Hulkenberg would be a perfect fit for Red Bull.

Nick Heidfeld believes that Max should partner up with Nico Hulkenberg. Even Michel Schumacher tips Nico as Red Bull’s primary contender for the 2021 seat.

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If Max Verstappen gets a teammate that can extract the best out of Red Bull, the pair would be able to put more pressure on the Silver Arrows. It remains to be seen whether Red Bull chooses Perez or Hulkenberg or they decide to continue with Alex Albon.

Schumacher Tips Nico Hulkenberg as Red Bull’s “Number 1 Candidate” for 2021 F1 Seat

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Written by:

Ayush Manjunath

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Ayush Manjunath is a Formula 1 author for EssentiallySports with more than 500 articles to his name. A Law graduate and a current Sports Management student, Ayush also has a certificate from UCLA on Sports, Media and Entertainment Management. He has an undying love for motorsports and lives to see Max Verstappen, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris battle for the championship one day!
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