Nico Hulkenberg admits that talks to return to the Formula 1 grid, specifically with Haas, are “still ongoing”. His return, after three seasons without being a factory driver, and with only four Grand Prix races contested since 2020 (all as COVID-19 replacements), would come at the age of 35, still a prime age for a motorsport competitor.
Haas remains undecided on who will be its second driver for 2023, with Hulkenberg emerging as a possible candidate to replace Mick Schumacher, who is also vying to stay with the team next season.
American team principal Gunter Steiner himself confirmed Hulkenberg as one of the men with a chance.
Hulkenberg now says he is waiting for a decision from Haas.
“At the end of the day, it’s not my decision. I won’t make it myself. There are still talks. I’m relatively optimistic, but we’ll have to be patient for a bit longer,” he told ‘Servus TV’.
Vandoorne replaces him as reserve at Aston Martin
And in this context, the confirmation of Stoffel Vandoorne as Aston Martin’s new reserve driver for 2023 may be significant, as that is precisely the position that Hulkenberg has occupied this year.
By being replaced, he may have already told them that he will have a new job next year.
Logan Sargeant to Williams
And the other vacant seat would be the one left by Nicholas Latifi at Williams. Jost Capito, CEO of the Grove team, already confirmed in Austin that it would be the American Logan Sargeant, currently in F2, who will fill the seat, “provided he obtains the FIA Superlicence”, a condition that will be known in the last round of the year in Abu Dhabi.
Ricciardo on sabbatical
It comes as no surprise that Ricciardo, one of the current stars of the Grand Circus and winner of eight races in his career, is set to spend at least a season out the car.
Some say he could stay on as a Mercedes reserve so as not to be completely inactive, but others predict a dark future for him. Jenson Button believes that “it will be difficult for Daniel to find a place in a competitive team even after a sabbatical year”.
The 2023 F1 grid looks like this
- Red Bull Racing: Max Verstappen / Checo Perez
- Ferrari: Charles Leclerc / Carlos Sainz
- Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton / George Russell
- Alpine F1: Esteban Ocon / Pierre Gasly
- McLaren: Lando Norris / Oscar Piastri
- Alfa Romeo: Valtteri Bottas / Guanyu Zhou
- Aston Martin: Lance Stroll / Fernando Alonso
- Haas: Kevin Magnussen / ?
- AlphaTauri: Yuki Tsunoda / Nick de Vries
- Williams: Alex Albon / Logan Sargeant [Superlicence dependant]
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News Summary:
- Who is set to take the two remaining places in the F1 2023 grid?
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