Marko Reveals Red Bull Nearly Signed Hulkenberg for 2021 Season
Helmut Marko Reveals Nico Hulkenberg Nearly Partnered Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2021
Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko has disclosed a fascinating detail about the team’s driver lineup decisions during the 2021 Formula 1 season. According to Marko, Nico Hulkenberg almost joined Max Verstappen as his teammate, marking what may have been an entirely different chapter in the team’s history during what turned out to be their first title-winning campaign.
Ultimately, Red Bull chose Sergio Pérez as Max Verstappen’s teammate, a pivotal decision that contributed significantly to Verstappen’s maiden World Championship triumph in 2021. Pérez’s selection came on the heels of his remarkable victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, a milestone that reportedly tipped the scales in his favor. At the time, Red Bull was looking for a replacement for Alex Albon, and had been seriously evaluating Hulkenberg, whose standout performances as a Formula 1 COVID-19 super-sub drew widespread attention during the season.
In an interview with F1 Insider, Marko offered a rare look inside Red Bull’s intense deliberation process. “At that time, he [Hulkenberg] was, I think, a co-commentator at Servus TV, so there was already a relationship there, and there were the beginnings of talks,” Marko stated. “But then Pérez won that race in Bahrain, and because of that, everything turned in Pérez's direction.”
Sergio Pérez went on to spend four seasons with Red Bull, claiming five Grand Prix victories along the way, though his time with the team was marked by mixed results. Red Bull parted ways with Pérez after the 2023 Formula 1 season, leaving fans to reflect on his contribution to the team’s meteoric rise.
Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg’s Formula 1 journey took a very different path. After stepping away from the sport for a period, Hulkenberg returned with Haas and later joined Sauber, earning widespread respect for his resilience and determination. His persistence paid off in spectacular fashion at the 2023 British Grand Prix, where he secured his first career podium—a feel-good result that F1 fans and fellow drivers celebrated enthusiastically.
Looking back on the choice Red Bull made, Marko hinted that Hulkenberg’s reliability as a driver might have offered Verstappen a steadier pairing. “I think it would have been a really nice time, because the two get along very well. Hulkenberg is a safe bank for points, and in our car it would also have been top positions,” Marko remarked.
While Red Bull’s 2021 decision to pair Max Verstappen with Sergio Pérez proved transformative, ushering in the team’s current era of dominance, Helmut Marko’s reflections underline the high-stakes decisions that come with shaping Formula 1 team dynamics. Hulkenberg’s near-selection stands as a tantalizing "what if" in the ever-evolving narrative of motorsport.
Key Takeaways
Nico Hulkenberg was nearly Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull in 2021.
Sergio Pérez earned the seat after his breakthrough victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.
Hulkenberg later found success with Haas and Sauber, notching his first podium at the 2023 British Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s choice of Pérez helped secure Verstappen’s first World Championship.
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