Formula 1: Helmut Marko calls Nico Hulkenberg to Red Bull Racing rumors ‘nonsense’

Red Bull Racing team manager Helmut Marko has called rumors that Nico Hulkenberg will replace Pierre Gasly in the 2020 Formula 1 season “nonsense”.

Formula 1 veteran and current Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg, whose contract expires at the end of the 2019 season, was recently rumored as a potential candidate to replace Pierre Gasly at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing starting in the 2020 season.

Gasly has been the subject of replacement rumors for much of the opening stages of the 2019 season, as he has struggled ever since replacing Hulkenberg’s new teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, at Red Bull Racing ahead of this season.

While the recent performances of the 23-year-old Frenchman have been respectable enough for the rumors about the Milton Keynes-based team potentially replacing him before the 2019 season ends to calm down, there is still doubt about his future with the team after this season.

But as far as Hulkenberg is concerned, Red Bull Racing team manager Helmut Marko has called these rumors “nonsense”.

Here is what Marko had to say about the matter, according to Planet F1.

"“These rumours are so far-fetched that I do not even want to comment on them anymore. It’s absolute nonsense, that’s what I said to Gasly, who even called me about it.”"

More from Formula One

• Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
• Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
• Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
• Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
• Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points

As the 31-year-old German is not within the Red Bull Racing organization and the team have been known to sign drivers from within their organization, particularly from the Red Bull Racing junior team, Scuderia Toro Rosso, in recent seasons, Marko’s claim that these rumors are “far-fatched” and “nonsense” makes sense.

Toro Rosso rookie Alexander Albon has been impressive through the first six races of the 21-race 2019 season, and Daniil Kvyat has shown that Red Bull Racing were right to give him another chance within their organization after he was replaced by Gasly at Toro Rosso before the 2017 season ended.

But even with all of that said, with Red Bull Racing having ended their 12-year partnership with Renault and switched their engine manufacturer to Honda after the end of last season and with them having lost Ricciardo to the French marque on a two-year contract, signing Hulkenberg could potentially add more fuel to the fire when it comes to the feud between these two teams, and to the advantage of the energy drinks team.

Will Pierre Gasly return for what would be his second season driving for Red Bull Racing in the 2020 Formula 1 season? If not, will Nico Hulkenberg replace him? If Gasly does not return to the team and Hulkenberg does not replace him, who will?