Formula 1: Ironic Nico Hulkenberg tweet resurfaces amid return

An ironic tweet posted by Nico Hulkenberg after he left Force India following the 2016 Formula 1 season has resurfaced ahead of his return.

With Sergio Perez having tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of this Sunday’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit, the fourth race of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Racing Point were forced to select a replacement.

As speculated, they ended up replacing the 30-year-old Mexican with Nico Hulkenberg, who is now set to compete alongside teammate Lance Stroll in this 52-lap race around the 18-turn, 3.661-mile (5.892-kilometer) road course in Silverstone, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom for marking his first Formula 1 action since his 12th place finish in the 2019 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit.

Hulkenberg, who lost his ride with Renault to former Racing Point driver Esteban Ocon following the 2019 season, drove for Racing Point for four seasons back when they were known as Force India.

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

In 2011, the most recent year prior to 2020 during which he did not compete full-time, he served as a test driver for the team before landing a full-time ride with them in 2012. He then left for Sauber in 2013, but he returned and competed for the team from 2014 through 2016 before leaving for Renault.

In fact, he is the most recent teammate to beat Perez head-to-head in the driver standings, having done so back in 2014. Perez’s five-year streak of beating his teammates is the longest active streak in the sport, and it is comfortably the longest by two seasons over second place (Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton at three).

But an ironic tweet that Hulkenberg posted following his post-2016 departure from Force India has resurfaced now that he is set to drive for the team this weekend.

The 2017 season was the first season in which the team used a pink livery after signing a sponsorship deal with Austrian water technology company BWT.

Hulkenberg had his thoughts about the looks of that particular car.

As you can see in the article’s header image of Hulkenberg driving at Silverstone Circuit in the opening practice session for Sunday’s race, Racing Point’s cars are an even brighter shade of pink three years later.

Fortunately, that didn’t stop the 32-year-old German from accepting team principal Otmar Szafnauer’s offer to have him replace Perez behind the wheel of one of the two pink cars this weekend — and possibly next weekend as well.

The British Grand Prix is set to be broadcast live on ESPN from Silverstone Circuit beginning at 9:10 a.m. ET on Sunday, August 2.