Formula 1: 5 possible Mercedes drivers for 2021
By Asher Fair
Possible 2021 Mercedes drivers: #3 – Nico Hulkenberg
In 2013, had Lewis Hamilton not made the decision to leave McLaren and sign with Mercedes to join the team as Michael Schumacher’s replacement, a move which has led to the most dominant driver-team pairing in the history of the sport throughout the V6 turbo hybrid era, Nico Hulkenberg would be the driver in Hamilton’s seat.
Hulkenberg was the second choice for the Silver Arrows to sign for 2013 as Nico Rosberg’s teammate, but it was Hamilton who ended up signing.
Should Hamilton retire after the 2020 season, however, Hulkenberg is available. After losing his ride with Renault after the 2019 season, he has had the opportunity to compete in 2020, but only in a limited capacity.
In that limited capacity, he has impressed. He filled in for Sergio Perez at Racing Point in the two races at Silverstone Circuit after Perez tested positive for COVID-19. While he didn’t get to compete in the first race due to mechanical issues, he qualified in an impressive third place behind only the Mercedes duo for the second and finished in seventh.
He then filled in for Lance Stroll at Racing Point in the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, and he finished in eighth place after starting all the way back in last (20th).
Hulkenberg has competed in 179 races without winning, nine shy of Perez’s mark. But if he were to sign with Mercedes, you’re potentially looking at a driver who has not only never won a race but never finished on the podium in 179 starts, the highest podium-less start total in Formula 1 history, becoming not only a podium finisher and not only a race winner but a world champion in the matter of a single season.