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BREAKING: Esteban Ocon to replace Nico Hulkenberg at Renault!

29 August 2019 at 13:03
Last update 29 August 2019 at 13:18
  • Bobby Vincent

Esteban Ocon will return to Formula 1 after a season out to join Renault and will replace Nico Hulkenberg as the French team's driver from the 2020 season onwards.

Ocon was tipped to replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes, but the path has taken him to Renault instead, a team he was linked with before Daniel Ricciardo replaced Carlos Sainz Jr. at the start of this season.

The French driver has had a year of being Mercedes' simulation and test driver after not being picked up by an F1 team after Lance Stroll replaced him at the formerly-named Force India, now Racing Point.

Ocon is tipped to be one of Formula 1's biggest young talents and impressed a number of people after his efforts with Force India and many were left shocked he couldn't maintain his F1 driver status.

Hulkenberg has been at Renault for since leaving Force India in 2017. The German driver has driven in 170 races in F1 over his career and holds the unwanted record of most race entries without a podium finish.

The Hulk has been linked with a move to Haas, with Romain Grosjean under immense pressure at the American outfit. So that could be Hulkenberg's next destination, but Red Bull may even look at the experienced driver if Alexander Albon doesn't work out at the Milton Keynes-based squad.