Marko explains why, despite conversations, he did not opt for Hulkenberg
F1 News
There were small rumours that Nico Hulkenberg was in talks with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing for the seat next to Max Verstappen. Helmut Marko has admitted conversation did take place, but they were initiated by the German driver.
When the rumours came out at the beginning of the summer, Hulkenberg called them 'fake news' and Marko also called it nonsense. Denials of conversations in the Formula 1 world are clearly temporary and so Marko now tells what happened during that period.
Contact throughout August
"The initiative came from Hülkenberg," says the Austrian Red Bull adviser in conversation with Motorsport-Total about the contact he had with the Renault driver.
“At that time we didn't know how it would end with Albon, so we left it open. Once we had chosen Albon, it became clear that there was no room for Hulkenberg with us," Marko states that the junior program was given priority in this case.
“Otherwise we would break our promises. So far we have only taken drivers out of our junior program. That gives our juniors a lot of security as soon as they are with us. Their chances of reaching Formula 1 are therefore very high. I do not want to say that we will never take someone from outside, but it must be significantly better."
In the end, Hulkenberg was forced to take a backwards step out of Formula 1 after being ousted from his Renault seat in favour of youngster Esteban Ocon.