Nico Hulkenberg returns to F1 after Sergio Perez tests positive for COVID-19

Sergio Perez

SILVERSTONE, England — Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg will exchange Racing Stage driver Sergio Perez at this weekend’s British System One particular Grand Prix immediately after the Mexican was dominated out by a constructive COVID-19 check result.

Hulkenberg, a veteran of 177 grands prix, raced for the crew when they have been recognised as Force India. He competed for Renault past time.

“Possessing to locate a replacement for Sergio at brief observe is no effortless undertaking, but in Nico we have obtained a amazing supersub who the crew understands incredibly well,” claimed crew boss Otmar Szafnauer in a assertion.

“He is certainly currently being thrown in at the deep finish, but he’s a rapidly learner and I am absolutely sure he will get up to velocity quickly.”

Hulkenberg, a Le Mans 24 Hrs winner who is popular in System One particular for not the moment standing on the podium in a extended career that begun at Williams in 2010, claimed he had been on his way to the Nürburgring when he obtained the connect with.

“That was significantly less than 24 hours in the past, so it feels a bit surreal for me correct now, but I like a great problem and this is certainly a person,” claimed the 32-year-outdated.

“It can be clearly a complicated scenario for Racing Stage and Checo (Perez). He is a buddy of mine, an outdated crew mate and I wish him a speedy recovery. I am going to move in and check out do the greatest I can for the crew.”

Perez exposed on Friday he had returned to Mexico immediately after the July 19 Hungarian Grand Prix, the past race just before the Silverstone double-header, to see his mom who had been hurt in an accident.

That appeared to have caught the Canadian-owned crew by surprise, with a spokesman indicating on Thursday that Perez had not flown again in between races.

Hulkenberg is set to keep in the motor vehicle for the seventieth Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, the weekend immediately after the British Grand Prix.

Perez’s long run at the increasingly-aggressive crew is by now searching unsure, regardless of the Mexican possessing a contract to 2022, with Ferrari’s four-time earth champion Sebastian Vettel linked to the seat.