Hulkenberg teases "exciting Thursday" amid Ocon rumours
Nico Hulkenberg has teased a "more exciting Thursday" at the Belgian Grand Prix, amid reports Esteban Ocon will take his Renault Formula 1 seat and Mercedes will retain Valtteri Bottas.
Hulkenberg's deal with the Renault works team expires at the end of 2019 and reports in Germany and France have suggested he will be replaced by Ocon next year.
Ocon was in the running for the second Mercedes seat alongside Lewis Hamilton for 2020, but were Mercedes to choose Bottas then Ocon would be free to strike a deal with another team.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said he would use the summer break to choose between Hamilton's existing teammate Bottas and reserve driver Ocon.
While no announcement has been made ahead of this weekend's Belgian GP, Ocon has been increasingly linked with a move to Renault and Haas has also been tipped as a potential destination.
On Tuesday, Hulkenberg responded to the front cover of the latest issue of French publication Auto Hebdo, which declares Ocon's move to Renault is a done deal and includes a mock picture of Ocon in a Renault race suit.
"Finally a more exciting Thursday ahead," Hulkenberg wrote on his Instagram story in a caption that accompanied a picture of the Ocon/Renault magazine cover.
When approached by Motorsport.com, a Renault spokesperson said the team had no comment to make on the French story "or rumours otherwise".
Mercedes has given no indication regarding the outcome of its driver deliberations.
Ocon was due to join Renault for 2019 but was snubbed when the team made the shock move to sign Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull instead.
However, 12 months later, he has the opportunity to join Ricciardo at the French works team.
Hulkenberg has been key to Renault finishing sixth and fourth in the constructors' championship in the seasons he has raced for the team.
But he has struggled to match Ricciardo this season, has been outscored 22-17 in the points and been critical of Renault's lack of progress.
Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul made it clear at the French Grand Prix it was looking at alternative options.
He indicated it would likely enter discussions "after the summer break", but the timing would have been influenced by Ocon's role in Mercedes' deliberations.
Hulkenberg and Bottas are both due to speak on Thursday at Spa as part of the usual pre-race media arrangements.
Share Or Save This Story
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Audi’s long road back to the top of grand prix racing
Nico Rosberg praises Nico Hulkenberg's "spectacular" Dutch GP save
How Nico Hulkenberg avoided a massive shunt with Audi team-mate Gabriel Bortoleto
“I went back to the car and cried” – Esteban Ocon opens up about his unexpected year on F1 sidelines
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
On this day: Michael Schumacher’s final unsportsmanlike manoeuvre
Max Verstappen takes just 14 laps to overtake 100 amateur karters in manic event
Hendrick to bring back iconic neon yellow car numbers for 2027
NASCAR changes wet-weather tire policy for Bristol to give teams more control
Max Verstappen beats the 100 in blistering time as it happened
F1 doesn't need to change its VSC rules despite Lando Norris' Spain loss
Why Lando Norris doesn’t buy George Russell’s driving style theory
How Kimi Antonelli is proving unbeatable, even when he's beaten
How Norris unfurled a surprising - and "unrepeatable" - Spanish GP pole lap
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments