With Sebastian Vettel positive for COVID-19, Aston Martin will once again have Nico Hulkenberg as reserve driver to replace him this weekend. The British manufacturer previously stated that its regular driver had not yet tested negative for COVID-19 and was therefore unable to travel to Saudi Arabia.
We recall that current championship protocols do not allow a driver to attend a grand prix if they test positive for COVID-19, and while Aston Martin has not clarified whether Vettel has fully recovered from the disease, the team issued a brief statement stating that they will have Hulkenberg for the Jeddah race.
The Aston Martin team already had Nico Hulkenberg last week during the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, where the German driver finished 17th, five places behind current team-mate Lance Stroll.
“Despite the lack of experience in the AMR22, Nico managed well in Bahrain and we are sure he will do the same in Jeddah,” said Aston Martin. “We hope that Vettel will be fit for the Australian GP.”
This will be Hulkenberg’s fifth race as a substitute since the arrival of COVID, after his three appearances with the Racing Point team in 2020.
“After familiarizing myself with the AMR22 in Bahrain, racing in Saudi Arabia will give me the opportunity to understand the car better. Also, the work I did in the simulator earlier this week has given me additional insight and helped me prepare for this fast and fluid track,” added Hulkenberg.
“Obviously I wish Sebastian [Vettel] a speedy recovery, but I’m really looking forward to the challenge and I’ll do my best for the whole team this weekend.”
