Sakhir (dpa) – Above one of the Aston Martin garages in the pit lane in Bahrain was the name Sebastian Vettel with his starting number five.
The corona virus slowed down the four-time Formula 1 world champion before the season opener in Sakhir and gave Nico Hülkenberg the next lightning comeback. Vettel tested positive and is in isolation in his adopted home of Switzerland.
According to information from the German Press Agency, replacement driver Hülkenberg received the surprising call on Thursday morning and left Europe. After McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo, who has recovered from Corona, Vettel is the second warning within just one week for the entire Formula 1.
Vettel start in Saudi Arabia still unclear
Aston Martin did not provide any information on the health of its star driver Vettel. It was initially unclear whether the 34-year-old would be able to start again in neighboring Saudi Arabia a week after the start in Bahrain. It is also not known where Vettel got infected so shortly after the tests in Bahrain.
After the radical cure of Formula 1 with completely new cars, Hülkenberg is particularly challenged. He is already scheduled for the official media round on Friday (from 11.00 a.m. CET) before the first two training sessions are scheduled.
But the Emmericher is very familiar with emergency operations. In 2020, Hülkenberg had already had to step in three times for Aston Martin’s predecessor team, Racing Point.
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As a replacement for Coronafall Sergio Perez, a technical problem at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone prevented his racing. A week later at the 70th anniversary Formula 1 Grand Prix, Hülkenberg finished seventh in the same place. In autumn at the Nürburgring, he stood in for Lance Stroll again after suffering from stomach problems and collected points again in eighth place.
However, Hulkenberg is the holder of an unenviable record in Formula 1: he never made it onto the podium in 179 Grand Prix starts. For Vettel, his failure comes at the wrong time. After finishing twelfth in the world championship in his debut season for Aston Martin, the man from Heppenheim hopes to be able to fight for a podium place again this year.
The failure also affects Formula 1. The long-awaited second World Cup duel Max Verstappen against Lewis Hamilton should actually make the headlines. But now one of the big stars is out, and the motorsport premier class finally wanted to race towards normality again after two years in exceptional mode. She has shut down her corona protocols. Vaccination is compulsory in the paddock, but there are no regular tests.
Formula 1 opener in Bahrain
Last year, before the first Grand Prix, Formula 1 also offered a wide range of vaccinations to its entourage in Bahrain. Vettel had refused at the time. “It’s a question of principle. Formula 1 had the offer to be vaccinated in Bahrain. I deliberately didn’t do it because it wasn’t my turn yet,” Vettel told RTL TV.
“It is then questionable whether my vaccine, which I have not used, will benefit someone who should be more likely to do so.” Vettel did not want to take the vaccine away from vulnerable groups. “I’ll get vaccinated, but only when it’s my turn.” In May after the race in Monaco he made up for the prick.
The paddock now has Hülkenberg back, at least temporarily. He had already driven for Aston Martin’s predecessor team Racing Point and also for its predecessor racing team Force India (2011, 2012, 2014-2016). After the end of his contract with Renault after the 2019 season, Hülkenberg was no longer given a regular cockpit.
Most recently, Hülkenberg, winner of the 2015 Le Mans long-distance classic, refrained from engaging in the US Indycar series. For Aston Martin and Mercedes, however, he was scheduled as a Formula 1 reserve driver. Now Hulkenberg is back.