Mercedes wants to bring in Hulkenberg too: 'Question is when we will announce it'

Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne are Mercedes' reserve drivers for 2021, but it seems neither will be involved if one of the Mercedes drivers drops out. Toto Wolff has his eye on Nico Hulkenberg.

Reserve driver for Mercedes

Whereas the role of test and reserve driver used to be a major role within a Formula One team, it has become less and less in recent years due to the restrictions on testing. Still, it was a nice promotion for De Vries to be listed as Mercedes' reserve driver in 2021.

In 2020, however, it became clear what that role was worth: when Lewis Hamilton was unable to compete at the Bahrain Grand Prix due to the coronavirus, it was not reserve driver Vandoorne who was given the opportunity, but George Russell. This again seems an obvious scenario for 2021, but Wolff is also looking at other options.

Hulkenberg's arrival

Nico Hulkenberg, for example, has also made a good impression as a substitute at Racing Point in 2020, and Mercedes appears to be a serious candidate to enlist his services. ''We all know what he can do. He is one of those top drivers who somehow never had the chance at a top team. However, he could certainly convince there,'' Wolff told Sky Germany.

''It would certainly be interesting to bring in his qualities. We are certainly not against that. The question is therefore not when the decision will be made, but when it will be known,'' the Austrian concludes. With the arrival of Hulkenberg, the role of Vandoorne and De Vries will probably only diminish within the team, and they can better focus on Formula E.