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BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 27: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari and Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Renault Sport F1 in the Drivers Press Conference during previews ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 27, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
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BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JULY 27: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari and Nico Hulkenberg of Germany and Renault Sport F1 in the Drivers Press Conference during previews ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 27, 2017 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
The end of 2022 must’ve been a rollercoaster of emotions for 4x Champion Sebastian Vettel. First, he announced his retirement from the sport. Then, his protégé is told he’s surplus to requirements at Haas. But in all of this, the German may have found a silver lining after all.
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It was announced earlier this year that Nico Hulkenberg would be replacing Mick Schumacher at Haas. That being said, you’d assume Vettel would’ve been pretty miffed to see his good friend Mick Schumacher lose his F1 seat. However, as it turns out, he’s already in the mood to back Schumacher’s replacement.
Vettel told Formule1.nl, “Nico is one of the drivers who has absolute potential. Every time he’s in the car he’s shown that and maybe he wasn’t in the right car at the right time here and there. That can happen to any of us.”
“It could have happened to me and then my career might have turned out a bit differently.”
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Undoubtedly, the 4x Champion is a well-wisher of Hulkenberg. That being said, he hasn’t done the 35-year-old any favors by retiring from the sport.
Sebastian Vettel’s retirement puts Nico Hulkenberg in a tricky situation but he isn’t fussed by it
Sebastian Vettel is no longer a Formula 1 driver. But with him, also goes the privilege of having one of the most successful German drivers on the Formula 1 grid. With Schumacher also departing, the entire hopes of the F1-watching German populace now fall on the shoulders of Nico Hulkenberg.
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Formula One F1 – Bahrain Grand Prix – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – March 18, 2022 Aston Martin’s Nico Hulkenberg during the press conference REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
But he isn’t too bothered by the same. He was quoted as saying, “Obviously Germany, over the decades was very spoilt in F1, having Michael [Schumacher], Nico [Rosberg] and Sebastian [Vettel] and obviously Mercedes as a manufacturer as well.
“We still have Mercedes as a manufacturer, but I feel no pressure from that side [of being the only German driver].”
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Sebastian Vettel was quick to talk Nico Hulkenberg up. But can the 35-year-old German really live up to such a high billing? Or will he give Haas a reason to question their choice to drop Mick Schumacher in the first place?