Red Bull has confirmed it sounded out Nico Hulkenberg ahead of the Eifel Grand Prix after an inconclusive COVID test for Alex Albon.
On Friday, the day before Hulkenberg stepped in for the unwell Lance Stroll, he was called by Red Bull's Helmut Marko while it was awaiting clarity over Albon's situation. Although Albon was eventually cleared to race, Hulkenberg claimed an impressive eighth position for Racing Point as Stroll's stand-in.
"We were already in talks with Hulkenberg on Friday, because Albon, like many others, had an inconclusive test result," Marko told German broadcaster Sport1.