It took literally months for pen to touch paper before Sahara Force India secured the services of Sergio Perez.
But no sooner had the dust settled before rumours that his teammate Nico Hulkenberg was being actively courted by Renault for 2017 began to permeate.
“He is one of the possibilities, but at the moment we have not decided,” Renault team boss Frederic Vasseur has reportedly told the French broadcaster Canal Plus.
As far as courtships go it’s hardly roses and chocolates, but it’s about as far from a denial as you get in the Formula One rumour mill.
As whispers of the potential move amplified into full-throated gossip, all eyes were trained on the promising young German at last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Suddenly everyone became a self-appointed talent scout looking for signs of the form of yesteryear – did you know he won Le Mans last year? – or proof that his talent has been inflated over the years by that most mysterious influence of hype.
Luckily for Hulkenberg he had a stonker this weekend, punctuated by his overtake of Valtteri Bottas with a sharp retort over the team radio, “See ya later!”
Perhaps he had farewells on his mind.
It’s understandable that Nico would be highly sought after. He is a more complete, if unaccomplished, driver than Sergio Perez, who was also believed to have been in contention for a Renault seat before recommitting to Force India.
Perez has grabbed his chances when they’ve come, slightly quicker in qualifying and opportunistic in claiming infrequent podiums usually thanks to contra tyre strategies.
That’s not to say his successes have been invalid in any way, but you can always rely on Hulkenberg to be more adaptable across a whole lap.
Although 24 points separate the two this season, much like the Mercedes drivers the lion’s share of bad luck has stuck one driver, with Hulkenberg suffering three retirements to Perez’s none.
Something about a potential move to Renault just makes sense, and has all the hallmarks of Romain Grosjean’s shift from Renault (then Lotus) to Haas. In this context it’s sad just how far Renault have fallen during their troubled return to Formula One.
It’s widely believed that Renault are looking to bring both Hulkenberg and pacey Frenchman Esteban Ocon into their stable.
“A German and a Frenchman, that sounds fine,” claimed Vasseur. “But a German with a Russian or a Finn would also be interesting. There are many possible combinations.”
By Finn he is referring to Valtteri Bottas with Daniil Kvyat presumably their last resort. With Felipe Massa retiring from Formula One it would seem foolish for Williams to let Bottas go, and with the opportunity to mould the team to his liking there aren’t many seats in Formula One better then the one in which he is nestled.
Perhaps only the unanticipated attention of Force India could tempt Hulkenberg to stay, with the team poised to claim fourth in the constructor’s championship.
Still, the turmoil of a team owner that has fallen afoul of the law in many parts of the world, “the Hulk” might well decide to put his skills to good use rebuilding a former icon of the sport to their former glory.
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