Under-pressure, Nico Hulkenberg has dismissed suggestions that Renault is preparing to oust him at the end of this season with Esteban Ocon circling and hunting for a seat with support from Mercedes.
Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul has been quoted by France's Auto Hebdo as saying: "Whenever Nico is about to achieve great things, he seems to sabotage himself."
He was referring to Hulkenberg's crash at Hockenheim, within sight of his first-ever podium finish in his 169th Formula 1 race start.
"Let's face it, at the moment we are checking the options we have for the future, and Nico knows that," Abiteboul said.
But Hulkenberg says the real meaning of his boss's comments were lost in translation, "I didn't hear it directly, it was translated from French. So I don't know what he meant exactly.
"But in general they are not dissatisfied with me. I think the team has a great interest in hanging on to me," insisted the German.
Silly Season latest has Ocon on the radar for the seat he should have bagged last year with the French season, while the possible availability of Sergio Perez will not go unnoticed, as apart from the journeyman's experience he does bring Mexican backing with him.
Also notable is that Sergey Sirotkin is the team's reserve driver with substantial backing for a 2020 seat from his handlers, and it would be fair to say that the highly-rated Russian has unfinished business in the top flight after his rookie season with Williams in sharp decline.
Big Question: Does Renault need Nico?
https://www.grandprix247.com/2019/08/02/hulkenberg-40-laps-before-crash-was-a-good-advert-for-me/
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