Hulkenberg replaces Vettel in Bahrain after positive Covid-19 test

German driver Nico Hulkenberg will make his Formula 1 return at this weekend's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix after Sebastian Vettel tested positive for COVID-19.

The four-time world champion has tested positive for Covid-19 and will not therefore be taking part in this weekend's Manama round that will stage the season-opening race.

The Silverstone-based outfit's reserve driver Nico Hülkenberg will replace him in the AMR22. The German has already gained experiences with substituting drivers who caught the Covid-19 as he replaced Sergio Perez at Racing Point for the British and 70th Anniversary Grands Prix in 2020, and then substituted for Lance Stroll later that year at the Eifel Grand Prix in Germany.

Although Hülkenberg has not driven the AMR22 yet, he will be in the car from FP1 onwards in a bid to get used to the revolutionary new F1 machines.