Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel has tested positive for Covid-19, ruling out the German from contesting the season opener in Bahrain, setting off this weekend.
Instead, partnering Lance Stroll at the wheel of the AMR22 will be Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team Reserve and Development driver Nico Hulkenberg.
The 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix will mark the beginning of a new era in the sport, featuring the new regulations package in place from this season onwards, aiming to bring competing closer between teams on the Formula One grid.
Early in January, Hulkenberg shared his thoughts about Formula One major technical revolution in decades.
After working with the new package on the simulator, the 34-year-old concluded: “They are aimed to be a bit slower, more challenging to drive, and have more of a focus on drivers making the difference, rather than having the car performance and aerodynamics dominate.
“But from my initial experience, the new cars are pretty damn fast and not necessarily slower than the last generation. The driving experience hasn’t changed that much either, at least in the simulator.”
Adding: “The real proof will be once pre-season testing starts, where drivers and teams will find out how these cars truly behave on track.”
Last week, Stroll and Vettel took part in Formula One official three-day pre-season testing in Bahrain, overall completing 352 laps.
Vettel assessed testing as positive, outlining the team’s focus had been on “increasing our understanding of the AMR22,” further remarking he expects fierce competition.
“I am happy with the progress we have made, and we know it is going to be a long season of constantly trying to find further improvements,” he said.
“These cars are very different; you definitely notice the increased weight, and it makes the cars a bit ‘lazier’ to drive. Everyone is coming across similar challenges, and that’s part of the game.”
In 2020, Hulkenberg received a last-minute call to step in for Stroll, who, at the time, also tested positive for Covid-19, to fulfill driver duties at the Eifel F1 Grand Prix with the team still under the name of Racing Point.
In addition, that same year, a season disrupted by the global pandemic, he replaced Sergio Perez for the two race weekends at the British GP in Silverstone as the Mexican driver also contracted the virus.
Once testing finished, Team Principal, Mike Krack, commented: “The Bahrain circuit gives the car a good workout because the temperatures are high and the degradation of the track stresses the tires, too.”
Hulkenberg rounded up his latest Hulk Reports - published yesterday on his official LinkedIn page, asserting: “I’m deliberately not making any predictions at the moment - the first race of the upcoming season is a real box of mysteries.”
The Bahrain Grand Prix will be staged at the International Circuit in Sakhir from March 18-20.