Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen could have had a very different team-mate in the past, but Ralf Schumacher believes Red Bull may have missed a trick after an admission from Helmut Marko.

Red Bull recently confirmed the team were looking at Nico Hulkenberg as an option when they were previously searching for a replacement for Alex Albon in 2020, but should Christian Horner’s outfit consider the German racer again?

Ultimately, the team opted to go with Sergio Perez for the 2021 season onwards, and the Mexican racer helped the team claim two consecutive constructors’ championships in 2022 and 2023, winning five grands prix with the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

In the 2020 season, Perez drove brilliantly well with Racing Point and claimed his first career victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.

That full-time opportunity finally came in 2023 with Haas, and the German racer has not looked back ever since, going from strength to strength with Haas before being snapped up by Sauber ahead of their transition into Audi.