Ralf Schumacher names the ‘special’ F1 driver who would be best suited to being Max Verstappen’s teammate

Red Bull Racing have faced a conundrum ever since Daniel Ricciardo decided to jump ship to Renault at the end of the 2018 Formula 1 season.

Daniel Ricciardo went toe-to-toe with Max Verstappen before leaving Red Bull, and a string of drivers have tried and failed to live up to the team’s expectations ever since.

Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon have gone on to have successful F1 careers after failing to match Verstappen, but Sergio Perez is no longer on the grid after four years with the team.

Liam Lawson lasted two races at Red Bull at the start of 2025 and is now facing a battle against Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls that could bring his Formula 1 future into question by the end of the season.

Yuki Tsunoda is the latest driver attempting to make the second Red Bull seat his own, but isn’t doing a good enough job after eight race weekends with Christian Horner’s outfit.

Tsunoda is yet to finish in the top eight of a Grand Prix since his move, and Ralf Schumacher has suggested an alternative driver on the grid who would be far better suited to racing alongside Verstappen.

He believes fellow German racer Nico Hulkenberg would be a brilliant partner for the four-time world champion.

Hulkenberg has previously been touted as a Le Mans teammate for Verstappen in the future, but the 37-year-old still has plenty he would like to achieve at Sauber and Audi next season.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Ralf Schumacher names Nico Hulkenberg as an ideal Red Bull teammate for Max Verstappen

It was put to Schumacher on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast that Helmut Marko revealed Red Bull nearly signed Hulkenberg over Perez in 2020 before deciding to go with the Mexican.

Asked why Hulkenberg would be such a good fit alongside Verstappen, he said: “I think it’s because they get on well and Max would have taken to him more, I think.

“But well, that’s the way it is. He hasn’t made a bad start with Audi either; it’s slowly going uphill.

“You can also see it in the results, so fingers crossed.”

Hulkenberg has already scored 20 points for Sauber this season, easily eclipsing what Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu achieved in the past two years with the Swiss-based outfit.

Marko recently told Hulkenberg not to give up his Audi deal even if other teams come calling, but if Red Bull did decide to make an unexpected move, it would be very hard to turn down.

READ MORE: Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg’s life outside F1 from wife to height

Ralf Schumacher explains why Nico Hulkenberg is so important to Sauber and Audi in F1

Schumacher was then asked about the role Hulkenberg has played in improving Sauber this season and continued: “Well, usually the engineers have the data, of course, but also the driver, and he says, OK, I can’t go any faster here because that’s what’s happening to the car. I would need a more stable rear, more braking on the front axle, I don’t know.

“These details are discussed, and then the best combination is found between what the wind tunnel says, for example, or what the theory says and what the driver says.

“Therefore, the driver’s influence is actually very great.

“At Mercedes, it seems to be a little different, we often say as an example, but they don’t make a big deal out of it either.”

Responding to claims that Hulkenberg’s feedback is the best Sauber have had in years, Schumacher said: “I was just about to say, I don’t want to offend anyone, but I can certainly imagine that.

“But that is also a difference, Nico Hulkenberg is someone who learned from experience, who was always with teams where there was a lot of work.

“This wasn’t a team like Mercedes, for example, where there was a perfect concept and the driver basically had to drive.

“But, if you’re always learning to move forward with your team or simply have to achieve something special like Nico at Sauber, because you’re smaller and have less money, then you learn a little more.”