Nico Hulkenberg under a cloud of despair
Despite the reports published by Williams that the team will not be changing its current drivers for the 2011 season, an Italian newspaper claims that Nico Hulkenberg’s full time racing seat is in doubt as Williams has lost almost 4 sponsors over the winter.
A magazine reports that sponsors including RBS and Philips are prepared to leave the team after Nico’s manager Willi Weber approached Sir Frank Williams to talk about raising his client’s pay for the following season.
This states that the reports are blaming Nico for the team’s loss and without RBS and Philips, the main sponsors for Williams; it will be very difficult for Williams to carry on financially in the sport. This is a huge threat to the team and it seems that
Sir Frank will have to think twice before signing another deal with Nico for the 2011 season. It seems that if Williams releases Hulkenberg, the sponsors might not leave the team and that seems like the right decision for the team now after such threatening
reports.
Because of these reports, there are many rumours that GP2 champion Pastor Maldonado is expected to be the most likely replacement for Nico alongside the most experienced driver in the Formula 1 Rubens Barrichello. Maldonado was hoping to join Sauber but
the team has signed Sergio Perez instead in order to gain Telmex’s sponsorship. Maldonado is backed by PDVSA, a state oil company and it seems Sir Frank will have to keep his options open for 2011 now.
The third co-owner of Williams Toto Wolff stated last weekend that the team is not going to rush to a “lightening fast decision” about the team’s drivers for the 2011 season. “I feel quite comfortable about our [current] driver line-up”, he said.
However, it seems that the team might find itself under jeopardy if the team loses its two leading sponsors. Williams is already struggling a bit financially as compared to the front running teams and since the team disappoints its audience every year, the
team is hoping to rise once again and make a run for the titles in the near future. With Nico by their side, it will become an impossible task to achieve and this will also create some nervousness and panic on the Williams paddock at the Japanese Grand Prix
set to take place this weekend at Suzuka.
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