Tim Coronel tells 552-point driver that he’s ‘had his time’ in F1 after ’20 chances’ to prove himself

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For the first time since 1969, the 2024 F1 season began without any rookies on the grid. That’s because every team retained their driver line-up over the winter.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Williams’ Logan Sargeant, both of whom made their debuts in 2023, were the least experienced on the grid. But teams shied away from taking a punt on another untested driver.

And it seems some have lived to regret it. Haas, for instance, have signed Oliver Bearman to a full-time race seat for 2025, with underperforming veteran Kevin Magnussen released.

Bearman’s former F2 rival Jack Doohan is set to join Alpine, becoming the second rookie on the grid. Doohan will replace Esteban Ocon and partner Pierre Gasly.

Perhaps most notably, Kimi Antonelli is almost certain to replace Lewis Hamilton in what is a huge gamble for Mercedes. Still yet to turn 18, Antonelli will become one of the youngest drivers in the sport’s history.

There’s a possibility that rookies could make up a fifth of the grid. Audi still haven’t named their teammate for Nico Hulkenberg, and F2 ace Gabriel Bortoleto is a surprise contender.

Nico Hulkenberg told his time is up despite impressing at Haas

As part of a mid-season review for formule1.nl, racing driver Tim Coronel has graded the performance of every driver. He’s called for Hulkenberg to move on so that ‘the youth’ can get a chance.

The 36-year-old has signed a deal to race for Sauber/Audi until at least the end of 2026. This comes on the back of his impressive displays at Haas.

Hulkenberg has scored 22 of the team’s 27 points this season, netting 16 of those in back-to-back sixth-place finishes at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone. He’s singlehandedly dragged Ayao Komatsu’s squad into the fight for the sixth place with RB.

And while Coronel ‘takes his hat off’ in light of those results, he thinks he’s peaked too late after ’20 chances’ to prove himself. This is Hulkenberg’s third spell in F1 after he was previously dropped by Williams and Renault (now Alpine).

“I have said before about Hulkenberg that he should not be racing in Formula 1 for a long time,” he wrote. “But I have seen him do things in the past six months that made me think: why didn’t you do that when you were in a good car?

“I still think he has had his time, certainly after 20 chances. I don’t know anyone who has had as many chances as he has.

“But as a driver, he belongs in my top five. I take my hat off to him for that. He can do it. He gets things done. What? Get points in a cup of coffee and stay out of trouble.

“And then you see that experience really does count. He peaks, but it’s too late. Only I don’t like that he keeps driving because the youth should take the chance. Hats off to ‘Hulk’, but his time has come.”

Nico Hulkenberg outperformed Lando Norris in Formula 2

Hulkenberg arrived in F1 as one of the top young talents in motorsport. He produced what is statistically one of the finest GP2/F2 campaigns to date as he won the 2009 title.

Indeed, Hulkenberg had an even better record than Lando Norris in the series. But there’s a sense that he’s underachieved in F1 relative to his level of ability.

Guenther Steiner thinks Hulkenberg could have been a world champion if he’d been a better car earlier in his career. The German has almost exclusively raced in the midfield.

Audi hope to be winning titles by 2031, a sign of their huge ambition and resources. But at that point, it’s highly likely that Hulkenberg will have retired, just as Coronel hopes.