Nico Hulkenberg’s manager Willi Weber has hinted strongly that the 23-year-old will have a “Friday” driving role in 2011.<\/p>\n
“We have been thinking: shall we pause for a year?” admitted Weber, who has been busily scouring the driver market for a race cockpit for his German charge, who has been ousted by Williams in favour of the well-funded Pastor Maldonado.<\/p>\n
“But in today’s world you are too quickly forgotten.\u00a0 So I think it is better for Nico to still have a presence with a good team where at least he can practice on the Fridays.<\/p>\n
“That is the ideal alternative for him,” added Webber.<\/p>\n
It is strongly rumoured that Hulkenberg will find his Friday role at Force India, with racers Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta to alternate sitting out the morning practices.<\/p>\n
Weber told Auto Motor und Sport: “Before anything is said officially, I can’t say anything myself.”<\/p>\n
There is a free race seat at HRT, but Weber – revealing that an offer by the Virgin team was also made – suggested that a Friday role at Force India is the best available option.<\/p>\n
“For someone like Nico, with a season already behind him, there is little to learn from a small team.<\/p>\n
“There was an offer from Virgin which was very pleasing, but with another German in Timo Glock, who has been there for a while already, the risk was too great,” he insisted.<\/p>\n
Weber also said he is concerned about the ‘pay driver’ situation in F1.<\/p>\n
“F1 needs to be careful about creating a two-class society, with 14 real drivers and ten pay-drivers.\u00a0 In that way, I refuse to pay for a cockpit for Nico.<\/p>\n
“If you do it once, you will always be needing to bring money, and more and more.\u00a0 Very quickly, this becomes your image.\u00a0 Rather, I want to sell performance.<\/p>\n
“This boy is too good to be paying to drive,” added Weber.<\/p>\n
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