Nico Hulkenberg’s backhanded reward for his maiden pole position in Brazil could be a demotion for 2011 to the struggling HRT team.<\/p>\n
Williams, facing the loss of key sponsors, is considering a place for the well-funded Pastor Maldonado, meaning either German rookie Hulkenberg or Rubens Barrichello will have to clear a seat.<\/p>\n
The British team, set to supply HRT with gearboxes next year, is obviously satisfied with the improving 23-year-old Hulkenberg but also in the position of needing Barrichello’s vast experience to keep pushing the development.<\/p>\n
After Hulkenberg put his FW32 on pole at Interlagos, team co-owner Patrick Head was not able to say it had been enough to secure his place for 2011.<\/p>\n
He said the team’s next driver lineup will only be confirmed after the season, when Maldonado is scheduled to test the car in Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n
38-year-old Barrichello told Brazilian media earlier this weekend that it was a “crazy” concept to imagine his Williams tenure might be over after just a single promising season.<\/p>\n
And he said on Saturday: “I hope Nico stays because he’s a good guy and he’s really, really good.”<\/p>\n
But even in the glow of his pole success, Hulkenberg confirmed that he is not yet feeling comfortable about his future.<\/p>\n
“I think the situation is still very open,” he said.<\/p>\n
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