Red Bull's Horner: 'Hulkenberg isn't on our list'

Nico Hulkenberg can uncheck Red Bull Racing as a possible opportunity to remain in F1 in 2020 after team boss Christian Horner said the German driver "isn't on our list".

Hulkenberg will make way for Esteban Ocon at Renault next season and therefore finds himself staring at the unemployment line as no teams appear inclined to secure his services.

The 32-year-old's strongest bet was Haas, but the US outfit confirmed in Singapore that its current line-up composed of Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean would remain unchanged for 2020.

Both Red Bull Racing and sister outfit Toro Rosso have yet to confirm their driver pairings for next year, but Hulkenberg's prospects of joining either squad appear thwarted by the energy drink company's insistence on relying on its own pool of drivers, as Horner confirmed.

"Nico isn’t on our list," he said in Singapore. "He’s a great driver and it would be a great shame not to see him continue in Formula 1 next year.

"He’s a professional driver that arguably hasn’t achieved his potential in Formula 1.

"I hope very much for him he does find a seat because he’s better than some other drivers on the grid and he should be in Formula 1."

• Steiner: VF19 issues deterred Haas from signing Hulkenberg

With Williams likely to promote F2 racer and reserve driver Nicholas Latifi to a full-time seat alongside George Russell, the only remaining option is Alfa Romeo, where Antonio Giovinazzi's seat for 2020 could be up for grabs if the Italian botches the end of his season with the Swiss team.

While the young Italian and Ferrari junior struggled in the first half of the season, he's shown clear signs of improvement lately.

"We want to help him develop and improve. I am really focused on Antonio, he is doing step-by-step a good job," said Alfa boss Frédéric Vasseur, for whom Hulkenberg raced during his F3 and F2 days.

"Everybody is under the pressure in the paddock, not only the drivers. We are under pressure, F1 is a world of pressure. We have to deserve [to be here], all of us."

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