Formula 1: Nico Hulkenberg joins Aston Martin as reserve and development driver

Paris: Nico Hulkenberg has signed on as reserve and development driver with Formula One outfit Aston Martin, the team said on Thursday.The 33-year-old German has never won a Grand Prix, but proved himself a valuable asset when standing in for Covid-19 casualties last season, before it rebranded as Aston Martin."I'm hoping that Sebastian (Vettel) and Lance (Stroll) enjoy uninterrupted seasons this year," he said of the team's two full-time drivers."But the team knows it can rely on me to step in and do an excellent job," said Hulkenberg who finished 7th at Silverstone and 8th at Nurburgring last season when stepping in for poorly teammates."It's great to get this deal signed up, and it will also be interesting to help develop the team through the season," said the former Sauber, Williams and Renault man.Aston Martin CEO Otmar Szafnauer said he was pleased to bring Hulkenberg back into the F1 frame."In these difficult times, the requirement for a capable and experienced reserve driver is especially important," he explained."And Nico proved last year that he could jump in the car and perform superbly at a moment’s notice."Hulkenberg is also a winner of the endurance race 24 Hours of Le Mans.