Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul says the team must look at options beyond Nico Hulkenberg when evaluating its 2020 driver line-up.
Daniel Ricciardo, who joined the team for 2019, will remain next season after signing a two-year deal, but Hulkenberg’s three-year contract expires at the end of the campaign.
Renault came close to signing Mercedes-backed Esteban Ocon for 2019 but pounced on Ricciardo’s availability to recruit the seven-time race winner to partner incumbent Hulkenberg.
Ocon was thus left without a seat for this season but is actively pursuing a 2020 drive alongside his duties as Mercedes’ reserve driver.
“We have a two-year contract with Daniel,” said Abiteboul on Renault’s 2020 situation.
“Nico’s contract, the initial term is coming to an end at the end of this year but there is some mechanism of options as has been commented in the press which I’m not going to disclose in the details that can kick in, so it’s maybe that we continue our journey with Nico.
“Frankly, Nico has delivered for the team, clearly, and if you look at where we were when, frankly, Fred [Vasseur] actually was leading that process for us.
“Nico joined us and where we are today, it’s crazy, and the change to the team, to the buzz, and clearly the drivers are no stranger to that, it’s not just engineers.
“So I think we need to give credit to that but also we need to look at the options, like everyone is doing, like I’m sure Nico is doing.”
Abiteboul added that “things are open for him and for us but there is also an option in place so that we can possibly continue our journey together.
“We will see, we’ll see probably after the summer break will be the right time to sit down, discuss it on the basis of fact and desire also.”
Hulkenberg previously competed for Williams, Force India and Sauber prior to switching to Renault for 2017.
Renault also has three Formula 2 racers on its junior team in the form of Anthoine Hubert, Guan Yu Zhou and F1 test driver Jack Aitken.
