Esteban Ocon is not a better choice than Nico Hulkenberg for the 2020 Renault race seat.
That is the view of the French team’s 2019 reserve driver Sergey Sirotkin.
Having lost his seat to 23-year-old Ocon for 2020, the decade-older Hulkenberg is currently taking in the Carnaval festival in Rio de Janeiro as he contemplates post-F1 life.
"I do not like to talk about specific drivers, but I think Nico performed at a very high level and gave a lot to the team," Sirotkin told Russia’s Championat.
"Will Ocon be better? I doubt it."
As for Renault’s 2020 car, featuring a significantly different front wing, Sirotkin said: "Visually, I really like the new car."