Nico Hulkenberg narrowly missed out on being Max Verstappen's teammate in 2021, according to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko.
Red Bull signed Sergio Pérez for what turned out to be Verstappen's maiden championship season on the back of his breakout victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.
The team had been looking to move on from Alex Albon at the time and had been impressed by Hulkenberg's appearances that season as a Covid-19 super-sub.
Marko said Perez's victory at the penultimate race of the season changed everything.
"At that time he [Hulkenberg] was, I think, a co-commentator at Servus TV, so there was already a relationship there, and there were the beginnings of talks," Marko told F1 Insider.
"But then Pérez won that race in Bahrain, I think, and because of that everything turned in Pérez's direction."
Pérez's tenure at Red Bull lasted until last season, when he was dropped amid spiralling results, although he did claim five victories for the team across four seasons.
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Hulkenberg eventually returned to F1 from a stint on the sidelines, first with Haas and then with Sauber this season.
Hulkenberg, who has a good relationship with four-time champion Verstappen, scored a popular first podium at the British Grand Prix.
Marko suggested signing Hulkenberg over Pérez might have been a better outcome for Red Bull, as it has struggled to find consistent results in the other car.
"I think it would have been a really nice time, because the two get along very well, and yes, Hulkenberg is a safe bank for points, and in our car it would also have been top positions," Marko added.