2020 Driver Speculation

[Penfold]

Umm, I don't know.

[Chrill]

Driver 99, Toni G, confirmed for another year at Alfauber.

https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-news/alfa-romeo-racing-and-antonio-giovinazzi-to-continue-together-in-2020/

[Matt]

He has been better lately, but I still don't see anything to suggest he could earn a spot at a top team.

[Penfold]

Or even at a mid-ranking team that doesn't race under the Italian flag.

[Chrill]

Well, Ferrari have noone to put there. I don't know if the Hulk would be up for a one-year contract, but I guess he cannot afford to pay for the seat. Had Hulk been in this situation 12 months from now, then he could perhaps have replaced Kimi. As it stands, he'll be out of F1 at least one season and perhaps for good.

[Penfold]

Go to DTM or drive for Williams, either way he's out of F1....

[Chrill]

https://www.racefans.net/2019/11/12/red-bull-give-albon-full-season-alongside-verstappen-for-2020/

Albon confirmed at Red Bull for 2020. This means that technically only one seat remains open for the 2020 grid, although Alpha Tauri (hmm...) have not officially confirmed that Gasly will be retained.

[Chrill]

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
16. Charles Leclerc (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing:
23. Alexander Albon (link)
33. Max Verstappen (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
4. Lando Norris (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Renault F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)

SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)

Scuderia Alpha Tauri Honda:
26. Daniil Kvyat (link)
10. Pierre Gasly (link)
?. Sébastien Buemi (link)

Alfa Romeo Racing:
7. Kimi Räikkönen (link)
99. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)

Haas F1 Team:
8. Romain Grosjean (link)
20. Kevin Magnussen (link)

ROKiT Williams Racing:
63. George Russell (link)
27. Nico Hülkenberg (link)
?. Nicolas Latifi (link)

[Penfold]

Alpha Tory has now confirmed The Greasy Peril for '20: https://beyondtheflag.com/2019/11/12/formula-1-pierre-gasly-confirmed-alpha-tauri-2020/

[Chrill]

Well then.

[Penfold]

I guess Latifi must be favourite for the Williams spot.  He has the great advantage of a wealthy backer (his father!) to aid his passage, but then he also put in a strong showing in F2 this year - although obviously not as strong as Nyck de Vries.

[Chrill]

Well, they are both leftovers from a strong 2018 F2 season. Neither de Vries or Latifi come across as stellar junior drivers to me, but I'd happily be proven wrong.

Hulkenberg is past 30, so signing a rookie over him makes sense from more than just a financial perspective. For whatever reason, the Hulk just did not have what was required to beat the top drivers.

[Chrill]

Latifi finally confirmed at Williams, and that completes the 2020 grid.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport:
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
16. Charles Leclerc (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing:
23. Alexander Albon (link)
33. Max Verstappen (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
4. Lando Norris (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Renault F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)

SportPesa Racing Point F1 Team:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)

Scuderia Alpha Tauri Honda:
10. Pierre Gasly (link)
26. Daniil Kvyat (link)

Alfa Romeo Racing:
7. Kimi Räikkönen (link)
99. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)

Haas F1 Team:
8. Romain Grosjean (link)
20. Kevin Magnussen (link)

ROKiT Williams Racing:
63. George Russell (link)
?. Nicolas Latifi (link)

Let's go create the topic for 2021, then.

[Penfold]

And there was me thinking that it was an MF1 January tradition....  What we need is one of the guys from a top team to quit/get booted to inject some interest into the upcoming '21 thread.  All looks a bit stable right now.

Yes, Latifi to Williams as expected.  Money to replace Kubica's financial backers, which is a great starting point, and he also seems fairly handy behind the wheel.

[Chrill]

2021 could see bit of a shakeup in terms of driver lineups. Many top teams have expiring contracts, and I expect changes at all 3 top teams for 2021. Assuming they all remain in the sport.