2019 Driver Speculation

[Matt]

I think we can safely say that Santino Ferrucci will not show up in any rumors, no matter how much money he can bring.

[Chrill]

We can all agree on that.

[Chrill]

Sir Lewis confirmed for Mercedes until end of 2020 season. At least two more years of his whiny moping.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-new-contract-1061352/

[Penfold]

On the plus side, two more years of antagonism between him and Vettel.

How many days before The Pie Man signs an extension with Red Bull?

[Chrill]

I'd say that deal is announced at Spa in the latest.

[Chrill]

Lewis now has a friend at Mercedes:
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/headlines/2018/7/bottas-commits-to-mercedes-for-2019.html

Bottas secures another one-year extension (with a +1 clause inserted). A shame he only got 1, but I guess with Lewis on 2 they do not want two contracts expiring at the same time when they know full well Lewis may step down after 2020.

That locks Mercedes down, and we will now see Ricciardo staying put and Ferrari choosing between the old Finn and the French World War 2 resistance member.

[Chrill]

And some tables reflecting the Mercedes action:

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

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
16. Charlec Leclerc (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda:
33. Max Verstappen (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Sahara Force India F1 Team:
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
?. Nicholas Latifi (link)

Williams Martini Racing:
18. Lance Stroll (link)
35. Sergey Sirotkin (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
2. Stoffel Vandoorne (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
94. Pascal Wehrlein (link)
?. Dan Ticktum (link)
?. Felix Rosenqvist (link) ^(Dutch)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Haas F1 Team:
20. Kevin Magnussen (link)
?. Pietro Fittipaldi (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
?. Lando Norris (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link)

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team:
9. Marcus Ericsson (link)
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
?. Antonio Giovinazzi (link) ^Italian

[Penfold]

'Allo 'Allo... me thinks you need to put Alonso as a potential McLaren driver; I'm about 83% sure he'll still be with them next year.

[Chrill]

Let's find a source saying "Alonso McLaren 2019" then.

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24184/11400157/zak-brown-pretty-sure-fernando-alonso-will-be-in-a-mclaren-whatever-that-is-in-2019

This might be enough, but it implies Alonso could leave F1 so yeah.

[Chrill]

A Swedish journalist (trustworthy one) reported that the following mess could be happening in the coming weeks or months, that all these moves are at least being negotiated or discussed:

* Force India to become an official Mercedes B-squad, at the same time signing up Lance Stroll and his money. May keep Perez alongside Stroll
* Perez may also be looking for a move to Sauber or Haas because, you know, they're aligned with Ferrari
* Williams desperate for money, then, so we'll see what they do. Most likely George Russell of Mercedes fame, alongside Sirotkin
* Raikkonen could be going back to Sauber, where his career once began. Ferrari wants Leclerc, Raikkonen does not want to leave F1. Could be a straight swap come 2019
* The Sainz-Red Bull contract says "Red Bull seat for 2019 or free to leave". Sainz will then leave, because Ricciardo is retained
* Sainz to McLaren, alongside Alonso if he stays or replacing Alonso if he leaves
* That Renault seat is for Ocon, who would leave Mercedes (we never did find out which of the two manufacturers really had Ocon on their side, did we?


Now, how is that for gossip?

It would effectively turn Force India into a Toro Rosso-esque team. This is how such a grid could look for 2019, then:

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel
16. Charles Leclerc

Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport:
44. Lewis Hamilton
77. Valtteri Bottas

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda:
3. Daniel Ricciardo
33. Max Verstappen

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
27. Nico H?lkenberg
31. Esteban Ocon

Haas F1 Team:
8. Romain Grosjean
20. Kevin Magnussen

Sahara Force India F1 Team:
11. Sergio Perez
18. Lance Stroll

McLaren F1 Team:
2. Stoffel Vandoorne or 31. Carlos Sainz
31. Carlos Sainz or 14. Fernando Alonso

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
10. Pierre Gasly
28. Brendon Hartley or ?. Dan Ticktum

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team:
5. Kimi Raikkonen
9. Marcus Ericsson or ?. Antonio Giovinazzi

Williams Martini Racing:
35. Sergey Sirotkin
?. George Russell

[Penfold]

In a way I'll be slightly depressed if Haas sticks with its current erratic pairing (esp. Grosjean) when there are better options available, but on the other hand I'll be slightly depressed if I don't get to watch those two (esp. Grosjean) causing havoc on a semi-regular basis.

Stroll to Force India sounds plausible.  Vague memory of his old man saying that the money is simply a tool to get his son the best seat possible, and that doesn't seem to be at Williams anymore.  Mind you, I don't know that a George Russell support package from Merc. would come close to replacing Stroll Sr's (tens of) millions so losing the Stroller could be a huge blow for Williams.

[Chrill]

Let's start backing some of the rumours I posted above.

Kimi to Sauber
Giovinazzi to Sauber
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sauber-raikkonen-return-vasseur-1061977/

Ocon to Renault
https://www.planetf1.com/news/no-deal-done-between-ocon-and-renault/

Stroll to Force India
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/stroll-linked-force-india-move-williams-1061540/

I can't find any solid Sainz-McLaren links or George Russell-Williams.

[Chrill]

And with that:

I'm bored. There isn't even any speculation yet. This topic is merely meant to wind you up.

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

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
16. Charlec Leclerc (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda:
33. Max Verstappen (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Sahara Force India F1 Team:
18. Lance Stroll (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
?. Nicholas Latifi (link)

Williams Martini Racing:
18. Lance Stroll (link)
35. Sergey Sirotkin (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
2. Stoffel Vandoorne (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
94. Pascal Wehrlein (link)
?. Dan Ticktum (link)
?. Felix Rosenqvist (link) ^(Dutch)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

Haas F1 Team:
20. Kevin Magnussen (link)
?. Pietro Fittipaldi (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
?. Lando Norris (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link)

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team:
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
9. Marcus Ericsson (link)
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
?. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)

[Chrill]

2021 Driver Speculation?

https://www.racefans.net/2018/07/26/alonso-wont-race-f1-2021/
Alonso does not care about 2021 rules because he won't be in F1 by then. So we know he plans to retire within 3 seasons at most.

However, could Alonso go Ferrari in 2019? Martin Brundle thinks so.
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/993695/F1-news-Fernando-Alonso-Ferrari-Lewis-Hamilton-Max-Verstappen-Sebastian-Vettel

[Penfold]

Definitely into silly season territory with that one!  That said, I'd love to see it and you never really know in F1....