2019 Driver Speculation

[Penfold]

That Merc. spot is key.  Question is, can either of us be arsed to type out the assumed impact that each candidate might have on the wider driver market?

[Chrill]

I can. Bottas will keep the seat.

There you are. Ricciardo will remain at Red Bull. Ocon at Force India.

Raikkonen will continue for 2019 too. Leclerc to Ferrari in 2020.

[Penfold]

The most boring outcome is quite probably the most likely one.  I can imagine everyone bar Ericsson and Hartley staying put for 2019 - I'm not so sure F1 is in their long-term futures.

[Chrill]

I definitely agree with you there. Ericsson remaining in F1 is surely possible if his backers remain, but Ericsson remaining at Sauber depends on one of two things:

A) Leclerc goes to Ferrari, and Ericsson stays for 2019 to assist Giovinazzi
B) Giovinazzi goes somewhere else such as Haas, or drops off the F1 radar completely

I do think Ericsson's best 2019 bet is with someone like Force India or Williams, although if Leclerc does get the promotion after just one season (unlikely), Ericsson is suddenly quite a likely candidate for yet another season at Sauber. Which, I think, would also make him the driver with most starts for Sauber ever.

[Penfold]

Another possible change popped into my head just a few seconds ago (that's a few seconds before I began typing this sentence, obviously it will be several minutes/hours/days/weeks/months/years/decades ago depending on when you're actually reading this post).  On with the thought... If Williams continue to languish towards the rear of the field throughout 2018 will Mr. Stroll senior seek a new, more competitive, berth for Stroll junior?  In other words, might he try and convince the financially imperilled Force India to take his cash (and his son)?

[Chrill]

As it stands right now, is financially limping Force India really a stronger bet than Williams for the coming years? Force India may yet fold. Williams won't have those issues as long as Canadian and Russian money keeps coming on.


In other news, founding father Alexander Hamilton is on the verge of signing a three-year contract with Mercedes. That'd take him to the end of 2021, which would likely see him retire after that. As in, oh God 3 more years of this guy. As in, he'll reach 280ish starts before retiring. Won't beat Rubens, eh.

https://www.grandprix247.com/2018/04/05/hamilton-set-to-sign-e150-million-deal-with-mercedes/

[Chrill]

And the rickroller is aiming for that coveted Ferrari seat.

https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/237530/ricciardo-will-replace-raikkonen-at-ferrari-in-2019

[Penfold]

As it stands right now, is financially limping Force India really a stronger bet than Williams for the coming years? Force India may yet fold. Williams won't have those issues as long as Canadian and Russian money keeps coming on.

Issue for Williams is they seem to have lost the ability to produce a decent car even with a reasonable budget behind them.  Force India getting more performance for less money of late, so assuming Mr. Stroll's cash would be sufficient to stabilize their finances, perhaps they'd be the better choice?

[Matt]

In other news, founding father Alexander Hamilton is on the verge of signing a three-year contract with Mercedes. That'd take him to the end of 2021, which would likely see him retire after that. As in, oh God 3 more years of this guy. As in, he'll reach 280ish starts before retiring. Won't beat Rubens, eh.

https://www.grandprix247.com/2018/04/05/hamilton-set-to-sign-e150-million-deal-with-mercedes/

Secretary of the Treasury indeed.

[Chrill]

Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)

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

Sahara Force India F1 Team:
?.
?.

Williams Martini Racing:
?. Robert Kubica (link)
?.

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
55. Carlos Sainz (link)
?.

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
?.
?.

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

McLaren F1 Team:
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)
?. Lando Norris (link)
?. Nyck de Vries (link)

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team:
?.
?.


Lots of updates here. McLaren is in focus:

• Bottas to replace Alonso at McLaren. Alonso to retire
• Nyck de Vries or Lando Norris (whoever wins the F2 title) might replace Vandoorne for an all-new McLaren lineup
• Ricciardo linked to Mercedes and Ferrari
• Carlos Sainz may remain at Renault

[Penfold]

Leave Dan at RB, move Hulk to Ferrari, Bottas to Renault, Ocon to Merc, Stroll to Force India, and have Kubica at Williams.  Sorted.

[Chrill]

I'd rather not have the Hulk at Ferrari. Having followed him for a while on social media, I've come to realise he is a bit of an ass. He's the kind of guy who would be likely to bully the "sensitive" kids in school, you know? A proper jock.

Not that it affects his driving, it just makes him less likeable.

[Penfold]

A shame on two fronts.  Firstly that he's thirty and still acts like a prick, and secondly that it ruins my shuffling of the driver pack.  Need someone else to replace Kimi until 'It is I' is deemed ready... or do we?  Perhaps Sir Raikkonen stays put for 2019.

[Chrill]

Have you not read my signature?

[Penfold]

That Penfold chap sounds a tad delusional....