2019 Driver Speculation

[Chrill]

More words on Kvyat's return to the Italian Red Bull, including Helmut Marko implying Giovinazzi to Sauber to replace Leclerc:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/kvyat-moving-closer-to-2019-toro-rosso-f1-seat/3170455/

And, Leclerc to Ferrari is once more gathering steam:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-raikkonen-ferrari-2019-seat/3170465/

[Chrill]

Hello Norris, bye bye Van Door.

https://www.mclaren.com/formula1/team/lando-norris/lando-norris-drive-mclaren-2019/

[Chrill]

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

Scuderia Ferrari:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (link)
16. Charlec Leclerc (link)

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Honda:
33. Max Verstappen (link)
10. Pierre Gasly (link)

Renault Sport Formula One Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
27. Nico Hulkenberg (link)

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

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

Racing Point Force India F1 Team:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
?. Nicholas Latifi (link)

Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda:
25. Jean-Eric Vergne (link)
26. Daniil Kvyat (link)
94. Pascal Wehrlein (link)
?. Alexander Albon (link)
?. Antonio Giovinazzi (link)
?. Dan Ticktum (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

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

Williams Martini Racing:
18. Lance Stroll (link)
35. Sergey Sirotkin (link)
?. Artem Markelov (link)
?. Nikita Mazepin (link)
?. Oliver Rowland (link)
?. Robert Kubica (link)

[Penfold]

Good.  Glad McLaren has gone with the young'un.

[Chrill]

Indeed. It leaves Ocon without a McLaren seat, and also keeps Vandoorne searching. Ocon needs to be in F1 next year. If Mercedes can't place him at Force India or McLaren, perhaps Williams is a (sad) option. Other than that, they may just need to rent him out to a rival. Haas, Sauber, Toro Rosso?

Vandoorne's F1 future is looking real shaky too. With Sauber clearly denying Vandoorne is in the running for a 2019 seat, Vandoorne's best bet is Toro Rosso alongside what may turn out to be Kvyat.

[Chrill]

McLaren tells Toro Rosso to sign Stoffel Vandoorne:

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-toro-rosso-should-sign-vandoorne/3171099/?nrt=54

[Penfold]

In a way it's somewhat cheeky for Zakky B. to suggest that this guy we're ditching is good enough for the likes of you... but maybe he has a point.  Van Door has not exactly sparkled at McLaren but perhaps he's just not got the experience/ability to overcome the car's deficiencies in the same was as can Alonso, thus exaggerating his gap to one of the best drivers in modern F1.  Given Toro Rosso's somewhat limited options - do they really want to hand Hartley another year? - I hope they give the Van Door his second chance in F1, if nothing else it's got to be preferable to resuscitating Kvyat's career.

[Chrill]

I'd still prefer Rosenqvist at Toro Rosso. Perhaps alongside Robin Frijns or some other F1 reject.

[Penfold]

Come on, we have to keep the Toffee man in F1 just for his name.  Robin Frijns... what am I meant to do with that?

[Chrill]

Come on, we have to keep the Toffee man in F1 just for his name.  Robin Frijns... what am I meant to do with that?

Rob the Fringe?

[Chrill]

Toro Rosso claims they have a list of 10 names:
https://www.grandprix247.com/2018/09/05/marko-we-have-a-list-of-ten-drivers-for-toro-rosso/

Let us guess:

1. Daniil Kvyat
2. Brendon Hartley
3. Jean-Eric Vergne
4. Stoffel Vandoorne
5. Esteban Ocon
6. Sebastien Buemi
7. Alexander Albon
8. Antonio Giovinazzi
9. Dan Ticktum
10.

Well, 9/10 isn't bad. The ninth appears to be out of the question, simply because he lacks the points needed to compete.

EDIT: Maybe Pascal Wehrlein, they whispered his name earlier this year. That'd complete the list.

[Penfold]

Ocon to Williams still more likely with the Mercedes connection.  Let's also assume Ferrari chooses 'It is I' to be Vettel's no. 2 next year, which sees Giovinazzi toddle off to Sauber.  Suddenly, the talent pool has thinned markedly: several F1 rejects, two drivers half-way through less than stellar debut years, some guy called Albon, and one without a Super Licence. 

Come on, we have to keep the Toffee man in F1 just for his name.  Robin Frijns... what am I meant to do with that?

Rob the Fringe?

Of course... I don't know why 'fringe' didn't leap out at me.

[Chrill]

Or just "Robbing the fridge". I mean, perhaps he eats a lot of late night snacks. A little chubby, are we?

Rumours claim Leclerc to Ferrari will be announced during the day of today. As in, this day that we are currently living.

[Chrill]

Buemi?

[Penfold]

Now what's the word I'm looking for... ah yes, uninspiring, that's the one.  Perhaps he and Hartley could be paired to secure Toro Rosso the 'Worst Driver Line-up of 2019' award.