2021 Driver Speculation

[Chrill]

Yeees, it's time for this. The 2020 season refuses to start, so let's talk 2021.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
77. Valtteri Bottas (link)
44. Lewis Hamilton (link)

Red Bull Racing:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
33. Max Verstappen (link)

McLaren F1 Team:
3. Daniel Ricciardo (link)
4. Lando Norris (link)

Aston Martin F1 Team:
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)
18. Lance Stroll (link)

Alpine F1 Team:
14. Fernando Alonso (link)
31. Esteban Ocon (link)

Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow:
16. Charles Leclerc (link)
55. Carlos Sainz (link)

Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda:
10. Pierre Gasly (link)
?. Yuki Tsunoda (link)

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

Haas F1 Team:
9. Nikita Mazepin (link)
47. Mick Schumacher (link)

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

[Chrill]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/renault-vettel-2020-ricciardo-seat/4761236/
For example, Vettel to Renault if they lose Ricciardo? Sure.

[Chrill]

Couldn't be bothered to find sources for everyone yet, but those who are with a team today remain linked to them. I've added Vettel to Renault and some of Red Bull's junior drivers to AlphaTauri, a Japanese driver and an Estonian driver.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team:
44. Lewis Hamilton
63. George Russell
77. Valtteri Bottas

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

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

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

Renault DP World F1 Team:
31. Esteban Ocon (link)
3. Daniel Ricciardo
5. Sebastian Vettel (link)

Aston Martin F1 Team:
11. Sergio Perez (link)
18. Lance Stroll

Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda:
10. Pierre Gasly
26. Daniil Kvyat
?. Jüri Vips (link)
?. Yuki Tsunoda (link)

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN:
7. Kimi Räikkönen
99. Antonio Giovinazzi

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

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

[Penfold]

About bloody time.  We're mere days from our second non-race of the season and yet you've only just got round to this 2021-themed thread, a mite laggardly if you don't mind me saying....

I've no idea who might replace a departing Vettel, unless he did a straight swap with Ricciardo.  I can't think of any other really obvious candidates out there, though I'm sure Ferrari would happily peel Norris away from McLaren.

Then there's the Bottas question. That question being will he do enough to keep Russell at bay?

Who else needs to keep a wary eye over their shoulder... Giovinazzi must be a prime choice.  Time to resuscitate the Mick Schumacher rumours?

[Chrill]

I could see several drivers joining Ferrari if Vettel goes: Perez, Sainz, Norris, Ricciardo, Bottas (if you want to win, hire a Finn). If Giovinazzi has a great season, he could even be on the cards for the seat. Talk about turnaround, since he's only racing in 2020 because Mick Schumacher wasn't fast enough in F2.

[Penfold]

I'll happily concede that Giovinazzi improved as 2019 went on, but for me he's going to need another sizeable jump in performance before a Ferrari seat is merited.  Who knows, perhaps he'll do just that.

As for Perez, isn't he generally regarded as not a great fit for a Ferrari team operating with a clear number one?  Surely "It is I" would be undisputed top dog in '21 if Seb has been shown the door/left of his own volition.

I hadn't considered Bottas at Ferrari but I can see how he could be a good fit, very much reprising the role he's been playing at Mercedes.

[Chrill]

Bottas could be the perfect Barrichello, could he not?

Worth noting is that several teams have not yet confirmed participation in 2021, and the current coronavirus outbreak could definitely push teams toward leaving. I am very uncertain about Haas, but I also have hesitations about Alfa Romeo. I think teams like Williams and AlphaTauri will hang in there, though, and I don't think Renault is ready to give up just yet. Mercedes could go, depending on how expensive this outbreak is to their car manufacturing.

[Chrill]

Vettel to Renault or McLaren?

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-2021-offers/

I read another article stating Ferrari has offered him a new two-year contract which would see him remain with the team until the end of 2022. Still, I enjoy speculations.

[Penfold]

Vettel staying put does seem more likely than a swap with either Ricciardo or Sainz, and God knows why either of them would fancy playing second fiddle to It is I - unless it's for money!

[Chrill]

Leclerc was the clear number 2 when the 2019 season started. Why would Ricciardo or Sainz not think they could repeat that?

[Chrill]

Official confirmation that Vettel and Ferrari are parting ways after this season!
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-news-sebastian-vettel-to-leave-ferrari-at-the-end-of-2020-f1-season.KBuBQw6AsUvOhB6p7IU9c.html

More info here:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sebastian-vettel-leaves-ferrari-shock/4791095/

[Penfold]

Must say I assumed Ferrari would want to keep Seb around for another year - just shows how wrong you can be!

Leclerc was the clear number 2 when the 2019 season started. Why would Ricciardo or Sainz not think they could repeat that?

They might, although 'It is I' did have the good fortune to find himself alongside a guy not exactly at the top of his game, and that just opened a little window for the still-improving Charles to jump through.  I'm not saying that Danny & Carly are slowcoaches, but I just can't picture them dislodging Ferrari's anointed one from his perch - where would such a failure leave their careers?

Anyway, there's the budget cap looming so no driver should assume that the current big spenders will be ruling the roost in years to come, least of all Ferrari whose success always seems so dependent on throwing money at the problem.

[Chrill]

Anyway, there's the budget cap looming so no driver should assume that the current big spenders will be ruling the roost in years to come, least of all Ferrari whose success always seems so dependent on throwing money at the problem.

This is very true. I think Ferrari may struggle more than ever to attract a top talent. They may just end up signing a new Barrichello. That could be Bottas, it could be Giovinazzi, or Hülkenberg.

I still hold Sainz and Ricciardo as the two most likely candidates.

[Penfold]

Where does this leave Vettel?  I reckon he'd drive for a relative pittance for the right car, and whilst I'm sure McLaren and Renault would be happy to fulfil the salary part of that equation, I don't know that he'd consider them a tempting prospect on recent performance - unless he's gambling on the budget cap shaking up the order, or that McLaren's return to Merc power in '21 catapults them up the rankings.  Alternatively, does retirement beckon?

[Chrill]

I wouldn't be surprised to see him retire!