The Official 2018 F1 Silly Season *Contains Speculation*
Discussion
Seeing that the silly season speculation has (quite rightly) started in a number of threads, I thought I'd start one thread to cover them all.
Grouped by existing team
44. Lewis Hamilton (2018)
77. Valtteri Bottas (2017) (rumoured to be 1+1)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (2018)
33. Max Verstappen (2018 or 2019)
5. Sebastian Vettel (2017)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (2017)
11. Sergio Perez (2017)
31. Esteban Ocon (2018) (rumoured to be 2+1)
19. Felipe Massa (?)
18. Lance Stroll ((2017???) (rumoured to be 1+1)
14. Fernando Alonso (2017)
2. Stoffel Vandoorne (2017???) (rumoured to be 1+1)
26. Daniil Kvyat (?)
55. Carlos Sainz Jnr (2019?)
8. Romain Grosjean (2017?)
20. Kevin Magnussen (2018?)
27. Nico Hulkenberg (2018)
30. Jolyon Palmer (2017)
9. Marcus Ericsson (2017?)
94. Pascal Wehrlein (2017?)
My sources are a quick scan of news sites + reddit.
I don't recall a year with quite so many drivers in the mix.
The key movers:
Grouped by existing team
44. Lewis Hamilton (2018)
77. Valtteri Bottas (2017) (rumoured to be 1+1)
3. Daniel Ricciardo (2018)
33. Max Verstappen (2018 or 2019)
5. Sebastian Vettel (2017)
7. Kimi Raikkonen (2017)
11. Sergio Perez (2017)
31. Esteban Ocon (2018) (rumoured to be 2+1)
19. Felipe Massa (?)
18. Lance Stroll ((2017???) (rumoured to be 1+1)
14. Fernando Alonso (2017)
2. Stoffel Vandoorne (2017???) (rumoured to be 1+1)
26. Daniil Kvyat (?)
55. Carlos Sainz Jnr (2019?)
8. Romain Grosjean (2017?)
20. Kevin Magnussen (2018?)
27. Nico Hulkenberg (2018)
30. Jolyon Palmer (2017)
9. Marcus Ericsson (2017?)
94. Pascal Wehrlein (2017?)
My sources are a quick scan of news sites + reddit.
I don't recall a year with quite so many drivers in the mix.
The key movers:
- Alonso
- Vettel
- Perez
- Bottas
rubystone said:
I think that Sauber will not want Wehrlein for 2018. And that Ferrari will extend Kimi for another year. Chances are high Alonso will stay with McLaren Mercedes and see out his contract there. Renault might be an option for the future for him but clearly the works team has a lot of catching up to do.
Alonso staying looks more likely than say, 3 months ago. Let's see if this revised engine holds up.I suspect Sauber will take whoever brings funding... do Honda have a young drivers system? Would they be tempted to bring an Indy driver over from one of the Honda powered teams (at least for a "showcase" race or two)?
rubystone said:
Where does this Alfa engine speculation come from?
http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/10921435/mc...TUS 2 CON said:
I wondered if we might see this next year:
Ferrari: Vettel & Verstappen
Red Bull: Riccardo & Alonso
Mercedes: Hamilton & Bottas
Why?Ferrari: Vettel & Verstappen
Red Bull: Riccardo & Alonso
Mercedes: Hamilton & Bottas
RB have said they are happy (and have always stuck to) a young drivers program. Let's face it they don't lack talent.
Why would they release Verstappen? Maybe release Carlos at a push in return for current spec Ferrari engines for TR?
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Alonso will be in a Mercedes or Ferrari in 2018.
I would state it will be Ferrari and he will replace KImi.
Ferrari have stated (yesterday) that they don't want him.I would state it will be Ferrari and he will replace KImi.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130645...
Edited by Vaud on Monday 10th July 13:30
suffolk009 said:
Vaud said:
Ferrari have stated (yesterday) that they don't want him.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130645...
If Max is unavailable they'll want him. Saying they don't want him is just part of the negotiation.http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130645...
Edited by Vaud on Monday 10th July 13:30
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Vaud said:
True, but I still can't see why they would want him unless Vettel left.
No I have to agree with you.Would love to see it though as having two top drivers in a team is very rare now
Managing high performing, selfish people is extremely hard.
LDN said:
McLaren with a Ferrari engine?
Surely that's verging on blasphemy!
Hence Alfa? Surely that's verging on blasphemy!
If Ferrari control supply of say, 4 teams, it gives them strong bagaining power into 2020, if those teams also then lobby based on what Ferrari want (not a stripped down engine)
Arguably Ferrari have the most to lose in a simplified engine battle?
kambites said:
Vaud said:
I have a hunch that Porsche will be in sooner rather than later, with a rebadged engine for a few years until the next cycle.
I don't think even VAG have much idea when/if they'll join F1. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130956...
It was suggested to me that they will join, it is the "when" that is in question and more linked to the certainty of the future engine spec.
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