The Official F1 2021 silly season *contains speculation*

The Official F1 2021 silly season *contains speculation*

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ajprice

Original Poster:

27,319 posts

195 months

Tuesday 12th May 2020
quotequote all
Today seems the right time to get the 2021 Silly Season thread going, after Mr Vettel's announcement that he won't be staying at Ferrari. The 2020 thread ran through to testing this year, so here goes for 2021. Details of 2020 teams and drivers were picked up from the formula1.com and racefans.net team and driver lists, and some Google. If I got anything wrong I'll update this.

Thanks to Vaud who started last year's thread which I have blatantly stolen from for 2021 biggrin .

Mercedes
44. Hamilton (2020)
77. Bottas (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Stoffel Vandoorne
Esteban Gutierrez


Ferrari
5. Vettel (2020)
16. Leclerc (2024)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
-


Red Bull - Honda
23. Albon (2020)
33. Verstappen (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Sebastien Buemi
Sergio Camara


McLaren - Renault (Mercedes in 2021)
55. Sainz (2020)
4. Norris (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Oliver Turvey


Renault
31. Ocon (2021)
3. Ricciardo (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Guanyu Zhou


Alpha Tauri - Honda
26. Kvyat (2020)
10. Gasly (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Sebastien Buemi


Racing Point (Aston Martin in 2021) - Mercedes
11. Perez (2022)
18. Stroll (until Dad says so hehe )
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
-


Alfa Romeo - Ferrari
7. Raikkonen (2020)
99. Giovinazzi (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Robert Kubica
Tatiana Calderon


Haas - Ferrari
8. Grosjean (2020)
20. Magnussen (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Pietro Fittipaldi
Louis Delétraz


Williams - Mercedes
63. Russell (2021)
6. Latifi (2020)
Test/Reserve/3rd/Sim drivers
Jack Aitken
Roy Nissany
Dan Ticktum
Jamie Chadwick


As with last year... "Please stay on topic. Any “Vettel is broken” and discussions of Hamilton’s dress sense and I’ll ask the mods to delete the thread wink . "

There are already several multi page threads about Vettel leaving Ferrari, lets keep this one to the grid in general, although Vettel's move is a big deal.

exelero

1,890 posts

88 months

Tuesday 12th May 2020
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Apparently Sainz is taking Vettel’s place

Jordan210

4,503 posts

182 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
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exelero said:
Apparently Sainz is taking Vettel’s place
And Danny Ric going to McLaren

ajprice

Original Poster:

27,319 posts

195 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
quotequote all
Jordan210 said:
exelero said:
Apparently Sainz is taking Vettel’s place
And Danny Ric going to McLaren
Just saw that too https://www.essentiallysports.com/f1-news-ferrari-...

A. If this is all true about Sainz and DR deals being done, and B. If Seb doesn't go home after this year, does he fill the gap at Renault? Technically they're a works team but Red Bull and now McLaren have shown them the way with their own engines. If Vettel does go to Renault, they need to get their st together, and I can't see that happening soon.

TheDeuce

21,275 posts

65 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
quotequote all
ajprice said:
Just saw that too https://www.essentiallysports.com/f1-news-ferrari-...

A. If this is all true about Sainz and DR deals being done, and B. If Seb doesn't go home after this year, does he fill the gap at Renault? Technically they're a works team but Red Bull and now McLaren have shown them the way with their own engines. If Vettel does go to Renault, they need to get their st together, and I can't see that happening soon.
Renault remaining in F1 isn't much more certain than Vettel remaining in F1 either... Especially not if they intended to match Ferrari's already 'too low to take' offer for Vettels services. All in all Vettel to Renault seems both unlikely from his perspective, and also not particularly logical for Renault - who must be under intense pressure to solve their engine issues and build a more competitive car ahead of willy waving by signing another top price driver.

Although in these crazy times I would stop short of ruling anything out altogether.


sandman77

2,366 posts

137 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
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I know not unlikely but I would love Hulk to get the Ferrari drive on a 1 year deal so he can leave F1 as a race winner.

ajprice

Original Poster:

27,319 posts

195 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
quotequote all
BBC saying Sainz to Ferrari and Ricciardo to McLaren is all but a done deal. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52627900

...and the possibility of Alonso back at Renault?

ajprice

Original Poster:

27,319 posts

195 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
quotequote all
@RenaultF1Team Twitter account posted a picture of Alonso on the podium for Renault in 2004. Alonso replied. Hmmm...

TheDeuce

21,275 posts

65 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
quotequote all
ajprice said:
@RenaultF1Team Twitter account posted a picture of Alonso on the podium for Renault in 2004. Alonso replied. Hmmm...
At best, a joke posting. At worst, they're putting the idea out there to see what the public reaction could be...

He actually is a feasible candidate assuming he can still raise big sponsors in F1. Personally, I think he's already sodded off, massively out of date attitude and it would be excellent if he'd stay sodded off. Renault's F1 effort is already in tatters - they don't need his particular brand of assistance.

dunc_sx

1,607 posts

196 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
quotequote all
TheDeuce said:
Renault's F1 effort is already in tatters - they don't need his particular brand of assistance.
Haha, very true!

Dunc.

ChocolateFrog

24,862 posts

172 months

Wednesday 13th May 2020
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Seems depressing that were talking about next season without so much as a whiff of action this season, yet.

Wonder if McLaren with Merc power will provide DR with with a competitive package.

TheDeuce

21,275 posts

65 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
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ChocolateFrog said:
Seems depressing that were talking about next season without so much as a whiff of action this season, yet.

Wonder if McLaren with Merc power will provide DR with with a competitive package.
At very least it would be interesting to see the difference between a mid career driver and one of the new crowd. My bet is that DR has the extra few % of very rare talent he can deploy when the opportunity presents itself.. but whether I'm right or wrong, I'd look forward to finding out.

The same would apply if DR went to Ferrari.

DR held his own against Max, notwithstanding reliability issues.

Whatever season we do get this year or next is certainly going to feel very different to last season!

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
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It's a shame if George Russel doesn't dig himself out of Williams in all this.

Jordan210

4,503 posts

182 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
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Danny Ric to McLaren is confirmed

TheDeuce

21,275 posts

65 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
quotequote all
Jordan210 said:
Danny Ric to McLaren is confirmed
Yup... https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ricciardo-leave...

Would have loved to see him in red but... this is good too!

Nickp82

3,165 posts

92 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
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DR to McLaren seems a good move, although I was hopeful when he joined Renault the fact is he has never looked quite right there.

Sainz as Leclerc’s sweeper-upper it is then.

budgie smuggler

5,359 posts

158 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
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Who to Renault then?

TheDeuce

21,275 posts

65 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
quotequote all
budgie smuggler said:
Who to Renault then?
Whoever brings sponsors and is most affordable I guess... Maybe Alonso frown

Not so much point in Renault worrying about driver performance as such, it's looking like they're stuck with a car this season and next that they hardly updated from last season. I think they're coasting until the end of 2021 whoever they end up with.

Can't see Vettel in that seat, or any other unless he resolves to do a Kimi and remain in an easy team, purely for the joy of racing.

Nickp82

3,165 posts

92 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
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Return of The Hulk?

TwentyFive

334 posts

65 months

Thursday 14th May 2020
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Nickp82 said:
Return of The Hulk?
I think that would be a smart play by Renault. He knows the team and it seems that at worst he will be missing only a handful of races this year.

That said I can see the attraction of Alonso and his ability to drag that Renault to the front of F1.5 every weekend and the extra attention on the Renault brand by having him return.

I am looking forward to seeing which way they go.