The Official 2018 F1 Silly Season *Contains Speculation*

[Vaud]

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:

• Alonso
• Vettel

Then

• Perez
• Bottas

?

[Cold]

From Karun Chandhok's instagram this morning:

Karun said:

Fernando's manager Luis Garcia Abad in a very public meeting with the Renault bosses this morning... The 2018 driver market starts to move.

[Crafty_]

Runners and riders:

Mercedes: I think they'll re-sign Bottas. If that doesn't happen Ocon or Wehrlein will be there, Ocon much more likely.

Ferrari: Vettel will stay. I think that if he wants to Kimi can also stay. If he doesn't there is a fair list for the seat - Perez, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Ocon, Sainz, Grosjean. Whoever goes there must accept they'll be a number 2 and I think that will put the youngsters off - I don't think its a good move for Verstappen/Sainz/Ocon especially. I can't decide if Ricciardo has more ambition than that or if the lure of the red car would raw him in. I would say Grosjean is in a fairly good place, but whinging on the radio won't go down well with Ferrari.

Red Bull: Horner is adamant that Verstappen is in a watertight contract, whilst I kind of doubt that I think he will be there next year. If there is a spare seat Sainz will get kicked upstairs

Renault: I think there are question marks over Palmer, even if he does improve. Ocon has really impressed many people but I think they will be looking for a proven points scorer - Perez is top of my list for them, along with Sainz. The whole Alonso thing is interesting - he wants to win and they aren't quite there yet, but it just might be his best choice. Rowland is one of their drivers, the need for a points scorer makes him unlikely I think, but if he is in contention I'd expect to see him in practice sessions this year. The same goes for Sirtokin

Force India: Ocon is likely to stay I reckon, biding his time for a Merc seat. If Perez leaves they'll bring a rookie in. They did have links to Celis Jr in Formula Renault an he has tested for them. He's having his best season so far in the Renaults, but its now his 4th season and he's still not finished in the top 10. I'm not really aware of who they have their eye on - the name Felix Rosenqvist comes to mind but I don't know where I've made that association. They could also make a play for LeClerc.

Williams: Stroll is staying until he stops paying, simple as that. Massa has said he'd come back in 2018 and Smedley thinks he's driving better than ever If they want a discount on engines Wehrlein is the only option there. Will Buxton says that Perez nearly signed for them previously but I can't see him taking a step down. I think they might look at Kvyat if he's binned by STR. SOme noise was made about Alonso going there, unlikely - they don't have the money nor the car. Grosjean is a maybe if the Ferrari seat doesn't go to him and he realises its not going to happen.

STR: Gasly will be in if there is a seat free.

Haas: LeClerc could well be placed there by Ferrari. assuming Grosjean stays that means KMag goes.

McLaren: Vandoorne will get another year. I reckon that Alonso will stay - the Honda will improve and they'll allow his dalliances in other series.

Sauber: Who knows. Ericsson will be staying, the other seat filled by someone with money, most likely a rookie.


ETA: Vettel says "no surprises" in his next contract: https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2017/06/sebastian-v...

Further to the picture above of Alonso's people talking to Renault he also apparently has Flavio talking to Mercedes..

Edited by Crafty_ on Saturday 24th June 10:49

[Vaud]

Good points Crafty_

Off topic - why the added "_"?

[Crafty_]

cos the name without the underscore is taken and I've no imagination!

[jbudgie]

Cold said:

From Karun Chandhok's instagram this morning:

Karun said:

Fernando's manager Luis Garcia Abad in a very public meeting with the Renault bosses this morning... The 2018 driver market starts to move.

Karun mentioned it on the CH4 as well.

[thegreenhell]

I wouldn't read too much into these types of meetings between team and driver managers. It's all part of the job to keep in regular contact, even if no moves are afoot. All of the serious discussions will be kept very secret behind closed doors.

[anonymous-user]

thegreenhell said:

I wouldn't read too much into these types of meetings between team and driver managers. It's all part of the job to keep in regular contact, even if no moves are afoot. All of the serious discussions will be kept very secret behind closed doors.

Exactly.

Alonso has stated that he is not wanting to join a team having to wait for success.

If McLaren move to Mercedes engines or he gets a seat at Ferrari or Mercedes then I could see Alonso staying in F1 for 2018.

If not I fear he will leave.

[Speed_Demon]

Wehrlein really likely to stay at Sauber? Think he'll be looking to move given the new owners seem to have a thing for Erricsson. Don't think he'll have anywhere to go though and will end up staying.

This new Chinese F1 team, car will look like a cheap rip off of the Mercedes but explode onto pieces at any sign of contact?

[ZX10R NIN]

I think Sainz will be at Ferrari in 2018

[EDLT]

Speed_Demon said:

Wehrlein really likely to stay at Sauber? Think he'll be looking to move given the new owners seem to have a thing for Erricsson. Don't think he'll have anywhere to go though and will end up staying.

This new Chinese F1 team, car will look like a cheap rip off of the Mercedes but explode onto pieces at any sign of contact?

Jackie Chan's team did quite well at Le Mans. If they plan to buy an existing team (isn't Force India for sale?) they will probably hit the ground running.

[Speed_Demon]

EDLT said:

Jackie Chan's team did quite well at Le Mans. If they plan to buy an existing team (isn't Force India for sale?) they will probably hit the ground running.

I thought they were just having a revealing to appeal to more sponsors (ie those outside of india).

Looks to me like this Chinese team will be ground up.

[rubystone]

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.

[Vaud]

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)?

[Crafty_]

The return of Sato ?

Renault have said they are interested in Sainz.

[Vaud]

Crafty_ said:

The return of Sato ?

Renault have said they are interested in Sainz.

Scott Dixon?

[thegreenhell]

I hope that Alonso stays at McLaren, and that Honda finally start to come good. However, if he does leave who will replace him at McLaren? There was talk that Button has a contract to race next year if Alonso leaves the team, but he seemed pretty adamant at Monaco that he was done with it and not coming back again. McLaren are a team that likes to have a big name driver, but they will struggle to attract anyone else unless they're showing clear signs of improvement and the £ is good.

[lee_fr200]

This would be their first time in like 20yrs without a wdc driver so I think if Kimi leaves Ferrari they would try and get him back but mclaren need to ditch vandoorne and go for sainz or someone like verstappen

[Dr Z]

Vaud said:

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)?

Possible that Matshsta-kun might end up at Sauber in place of Wehrlein. He's been getting back into it in F2 with ART, after having a shocker in Baku last year and getting a race ban. Has won this year, but I have a feeling that he's the sort who'd love these new F1 cars and kind of struggles with babying the previous gen Pirellis which are still being run by F2. Not sure Honda consider him developed enough to give him tests though.

[Crafty_]

According to Gazetta dello Sport, Ferrari have made an agreement with Ricciardo, the twist is this is to replace Vettel should he not re-sign.

If correct, that presumably rules him out of the second seat ?

If Sainz/Ocon/Perez decide the move isn't for them who is left? Grosjean ? Hulk is tucked up with Renault. Wehrlein ? Kvyat ? even a return for Massa ? starting to scrape the barrel a bit now..