The Official F1 2019 silly season *contains speculation*
Discussion
hairyben said:
thegreenhell said:
I can only see him going to STR, assuming Gasly goes to RBR. With Ricciardo and Sainz both coming off the Red Bull books, they are suddenly looking a bit short of quality drivers to fill their four seats.
it's a bit late in the day for him to be getting back into a TR isn't it? I mean he has to be thinking of more than making up the numbers at the back if he's to return to F1, particularly as a champ of a series. And yes I'm aware of brendon Hartley... I guess the fast track to RB is always there but it just doesn't seem to gel to me, particularly after he was over looked the first time around.andburg said:
despite all the plaudits given to some of these young drivers in F1 I cant help but they the only one who's come in and is genuinely looking like a future champ is LeClerc.
Perez is not a future world champ nor is Hulkenberg but I don't see Sainz/Ocon beating them regularly and both have now had ample tiem to adjust to F1.
Prior to LeClerc...
Verstappen is potentially a world champ but in glimmers
Wehrlein again showed glimmers and was soundly beating Erricson but favour swung away before he got a competitive drive
Bianchi never had a chance to really show what he was capable of.
The last young driver to hit F1 as a potential champion and actually live up to the hype by beating and really pressuing fast, experienced team mates was the young Lewis Hamilton.
Most of the not quite the best are just hoping for a year like button in 2009.Perez is not a future world champ nor is Hulkenberg but I don't see Sainz/Ocon beating them regularly and both have now had ample tiem to adjust to F1.
Prior to LeClerc...
Verstappen is potentially a world champ but in glimmers
Wehrlein again showed glimmers and was soundly beating Erricson but favour swung away before he got a competitive drive
Bianchi never had a chance to really show what he was capable of.
The last young driver to hit F1 as a potential champion and actually live up to the hype by beating and really pressuing fast, experienced team mates was the young Lewis Hamilton.
carl_w said:
The Renault press statement says that Danny Ric "will team up with current driver Nico Hülkenberg" -- so presumably Hulk has a contract for at least 2019
https://www.renaultsport.com/daniel-ricciardo-join...
I believe it was a three year deal he signed so until the end of 2019.https://www.renaultsport.com/daniel-ricciardo-join...
MissChief said:
I believe it was a three year deal he signed so until the end of 2019.
Just checked on my fingers and thumbs and a 3-year deal would be for 2019 (next year), 2020 and 2021.The current Concorde agreement expires at the end of 2020, so most drivers have sought contracts that coincide with that reality.
Got it! 
Hulk’s contract was a 2 plus one, so in theory he is has the possibility of an option for next year. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/126644/hulkenber...
One potential spanner in the works, is that Mercedes have been looking for a seat for Ocon in the event the event that Stroll takes his seat, and Renault has been high on their target list. He is also on the lanky side, like The Hulk and, very importantly, French.
A direct performance comparison with Danny Ricc would also be a handy measure for future Mercedes evaluation. However, all this was reported by Joe Saward before the Danny Ricc deal was concluded.
I think that this year’s silly season has been one of the greatest for speculation with still a lot of seats to play for.
Hulk’s contract was a 2 plus one, so in theory he is has the possibility of an option for next year. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/126644/hulkenber...
One potential spanner in the works, is that Mercedes have been looking for a seat for Ocon in the event the event that Stroll takes his seat, and Renault has been high on their target list. He is also on the lanky side, like The Hulk and, very importantly, French.
A direct performance comparison with Danny Ricc would also be a handy measure for future Mercedes evaluation. However, all this was reported by Joe Saward before the Danny Ricc deal was concluded.
I think that this year’s silly season has been one of the greatest for speculation with still a lot of seats to play for.
rdjohn said:
Got it!
Hulk’s contract was a 2 plus one, so in theory he is has the possibility of an option for next year. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/126644/hulkenber...
One potential spanner in the works, is that Mercedes have been looking for a seat for Ocon in the event the event that Stroll takes his seat, and Renault has been high on their target list. He is also on the lanky side, like The Hulk and, very importantly, French.
A direct performance comparison with Danny Ricc would also be a handy measure for future Mercedes evaluation. However, all this was reported by Joe Saward before the Danny Ricc deal was concluded.
I think that this year’s silly season has been one of the greatest for speculation with still a lot of seats to play for.
Ricciardo will certainly be a good marker for Hulkenberg to put himself up against. if he can match him then I think it'll confirm what some have said on here, that he's a top level driver who just hasn't had the chance with a top level team. I suspect had Mercedes known Rosberg was going to retire they'd have been straight on the phone to him before he signed for Renault. Called Nico and is German. What more could they have asked for?Hulk’s contract was a 2 plus one, so in theory he is has the possibility of an option for next year. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/126644/hulkenber...
One potential spanner in the works, is that Mercedes have been looking for a seat for Ocon in the event the event that Stroll takes his seat, and Renault has been high on their target list. He is also on the lanky side, like The Hulk and, very importantly, French.
A direct performance comparison with Danny Ricc would also be a handy measure for future Mercedes evaluation. However, all this was reported by Joe Saward before the Danny Ricc deal was concluded.
I think that this year’s silly season has been one of the greatest for speculation with still a lot of seats to play for.
MissChief said:
Ricciardo will certainly be a good marker for Hulkenberg to put himself up against. if he can match him then I think it'll confirm what some have said on here, that he's a top level driver who just hasn't had the chance with a top level team. I suspect had Mercedes known Rosberg was going to retire they'd have been straight on the phone to him before he signed for Renault. Called Nico and is German. What more could they have asked for?
In the modern era, I'm not sure the nationality has so bearing on drivers. China and the US are both bigger markets. HustleRussell said:
Same Podcast, Enstone growing their workforce from ~450 to 700 or more, rumours suggesting Newey will be one of those clocking in at Renault.
Mind you he denied it in June:https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/renault-rules-o...
Vaud said:
I would have thought that Ferrari would be the only place left to tick off on his CV, and now that his family is older maybe he will (he had always cited family as the reason before)
I don't think 'ticking places off his CV' is a Newey priority and he has been quite explicit in discussing the fact that Ferrari have tried unsuccessfully to court him in the past and why he wouldn't go there. HustleRussell said:
Vaud said:
I would have thought that Ferrari would be the only place left to tick off on his CV, and now that his family is older maybe he will (he had always cited family as the reason before)
I don't think 'ticking places off his CV' is a Newey priority and he has been quite explicit in discussing the fact that Ferrari have tried unsuccessfully to court him in the past and why he wouldn't go there. I don't think Ferrari is somewhere that Newey has any desire to go.
TBH, I'd be surprised if he heads to Enstone either, as I'd have thought he'd retire from F1 completely once he feels he's done with RBR for whatever reason, and pursue the other interests that he's wished to do other than F1.
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