The Official F1 2019 silly season *contains speculation*

[Supersam83]

Confirmed 2019 F1 Driver Line-Up: (as of 16/10/2018)

Ferrari - Vettel - Leclerc

Mercedes - Hamilton - Bottas

Red Bull - Verstappen - Gasly

Renault - Ricciardo - Hulkenberg

Sauber - Raikkonen - Giovinazzi

HAAS - Grosjean - Magnusson

Mclaren - Sainz - Norris

Racing Point Force India - TBA - TBA

Toro Rosso - Kvyat - TBA

Williams - Russell - TBA


4 seats remaining to be confirmed...

[thegreenhell]

Supersam83 said:

So now that Mick Schumacher has won the Euro F3 championship does that give him enough Super Licence points for F1 in 2019?

Yes, he gets 40 points for that, which is the minimum number required. However, I thought he'd already said he was aiming for F2 next year, rather then trying to jump straight into F1 too soon.

[Vaud]

thegreenhell said:

Supersam83 said:

So now that Mick Schumacher has won the Euro F3 championship does that give him enough Super Licence points for F1 in 2019?

Yes, he gets 40 points for that, which is the minimum number required. However, I thought he'd already said he was aiming for F2 next year, rather then trying to jump straight into F1 too soon.

Yes, but I think they are being careful with him. F2, then maybe a Sauber or similar? He has plenty of time.

[bobbo89]

Supersam83 said:

Confirmed 2019 F1 Driver Line-Up: (as of 16/10/2018)

Racing Point Force India - TBA - TBA

4 seats remaining to be confirmed...

Looks like Perez is about to confirm his seat for next year

[AJB88]

Vaud said:

Yes, but I think they are being careful with him. F2, then maybe a Sauber or similar? He has plenty of time.

As much as I want to see him in F1 I think hes correct to aim for F2

[Clockwork Cupcake]

AJB88 said:

As much as I want to see him in F1 I think hes correct to aim for F2

Poor chap has quite a lot of expectation on his shoulders.

Theoretically no more than Bruno Senna did. But in reality, he does.

[AJB88]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Poor chap has quite a lot of expectation on his shoulders.

Theoretically no more than Bruno Senna did. But in reality, he does.

Yeh he does, tried to hide behind his mother maiden name for a few years but he couldn't forever.

[DanielSan]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Poor chap has quite a lot of expectation on his shoulders.

Theoretically no more than Bruno Senna did. But in reality, he does.

He seems to have taken a pretty measured approach so far with most series, the plan seems to be 2 years in each category, first year to learn it and develop himself as a driver more, second year to really show what he can do.

[Vaud]

AJB88 said:

As much as I want to see him in F1 I think hes correct to aim for F2

I agree - and I'd rather he entered F1 with some more experience.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

DanielSan said:

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Poor chap has quite a lot of expectation on his shoulders.

Theoretically no more than Bruno Senna did. But in reality, he does.

He seems to have taken a pretty measured approach so far with most series, the plan seems to be 2 years in each category, first year to learn it and develop himself as a driver more, second year to really show what he can do.

I don’t see the point in this plan nowadays. Verstappen has proven its easy enough to break through without the experience and awaiting further progression means the possibility of missing out on the good seats for 2020.

[M3ax]

Depends on what seat is available though?

[Turbojuice]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

DanielSan said:

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Poor chap has quite a lot of expectation on his shoulders.

Theoretically no more than Bruno Senna did. But in reality, he does.

He seems to have taken a pretty measured approach so far with most series, the plan seems to be 2 years in each category, first year to learn it and develop himself as a driver more, second year to really show what he can do.

I don’t see the point in this plan nowadays. Verstappen has proven its easy enough to break through without the experience and awaiting further progression means the possibility of missing out on the good seats for 2020.

Verstappen doesn't have a 7 time world champion as a father. Expectation levels are polar opposites. If he jumps straight from F3 to F1 he will be scrutinised to hell.

He has time so why not grab as much experience as he can before making that final step? I think he's doing the correct thing.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

M3ax said:

Depends on what seat is available though?

My point exactly. If you’re good enough you’re old enough and all any of these wonder kids need is a seat in a top team.

For the avoidance of doubt, I don’t see Mick Schumacher as the second coming, or at least I hope he isn’t.

[Vaud]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

For the avoidance of doubt, I don’t see Mick Schumacher as the second coming, or at least I hope he isn’t.

Why, out of interest?

[Clockwork Cupcake]

Turbojuice said:

Verstappen doesn't have a 7 time world champion as a father. Expectation levels are polar opposites. If he jumps straight from F3 to F1 he will be scrutinised to hell.

He has time so why not grab as much experience as he can before making that final step? I think he's doing the correct thing.

I agree

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Vaud said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

For the avoidance of doubt, I don’t see Mick Schumacher as the second coming, or at least I hope he isn’t.

Why, out of interest?

Why I don’t see it or why I hope he isn’t? I honestly think that so many struggle with F1 that previous form goes out the window-a good career in the junior catagories is simply no guarantee of success in F1.

I hope he isn’t because an era of Schumacher-esque domination wouldn’t be what I looked for in the sport!

[HustleRussell]

I don’t get why people get so excited about ex-driver’s offspring- is the popular belief that being able to drive is somehow genetic?

It’s just sentimentality right?

[Vaud]

HustleRussell said:

I don’t get why people get so excited about ex-driver’s offspring- is the popular belief that being able to drive is somehow genetic?

It’s just sentimentality right?

Max V is an interesting case study - both parents clearly "wired for racing" - I wonder if it is more about reaction times and something about a lack of self preservation that provides that final 1% - that may be genetic?

[Vaud]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Why I don’t see it or why I hope he isn’t? I honestly think that so many struggle with F1 that previous form goes out the window-a good career in the junior catagories is simply no guarantee of success in F1.

I hope he isn’t because an era of Schumacher-esque domination wouldn’t be what I looked for in the sport!

I don't really mind. I just want to see great drivers race. I don't follow any one driver any more and find it much more rewarding, even in an era of Merc dominance there is plenty of mid field racing.

[AJB88]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

I hope he isn’t because an era of Schumacher-esque domination wouldn’t be what I looked for in the sport!

You mean like the Hamilton domination we have now, Vettel Domination before that.