The Official F1 2020 silly season *contains speculation*
Discussion
Vaud said:
Bunch of rumors here...
https://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/f1-rumor-...
Vettel considering retiring seem to carry the most weight. I wouldn't be surprised.
I wonder if Ferrari has any options on any leading drivers.
Bottas is out of contract at the end of the year...
I reckon Hamilton could be tempted into a red car, if this was a few years down the line, not now. Couldn't see him walking away from the Mercedes powerhouse. https://autoweek.com/article/formula-one/f1-rumor-...
Vettel considering retiring seem to carry the most weight. I wouldn't be surprised.
I wonder if Ferrari has any options on any leading drivers.
Bottas is out of contract at the end of the year...
Ya never know though!
Drew106 said:
I reckon Hamilton could be tempted into a red car, if this was a few years down the line, not now. Couldn't see him walking away from the Mercedes powerhouse.
Ya never know though!
True. Though he has said that he can see himself driving for 5 years more. 1 more at Merc and then 4 years at Ferrari for the new regs?Ya never know though!
Having spent his racing career funded and powered by Mercedes, I don’t really see Lewis stepping into a red car in 2021. He is not racing for the cash.
Max to Merc, looks attractive to anyone not in the team. Having endured the ROS, HAM quarrelsome interlude, I suspect stability with BOT makes far more sense with a massive change in the regs about to happen.
Max to Ferrari would be a no brainer, if VET decides to call it a day, but I don’t see why that would happen either. MAX and CLC would probably have unintended consequences, as well.
I believe that HUL has been too long getting to the podium to be seriously considered by a top team, Renault is probably the peak of his career.
As we move towards 2021 I suspect that the driver market will remain pretty stable. Teams need to concentrate their energies on retaining the right engineering personnel.
Max to Merc, looks attractive to anyone not in the team. Having endured the ROS, HAM quarrelsome interlude, I suspect stability with BOT makes far more sense with a massive change in the regs about to happen.
Max to Ferrari would be a no brainer, if VET decides to call it a day, but I don’t see why that would happen either. MAX and CLC would probably have unintended consequences, as well.
I believe that HUL has been too long getting to the podium to be seriously considered by a top team, Renault is probably the peak of his career.
As we move towards 2021 I suspect that the driver market will remain pretty stable. Teams need to concentrate their energies on retaining the right engineering personnel.
Leclerc is the future at Ferrari. If Seb does go, I would expect an 'Irvine' type driver in his place - a decent pedler but one how know's his place...a Perez, a Grosjean, a Gasley.
Ocon is a bit of a problem for Merc due to Bottas's new found form. If that continues, I'd expect him to to be retained. I suspect that Kubica and / or Williams will sooner or later come to the realisation that that particular experiment didn't pan out as hoped and that Merc will do a lucrative deal with Williams to get Ocon in the car and out of their hair for a bit.
Ocon is a bit of a problem for Merc due to Bottas's new found form. If that continues, I'd expect him to to be retained. I suspect that Kubica and / or Williams will sooner or later come to the realisation that that particular experiment didn't pan out as hoped and that Merc will do a lucrative deal with Williams to get Ocon in the car and out of their hair for a bit.
ghost83 said:
Hasn’t Vettel said he has no plans to retire?
The only place I’d see him going is merc but will merc want to let go of bottas?? He isn’t doing a bad job this year and he’s not causing problems within the team
Come on, at this early stage of a season he wouldn't exactly be forthcoming with any committed plans, if he announced now that he was thinking about it or doing it, Ferrari would instantly put all of their eggs into LeClercs basket.The only place I’d see him going is merc but will merc want to let go of bottas?? He isn’t doing a bad job this year and he’s not causing problems within the team
The fact that there are rumours though has to say something.
He won't go to Mercedes, Ferrari will be his final team in F1, whether that be at the end of this season or next, I definately can't see him going beyond 2020 though.
k by offloading Kimi? And I wonder how quick they would be on to ricciardoWhy is Bottas leaving? I don't think Mercedes will change the lineup now for as long as they're still winning the WCC and Lewis is winning the WDC. Russell will stay at Williams for another year, and Ocon will either replace Kubica or end up in Formula E.
I don't think either Mercedes or Ferrari will change drivers now until either Hamilton or Vettel retire, so everyone else will be left fighting over the B-team seats for the next couple of years, and there are more eligible drivers than there are seats, so some of them will lose out altogether.
This is becoming a problem with modern F1 - not enough teams, and the senior drivers hang around for too long so there's much less turnover of drivers in the quick cars than in previous eras.
I don't think either Mercedes or Ferrari will change drivers now until either Hamilton or Vettel retire, so everyone else will be left fighting over the B-team seats for the next couple of years, and there are more eligible drivers than there are seats, so some of them will lose out altogether.
This is becoming a problem with modern F1 - not enough teams, and the senior drivers hang around for too long so there's much less turnover of drivers in the quick cars than in previous eras.
StevieBee said:
Leclerc is the future at Ferrari. If Seb does go, I would expect an 'Irvine' type driver in his place - a decent pedler but one how know's his place...a Perez, a Grosjean, a Gasley.
Ocon is a bit of a problem for Merc due to Bottas's new found form. If that continues, I'd expect him to to be retained. I suspect that Kubica and / or Williams will sooner or later come to the realisation that that particular experiment didn't pan out as hoped and that Merc will do a lucrative deal with Williams to get Ocon in the car and out of their hair for a bit.
Perez is a good shout as he was a ferrari academy driver wasn't he?Ocon is a bit of a problem for Merc due to Bottas's new found form. If that continues, I'd expect him to to be retained. I suspect that Kubica and / or Williams will sooner or later come to the realisation that that particular experiment didn't pan out as hoped and that Merc will do a lucrative deal with Williams to get Ocon in the car and out of their hair for a bit.
slipstream 1985 said:
Well what's going on with Gasly. He has to be out or demoted. Bare minimum is pick up 6th place every race.
Yep. It's a top 5 this year, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Max. Gasly is fighting to be ahead of the midfield teams (he's 50 behind CLC, 11 ahead of Sainz).If Riccardo was still there, I do think Red Bull would be up with Ferrari in the constructors (They're 61 behind Ferrari with Gasly in the car)
groomi said:
No idea how the the politics would play out, but Ocon to Red Bull?
Mercedes don't seem to have a seat for him and Red Bull don't appear to have anybody ready for the 2nd seat in their line-up.
Politics are the problem there. ocon is well on the books of mercedes and they will be wary of letting him go incase Lewis does a Rosberg at the end of a given season. It's no skin off mercedes nose leaving Ocon the rot (effectively) and Ocon is probably happy at a maybe shot .Mercedes don't seem to have a seat for him and Red Bull don't appear to have anybody ready for the 2nd seat in their line-up.
The biggest likely move in my opinion would be if Vettel quits then the opening seat at ferrari would likely be Perez imo.
Mercedes were actively trying to place him at Renault up until they announced they'd signed Ricciardo instead, so I don't think the politics are the big issue.
They will be well aware that both his market value and viability as replacement driver are dropping with every passing race that he's sat on the sidelines. Racing drivers are just like anyone else, in that they need to be practicing their craft regularly to keep their skills sharp.
The problem for Ocon is that there's always new people trying to break in to the sport. This year's rookie graduates are a very promising bunch, and they are actually out there racing, showing the good things they can do for all the other teams to see. More will always be coming next year, and the year after. Meanwhile he's just sat in back of the garage, wondering when or if he'll get another chance.
They will be well aware that both his market value and viability as replacement driver are dropping with every passing race that he's sat on the sidelines. Racing drivers are just like anyone else, in that they need to be practicing their craft regularly to keep their skills sharp.
The problem for Ocon is that there's always new people trying to break in to the sport. This year's rookie graduates are a very promising bunch, and they are actually out there racing, showing the good things they can do for all the other teams to see. More will always be coming next year, and the year after. Meanwhile he's just sat in back of the garage, wondering when or if he'll get another chance.
thegreenhell said:
Mercedes were actively trying to place him at Renault up until they announced they'd signed Ricciardo instead, so I
don't think the politics are the big issue.
They will be well aware that both his market value and viability as replacement driver are dropping with every passing race that he's sat on the sidelines. Racing drivers are just like anyone else, in that they need to be practicing their craft regularly to keep their skills sharp.
The problem for Ocon is that there's always new people trying to break in to the sport. This year's rookie graduates are a very promising bunch, and they are actually out there racing, showing the good things they can do for all the other teams to see. More will always be coming next year, and the year after. Meanwhile he's just sat in back of the garage, wondering when or if he'll get another chance.
Yep agree with that. George Russel would jump into any other car given the chance so If Perez moved to Ferrari it would free up a mercedes engined seat at racing point. Russel fresh from a seaons racing all be it at the back learning how to obey blue flags or Ocon itching to get back to it. don't think the politics are the big issue.
They will be well aware that both his market value and viability as replacement driver are dropping with every passing race that he's sat on the sidelines. Racing drivers are just like anyone else, in that they need to be practicing their craft regularly to keep their skills sharp.
The problem for Ocon is that there's always new people trying to break in to the sport. This year's rookie graduates are a very promising bunch, and they are actually out there racing, showing the good things they can do for all the other teams to see. More will always be coming next year, and the year after. Meanwhile he's just sat in back of the garage, wondering when or if he'll get another chance.
I firmly believe that f1 should run practice one with only 1 car but they have to be the reserve driver (or not one entered for the race) Would keep the reserve/test drivers a bit sharper.
Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff