Silly Season 2017/2018

[hemichromis]

So Sainz is only 'loaned' to Renault. This must be in case Ricciardo moves to Ferrari or Mercedes.
Would be fun to see Verstappen and Sainz together again!

[ChrisDanger]

Leclerc will be doing some FP1s for Sauber starting in Malaysia. In preparation for his full driver role next year one would presume.

https://twitter.com/Charles_Leclerc/sta ... 9572235264

[Phil]

I am really curious to see how he will do...

[hemichromis]

On Sky's F1 report they said that both Redbull drivers are available in 2019 but i have quotes from Horner saying that Max is on contract through 2019. Does anyone know why they and many websites are getting this wrong?

[NathanOlder]

When does Sainz contract with TR actually end ? I thought it ended at the end of 2018. So he may be loaned to Renault , but once that finishes he can go or stay where he likes.

As for RB drivers, I'm under the impression Ric's contract ends December 2018. And Max is 1 year later. All i can think is maybe Max has a get out clause at the end of 18 that is maybe performance related??

[hemichromis]

Helmut Marko says there is no clause in Max's contract. It would be surprising if he had one and Ricciardo didn't.
Marko: "Contrary to all rumors, there is no performance clause in Verstappen's contract"

Christian Horner in July:
"Carlos Sainz is under contract. We've exercised his option so he's under contract and we have an option on him for next year and the year after. He'll be in a Toro Rosso again next year."

So he's under red bull for the whole of 2019 if they want him.

[PlatinumZealot]

Only a fool parts ways with his money! RedBull are not clowns, they have bombproof contracts to imprison their drivers until they have "paid their dues." This is exactly why Kvyat has not been booted out. Apparently, he has some marketing value in eastern Europe.

[Jolle]

WIth Kvyat out... who's going to fill Sainz seat at Toro Rosso next year? there isn't another driver in the RedBull program I think... or a good Honda guy with a super licence...


could is be Buemi? Don't even think, apart from Sato maybe, there isn't a Japanese Honda driver with a super licence .

or... with the love of Japan and Honda behind him, and the warm arms of Tost who already offered him a seat in '09: Jenson Button?

[hemichromis]

Kvyat is not out, merely meaningless to the team.
Far better to give a junior driver some experience than watch Kvyat drive around hoping he won't crash.

[Vasconia]

WIth Kvyat out... who's going to fill Sainz seat at Toro Rosso next year? there isn't another driver in the RedBull program I think... or a good Honda guy with a super licence...


could is be Buemi? Don't even think, apart from Sato maybe, there isn't a Japanese Honda driver with a super licence .

or... with the love of Japan and Honda behind him, and the warm arms of Tost who already offered him a seat in '09: Jenson Button?

Thanks to Sainz´s departure Kvyat will continue in TR next season, if not he would be out.

[Jolle]

WIth Kvyat out... who's going to fill Sainz seat at Toro Rosso next year? there isn't another driver in the RedBull program I think... or a good Honda guy with a super licence...


could is be Buemi? Don't even think, apart from Sato maybe, there isn't a Japanese Honda driver with a super licence .

or... with the love of Japan and Honda behind him, and the warm arms of Tost who already offered him a seat in '09: Jenson Button?

Thanks to Sainz´s departure Kvyat will continue in TR next season, if not he would be out.

He’s already out. Gasly is taking his seat at the next GP already.

http://www.scuderiatororosso.com/en_INT ... toro-rosso

[Vasconia]

WIth Kvyat out... who's going to fill Sainz seat at Toro Rosso next year? there isn't another driver in the RedBull program I think... or a good Honda guy with a super licence...


could is be Buemi? Don't even think, apart from Sato maybe, there isn't a Japanese Honda driver with a super licence .

or... with the love of Japan and Honda behind him, and the warm arms of Tost who already offered him a seat in '09: Jenson Button?

Thanks to Sainz´s departure Kvyat will continue in TR next season, if not he would be out.

He’s already out. Gasly is taking his seat at the next GP already.

http://www.scuderiatororosso.com/en_INT ... toro-rosso

Theoretically it should be only for this race.... but its TR/RB, who know what can happen..

[OneAlex]

Kvyat is not out, merely meaningless to the team.
Far better to give a junior driver some experience than watch Kvyat drive around hoping he won't crash.

I would agree with this analysis, if it wasn't for the fact Red Bull only have one junior coming up (Gasly) to replace Sainz so I cannot see anyone other than Kvyat sitting in the other TR seat next year.

Still, I think it says a lot about the imbalance in team points and performance that they would put Gasly into Kvyat's seat rather than Sainz's. Logically (and if it wasn't for the constructors championship) they should have ditched the driver that isn't staying anyway to give the Gasly and Kvyat pairing a test run.

If they'd rather have Sainz pair Gasly than Kvyat now why give him over to Renault...

[Jolle]

Thanks to Sainz´s departure Kvyat will continue in TR next season, if not he would be out.

He’s already out. Gasly is taking his seat at the next GP already.

http://www.scuderiatororosso.com/en_INT ... toro-rosso

Theoretically it should be only for this race.... but its TR/RB, who know what can happen..

In the official press Tost speaks of races, isn’t very kind to Kvyat or leaves the door open for a future in F1 at the RedBull family and isn’t mentioned at the drivers. As long as Gasly doesn’t make an complete ass of himself, he’s got that seat for 2018

[hemichromis]

Kvyat is not out, merely meaningless to the team.
Far better to give a junior driver some experience than watch Kvyat drive around hoping he won't crash.

I would agree with this analysis, if it wasn't for the fact Red Bull only have one junior coming up (Gasly) to replace Sainz so I cannot see anyone other than Kvyat sitting in the other TR seat next year.

Still, I think it says a lot about the imbalance in team points and performance that they would put Gasly into Kvyat's seat rather than Sainz's. Logically (and if it wasn't for the constructors championship) they should have ditched the driver that isn't staying anyway to give the Gasly and Kvyat pairing a test run.

If they'd rather have Sainz pair Gasly than Kvyat now why give him over to Renault...

Because they can get Sainz back in 2019 if they want, he is still under the infamous Red Bull contract.
More likely they are keeping him under contract in case Ricciardo moves for 2019.