It was written in the stars, or rather the rumourmill, and today, Renault F1 has confirmed that Fernando Alonso will return to the team with which he won his two F1 World Championships with.
https://twitter.com/redbullracing/statu ... 9215156224Alexander Albon is being promoted to the Team to drive alongside Max, while Pierre will return to the Red Bull sister team, Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Red Bull are in the unique position of having four talented Formula One drivers under contract who can be rotated between the Team and Toro Rosso. The Team will use the next nine races to evaluate Alex’s performance in order to make an informed decision as to who will drive alongside Max in 2020.
Everyone at the Team looks forward to welcoming Alex and supporting him during the next phase of his F1 career.
Agree on most, I do see Ocon going to Renault though. Was hoping for hulk to RB but that seems farfetched now, unless Albon disappoints (but then kvyat 2.0 seems more likely). Hulk to HAAS or AR maybe. TR would be an option for DEV, seeing he is currently unsigned and TR pipeline is pretty empty. Could be a gasly or stoffel 2.0, but maybe there does turn out to be more to him.Phil wrote: ↑15 Aug 2019, 21:48I am going to go with Hamilton - Ocon.
To be honest, i dont know what will happen with Bottas or what his plan B will be. Not convinced Hulkenberg will leave Renault - i think he is doing a solid enough job against Ricciardo.
Haas, maybe. Cant see Grosjean holding on to his seat.
Williams. No clue, except that Kubica will not be around next year and Russel is locked in.
Ferrari and RedBull will stay as is, so will McLaren.
if Ferrari swap drivers it won't be with drivers like Ricciardo or Sainz, because these two are ambitioned enough not to accept a seat as 2nd driver (Ferrari will fully focus on Leclerc then)Jolle wrote: ↑16 Aug 2019, 00:13We’re all focused on the seats next to Hamilton and Verstappen but what will be Ferrari’s options be if Vettel decides that 2020 is his last year in red. Leclerc has a contract until 2022.
Drivers like Sainz, Ricciardo and Perez might get their chance in race winning car after all...
Why would they focus on one driver then, when they are doing no such thing now, while having two very ambitious drivers?Capharol wrote: ↑16 Aug 2019, 15:19if Ferrari swap drivers it won't be with drivers like Ricciardo or Sainz, because these two are ambitioned enough not to accept a seat as 2nd driver (Ferrari will fully focus on Leclerc then)Jolle wrote: ↑16 Aug 2019, 00:13We’re all focused on the seats next to Hamilton and Verstappen but what will be Ferrari’s options be if Vettel decides that 2020 is his last year in red. Leclerc has a contract until 2022.
Drivers like Sainz, Ricciardo and Perez might get their chance in race winning car after all...
Perez could be possible if he accepts to be 2nd driver but i guess they might wanna try someone from F2 or Giovinazzi
to make Leclerc WC with Ferrari .... like Mercedes does with Hamilton, or do you think they have kept Bottas because he is a WDC contender ... not really, as Toto already stated ones, by accident or purpose, Bottas is a great Wingman, doesn't cause any problem, doesn't moan if he needs to back off, and takes a 2nd place for granted if Hamilton leads.Phil wrote: ↑16 Aug 2019, 17:21Why would they focus on one driver then, when they are doing no such thing now, while having two very ambitious drivers?Capharol wrote: ↑16 Aug 2019, 15:19if Ferrari swap drivers it won't be with drivers like Ricciardo or Sainz, because these two are ambitioned enough not to accept a seat as 2nd driver (Ferrari will fully focus on Leclerc then)Jolle wrote: ↑16 Aug 2019, 00:13We’re all focused on the seats next to Hamilton and Verstappen but what will be Ferrari’s options be if Vettel decides that 2020 is his last year in red. Leclerc has a contract until 2022.
Drivers like Sainz, Ricciardo and Perez might get their chance in race winning car after all...
Perez could be possible if he accepts to be 2nd driver but i guess they might wanna try someone from F2 or Giovinazzi
I really dont get the logic in suggesting that a team would prefer to take a lesser driver in order to ‘protect’ the status of their more established one.
Kimi wasnt brought in at the time when Alonso was driving for the team and neither was Leclerc brought in, while Vettel is there for that reason.
Mercedes didnt bring in Bottas for that reason either.
There is just no point in doing that, if you want to perform to your potential and get the best out if your team. Ideally, you want two ambitious drivers, pushing each other, but also having a strong management to control the harmonics of the team. I’m not suggesting Sainz or Ricciardo would be available, but assuming they are and Vettel leaves, what would be the point in focusing on Leclerc if there could be a better performing driver available?
The driver is but a means for the team to achieve its ambitions. Not the other way around.
Mercedes did not differentiate between Lewis and Rosberg, who were the preferred pair of drivers at Mercedes. Bottas was the "best of the available" options for 2017 and not the desired option as Rosberg chose to quit without a warning.Capharol wrote: ↑16 Aug 2019, 17:59If teams like to push you get the best driver in your car, so why isn't Verstappen beside Hamilton (they could had easily bought him out of his contract) or why isn't Leclerc there ?
of course Teams like Haas, Racing Point, etc. needs to get drivers to be as close together as possible, even RB does (that's why they demoted Gasly) but when it come shove to push, Mercedes, Ferrari and RB always wanna see a clear #1 driver and a 2nd driver that pushes the first but not to hard .... and Ricciardo and Sainz will be pushing to hard which can cost points for the #1 driver
