BOF Posted September 5, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted September 5, 2018 Going back to the driver's market for 2019, I can never remember such an upturned grid. Usually there's 2 or 3 seats to be filled at this stage of the season. However, at this point in time there are still 12 seats unconfirmed, and while some of those are just a formality (e.g. Perez in Force India, Magnussen in Haas), there are a load of seats where one driver could start a merry-go-round. Here's a good article from autosport with the current lay of the land. Quote The announcement that Lando Norris will partner Carlos Sainz Jr at McLaren next season fills in a key piece of Formula 1's driver market puzzle, which is edging towards completion. Norris was picked ahead of Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon, outgoing McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne, and Force India's Sergio Perez. Of those Norris defeated to earn his grand prix graduation, only Perez's place on the 2019 grid looks secure. Perez claims to have a contract signed already and the expectation is he will remain at Force India to partner the incoming Lance Stroll, whose father Lawrence is now one of the team's main backers. However, missing out on McLaren means Ocon has lost a major option while the axed Vandoorne is damaged goods after two miserable seasons in F1. Mercedes has worked tirelessly to find a home for Ocon since his planned move to Renault was derailed by Daniel Ricciardo's surprise switch from Red Bull. However, Williams is the only other Mercedes-powered team on the grid with a vacant seat and its financial needs mean an engine discount is unlikely to be enough to place Ocon there. Williams appears the final hope of several drivers. Sergey Sirotkin brings funding and has impressed the team in his rookie season, but his fellow Russian Artem Markelov has been linked and reserve driver Robert Kubica still wants an F1 race return. Mercedes junior George Russell has also targeted Williams but a 2019 F1 graduation now looks difficult for the Formula 2 championship leader, with others ahead in the queue. Russell's and Ocon's Mercedes ties are limiting other teams' interest, but Mercedes is willing to drop its juniors if necessary. That would immediately make them more appealing to Red Bull, whose junior team Toro Rosso has not confirmed either of its '19 drivers. Daniil Kvyat is on course for a surprise third chance in the Red Bull stable, but the second seat is still up for grabs. Brendon Hartley could be retained, but he does not share the attraction of an unattached Ocon or Russell, or even Vandoorne, who came to F1 with a stunning junior record. Haas is also yet to name either of its '19 drivers. Kevin Magnussen is expected to stay, while Romain Grosjean has regained his form after a bad start to the season. Charles Leclerc's Ferrari move is back on, eliminating him from the Haas picture, so Ocon and Vandoorne could fight for a place there. Haas is not interested in a rookie, which makes Sauber a better option for Ferrari's other protege Antonio Giovinazzi as Ferrari has an option on one of the Swiss team's seats. Vandoorne was run by Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur's ART team to the 2015 GP2 title, and his manager is also involved in Sauber's ownership structure. It is understood that the prospect of bringing the Belgian to Sauber has been discussed, however, long-time Sauber driver Marcus Ericsson is backed by a team director. That means at least 10 drivers are in the mix to race in F1 next season, but only six seats realistically remain available. F1 2019 line-ups Confirmed Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas Red Bull: Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly Renault: Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg McLaren: Carlos Sainz Jr, Lando Norris Expected Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc/Kimi Raikkonen Racing Point Force India: Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez Haas: Kevin Magnussen, TBD Toro Rosso: Daniil Kvyat, TBD Seats up for grabs Haas x1 Toro Rosso x1 Sauber x2 Williams x2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 5 hours ago, BOF said: IndyCar will race at the Circuit of the Americas in 2019, meaning they will race in the same year on the same track as Formula One for the first time since 2006, when both series' shared Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Cool, lap time comparisons etc., should be fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakotaDakota Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 3 hours ago, villakram said: Cool, lap time comparisons etc., should be fun. They will change the configuration of the track for Indy. There isn't actually that much they can do with the layout there other than cutting out a large section but you can be sure that they will change something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 6, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted September 6, 2018 Just for interest's sake. Circuit of the Americas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 7, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted September 7, 2018 I know it's slightly off topic but it's probably the most relevant thread for it. Robert Wickens' doctor has released the injuries he suffered in his horrendous crash at Pocono Raceway on August 19th. They were released because a racing pundit initially got the injury list incorrect and the family wanted it corrected. Thoracic spinal fracture Spinal cord injury Neck fracture Tibia and fibula fractures to both legs Fractures in both hands Fractured right forearm Fractured elbow Four fractured ribsRaceway on August 19th Pulmonary contusion Spoiler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakotaDakota Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 Leclerc confirmed at Ferrari for next year, Kimi has signed with Sauber for 2 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 11, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted September 11, 2018 3 hours ago, LakotaDakota said: Leclerc confirmed at Ferrari for next year, Kimi has signed with Sauber for 2 years Gotta hand it to Kimi. I didn't expect he'd want to move back down the grid. I thought he'd walk away once not in a winning car. That's not to say it'll be a happy 2 years, but the fact he's even bothered shows how much he loves it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villakram Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 24 minutes ago, BOF said: Gotta hand it to Kimi. I didn't expect he'd want to move back down the grid. I thought he'd walk away once not in a winning car. That's not to say it'll be a happy 2 years, but the fact he's even bothered shows how much he loves it. He's being kept on for sponsor meet and greets and to act as a Ferrari test/reserve driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 11, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted September 11, 2018 5 minutes ago, villakram said: He's being kept on for sponsor meet and greets and to act as a Ferrari test/reserve driver. Yeah I figured it'd be something to do with Ferrari's relationship with Sauber, but I still would have thought he'd walk away once not in the Ferrari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCDAN Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 2 hours ago, BOF said: Gotta hand it to Kimi. I didn't expect he'd want to move back down the grid. I thought he'd walk away once not in a winning car. That's not to say it'll be a happy 2 years, but the fact he's even bothered shows how much he loves it. Is he in a winning car now? He can't even make up a place on the grid anymore. Sorry but the bloke is done for me, if I was Sauber I would be looking elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 11, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted September 11, 2018 1 minute ago, AVFCDAN said: Is he in a winning car now? He can't even make up a place on the grid anymore. Sorry but the bloke is done for me, if I was Sauber I would be looking elsewhere. Of course he's in a winning car. Ferrari have won 5 races this year. The fact Kimi hasn't been the one winning them is precisely why they're getting rid. But the car is capable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCDAN Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 5 hours ago, BOF said: Of course he's in a winning car. Ferrari have won 5 races this year. The fact Kimi hasn't been the one winning them is precisely why they're getting rid. But the car is capable. Sorry that’s the point I was making, he is in a winning car but you wouldn’t know from His performances... past it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakotaDakota Posted September 11, 2018 Share Posted September 11, 2018 2 hours ago, AVFCDAN said: Sorry that’s the point I was making, he is in a winning car but you wouldn’t know from His performances... past it for me. 14 races this year, he has retired 3 times and of the 11 races he has finished he has been on the podium 9 times & is third in the drivers championship. Team orders mean he will always be the #2 if Seb is in a position to win the race but if his car got him to the chequered flag as often as Seb/Lewis he would be within 20/30 points of at least Seb. He is probably the most consistent of them all, If his car doesn't break he is on the podium 82% of the time Vettel has been on the podium 8 times despite finishing 2 more races, Bottas 6 times. only Hamilton has more podiums this year (10) and he has also finished 2 more races. Max & Ricciardo have 7 between them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 13, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted September 13, 2018 Rumours that Antonio Giovinazzi might partner Kimi at Sauber next season. Although Ferrari might be reluctant to lose him. He's extremely highly thought of as a simulator driver for them and they're already seemingly losing Kvyat who wants to return to STR. Gio impressed in testing this season and is eyeing a return to the grid after stepping in for Wehrlein for 2 races a year back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 Surely Vettell overtook Verstappen under yellow flag conditions then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted September 16, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted September 16, 2018 2 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said: Surely Vettell overtook Verstappen under yellow flag conditions then? Nope. They checked it. SC hadn’t been deployed when he made the move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 4 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: Nope. They checked it. SC hadn’t been deployed when he made the move. I thought you couldn’t overtake with yellow flags, irrelevant of the safety car? The monitor was certainly saying yellow flag prior to the overtake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted September 16, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted September 16, 2018 Just now, mikeyp102 said: I thought you couldn’t overtake with yellow flags, irrelevant of the safety car? The monitor was certainly saying yellow flag prior to the overtake Yellow flags are only specific to areas of the track. So they were past the incident so must have been out of the yellow flag area 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a m ole Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 lovely undercut from Verstappen coming out on the inside line of that corner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a m ole Posted September 16, 2018 Share Posted September 16, 2018 well Perez is a clearing in the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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