Formula One

[KAS-118]

No real surprise I guess - but 2020 is Sebastian Vettel's last at Ferrari (for now at least) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52612216

[scotty435]

Looks like Carlos Sainz is the favourite to replace Vettel and my opinion will make a very strong driver pairing at Ferrari. Carlos is very underrated and was on par with Verstappen when they where teammates at Toro Rosso and gone on to shine at Renault and McLaren. The driver I would like to see take the seat is Ricciardo, for me the only capable driver on the grid in a competitive car to take the fight to Lewis for the championship in the next few years.

[KAS-118]

Yeah. I agree, its a shame Ricciardo isn't in one of the 3 top teams at the moment 🙂

[Neal H]

I’ve grown to quite like Vettel over the past couple of years and still think he has much to offer if he’s suitably motivated. You don’t win 50 odd races and 4 world championships without being exceptional, no matter what car you’re driving.

If it’s true, then I hope Ricciardo gets the drive, undoubtedly a top driver and proven race winner. It just depends on whether Ferrari want to revert back to their old distinct number one and two that served them well for so many years. If that’s the case, then Sainz is probably a good choice. He’s decent but probably not exceptional. He was outperformed by Hulkenburg in their year at Renault.

[C8RKH]

3 hours ago, Neal H said:

You don’t win 50 odd races and 4 world championships without being exceptional, no matter what car you’re driving

And yet sooooooo many people just dismiss Lewis H as "has the best car!"

By the way I agree with you - I think Vettel has matured as a person these past 2 seasons or so. He is much more "likeable" now and seems more relaxed with himself.

[pete]

And that's why he hasn't won a world championship in that time. Riccardo may go to McLaren

[pete]

And Alonso to Renault

[KAS-118]

That would be interesting to see.

I mean, although I think he's rather immature in the way he throws his toys out the pram and cries about how he's the victim all the time and come's across as a narcissistic egomaniac - you can come across such people in all walks of life...🤔🤔🤔...he's still a great driver - and I think it would be good to see him in the sport with a team that wants to get behind him.

Of course, the big question would be - is the Renault going to be any good?

[C8RKH]

1 hour ago, pete said:

And that's why he hasn't won a world championship in that time. Riccardo may go to McLaren

Well, he has had a very competitive car with at least one point the "best" engine/power. So it's not been all bad for him has it?

[geartox]

I have sent my CV to Ferrari... to clean the car of course 😃

 

[C8RKH]

My brother was recruited by the Ferrari F1 team. Like me he is from Liverpool and they realised that only a scouser could really teach them how to get the wheels off faster than any other team!

[KAS-118]

Well, whatever the truth is about the Alonso return, neither Renault nor Alonso are dismissing it - infact they seem to be encouraging it. 

https://www.planetf1.com/news/renault-fernando-alonso/

Edited May 14, 2020 by KAS-118

[Neal H]

What about a Hamilton switch to Ferrari? Now that would really spice things up 👍

Sainz would be such a dull choice.

[KAS-118]

Looks like its too late - Sainz is to Ferrari and Ricciardo is to McLaren 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52661201

Edited May 14, 2020 by KAS-118

[Neal H]

Shame 😟

seems all the top teams now want a number one and number two who won’t rock the boat. 

Ricciardo’s move seems strange to me - sideways at best. I would have thought that Renault being a works team still have more potential than McLaren to challenge the top three, unless he thinks they’re note really committed anymore...

We now need Vettel to Mercedes and Alonso to Renault to spice it up.

[KAS-118]

Yeah, but 2021 McLaren switch to Mercedes engines.

May be he thinks they'll be better - or maybe he feels that Mercedes themselves will pull out - and the F1 Engine part will become a separate entity in its own right - and McLaren will become the favoured team - indeed they could buy the Engine Company part themselves 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

What with? The old F1 cars from their heritage collection?

oh hang on....

[scotty435]

McLaren comes out the driver merry-go-round looking like they have benefitted the most . Ricciardo for me the best driver after Lewis and 100% the right move for him. McLaren easily the best of the rest last season and with Sak Brown and Addreas Seidl steering the ship things are on the way up. Seidl is a great team principle and as never seen anything but success the guy was in charge VW when they dominated rallying and won in every formula he as been a involved in. Like it’s been previously mentioned Mercedes engines next season. Can they challenge for race wins and maybe a championship in 2021 and thereafter, possibly especially if Mercedes decide to call it day. As for Sainz and Ferrari definitely the right move for all involved, great driver and massively underrated and where does that leave Renault? Sadly I can see them pulling the plug on F1.

[C8RKH]

Great post. Can't disagree with any of it!  (damn!) :)

[Neal H]

I agree Ricciardo is an absolutely top driver, which is why it’s such a shame he won’t be in a potentially race winning car. He would have been a great benchmark for Leclerc having already been head to head with Verstappen. Max may have had the edge, but the margins were small!

I can definitely see Renault pulling out soon. The new senior management don’t seem enthusiastic about F1 so probably aren’t prepared to provide the budget given the lack of progress. Ricciardo may have seen the writing on the wall.

I don’t get the hype with Sainz. He was part of the Red Bull set up for several years but was never promoted to the top team and got released to Renault where he was out performed by Hulkenberg and Renault dropped him (not Hulkenberg) when Ricciardo became available, and they were also prepared to drop him for Ocon.

He’s done a good job for McLaren, but he hasn’t really outperformed Norris, in fact Norris was generally the quicker qualifier when you remove the technical problems from the equation. 

[KAS-118]

1 hour ago, scotty435 said:

.... and where does that leave Renault? Sadly I can see them pulling the plug on F1.

I agree...other than they may give Alonso a shot - then pull the Plug.

However, I do wonder whether they, and Honda, want out? F1 is incredibly expensive - and I feel that Hybrids, which I admit seemed to make a lot of sense, now appear to me to be an irrelevance to the future of Road Cars.

Why produce a great F1 Hybrid engine, if its not going to be spun off into your Road vehicles!?

[Neal H]

It does make you wonder where the future of F1 lies. Will it merge with Formula E longer term?

[KAS-118]

Well it does look like significant changes are afoot in Formula E too https://www.explica.co/formula-e-towards-a-move-to-permanent-circuits/

[KAS-118]

Well at least the British Grand Prix(s) are back on 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/52677294

[Chillidoggy]

That’s good news. I really feel sorry for those fans that bought tickets in the expectation of seeing an F1 spectacle, but at least something goes ahead, even if F1 is on life support at the moment.