Mateoto @ Mateoto @lemmy.world

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2 yr. ago

Edit: Sainz signed with Williams. Truly silly season. So Antonelli announcement for Mercedes soon?

I doubt that Sainz has a clause for Red Bull. This option is unlikely, as it's tied to two scenarios:

1. Red Bull needs to kick out Perez, ideally during the summer break.
2. The replacement for Perez, probably Ricciardo, needs to underperform significantly in this interim role.

It's clear that neither Lawson nor Tsunoda will get a shot for the second Red Bull seat. If they only decide to kick out Perez after this season, Sainz may have a chance at Red Bull, but so does Horners favorite Ricciardo.

Until then, Sainz will likely sign with Alpine or get the Mercedes seat, as Antonelli has publicly stated that he still needs some time to develop, which means either he takes a stint in the Williams seat or another year in F2.

Honestly, I doubt that Horner, who reportedly protected Perez so far and pushed for his contract extension, can keep him in his seat any longer.

Unfortunately, we likely won't see Tsunoda or Lawson in Perez's seat after the summer break; instead, Ricciardo will probably take over until end of the year.

This could also shift the driver market, possibly leading to Sainz moving to Red Bull if Ricciardo underperforms.

He wants the Red Bull or Mercedes seat, with Audi or Alpine (most likely his 3rd option) as fallback options. I see Carlos more likely replacing Perez, as RB seems hesitant to give Tsunoda or Lawson a shot next to Max. Ricciardo might get a chance this year to prove himself if they decide to replace Perez after Spa.

My bet is Andreas Seidl will takeover. A week ago I would have bet a return for Binotto for Alpine. Cyril returning would also be funny as hell though.

Honestly, it feels like Mercedes tries to catch a bigger fish right now. Probably aiming for Verstappen or Alonso, and maybe Sainz as a fallback. That's why the hype around Antonelli gradually disappeard and his comment makes another year in F2 absolutely clear.

I always wonder what Hülkenberg would have achieved in a powerful machinery...

My guess:

• Audi: Sainz
• Williams: Antonelli
• Mercedes: Ocon
• Alpine: Schumacher
• Haas: Bottas / Bearmen

Sainz will most likely join the most promising team left on the grid.

Toto will likely try to get Antonelli on the grid, but I doubt he will immediately promote him to a Mercedes seat. 1-2 years at Williams would be good training and keep other egos (like Russell, who spent too long there) in check. Ocon will likely fill the gap at Mercedes, where two experienced drivers are needed.

Bottas and Bearmen are a safe game for Haas, as they probably look for someone with potential (Bearmen) and experience (Bottas). Zhou might be also an option due to the sponsorship money.

Mick Schumacher at Alpine is more of a hopeful guess, as I believe Briatore will want someone with experience and a team player. Doohan might be faster, but Mick brings insights from Mercedes, and Toto is very persuasive in French.

Looks like Logan's last race was in Canada then.

I believe a decision was reached behind the doors, and Ocon won’t drive for Alpine next year. We might see a driver swap if Ocon continues his rampage, but for now, they are sticking with him since the team needs stability and he isn’t a bad driver after all.

Good. Ocon’s ego has caused multiple unnecessary accidents both within and outside of the team. If Ocon’s seat was already at risk, this will definitely push him out.

I hope Alpine can find more team players to develop the team from scratch. Maybe Mick will get a second chance in F1 now.

Sure. With Sainz Sr.'s history with Audi, Sainz is definitely their number one choice. However, Audi will likely have a pipeline of drivers, as Sainz's chances for a seat at Red Bull or Mercedes are also strong. If Sainz isn't available, I would have assumed Audi would try to grab Albon.

I would have bet that Albon was also a contender for the Audi or Mercedes seat. Williams must have a promising outlook if he decided to stay with them instead of gambling on a one-year stint at Mercedes.

I would have bet that Albon was also a contender for the Audi or Mercedes seat. Williams must have a promising outlook if he decided to stay with them instead of gambling on a one-year stint at Mercedes or a restart with Audi.

Honestly, I assumed Audi had its eye on him. He could also be a strong candidate for a one-year stint with Merc until they get Kimi ready for the seat.

Albon is definitely eyeing more promising offers than Williams at the moment

It seems like having a Frenchman at the helm of Ferrari could once again pave the way for success.

Once more, Mercedes is losing people, and with all these major departures, their outlook seems rather bleak.

Every driver dreams of collaborating with Newey. That final smile hints that Ferrari might be deep in discussions.

The double Frenchmen lineup hasn't lived up to expectations. Gasly's silence is notable and may suggest a misfit with Alpine. A Gasly-Albon pairing at Williams sounds intriguing.

Toto's strong rapport with Alpine could open doors for Mick Schumacher. His current success with Alpine in WEC, combined with Gasly's potential departure, makes it a plausible scenario.

I see Ferrari as a legitimate option, especially with Fred being a savvy French strategist. The Hamilton deal was an incredible surprise.

However, I also envision him at Mercedes. Aston Martin is certainly in the mix, as Stroll invests heavily to build a successful team. But let's not overlook Toto's strategic moves and Mercedes' overall momentum, along with the potential wildcard of Newey at Aston Martin.

As Palmer demonstrated in his video analysis, Alonso has made similar moves in the past, likely with the same intention: catching his opponent off guard and inducing a driver error.

While Russell’s reaction may have been exaggerated, given how closely he was tailing Alonso, the maneuver was unexpected and dangerous, leaving Russell with little time to react. While Alonso has gotten away with such maneuvers in the past, this time the marshals decided to penalize him, though it’s debatable as similar incidents have gone unpunished before. But this crash was clearly Alonso’s fault.

One of the best drivers never to win a race. He deserves one last shot in a competitive car to show us what we've been missing out on for the last couple of years.