F1 2019 SEASON: NEWS - RUMOURS

Just figured out. If Kimi retires then Hamilton will be the oldest driver on the grid!!

 

Ocon has confirmed he has failed the seat fitting at mclaren. He is too tall.

 

Whilst Mclaren have said they'll announce their second seat in September.

 

Is it my imagination or is Vandoorne not so subtly saying he hasn't got a seat at McLaren next year? He seems to be being quoted quite a bit saying how poor performance the McLaren has and not just PU but chassis and team as well. Seems like he is burning his one and only bridge.

 

Yeah it's like he's flicked a switch recently and no longer cares about being a Mclaren PR tool. I think he's been told that he's out.

I can't see the point in these "pre-announcement announcements", it's such a waste of time.

 

Joe Saward's take on the 2019 driver market (from Missed Apex Podcast) is interesting:

Mercedes want Lance Stroll to be forced to buy out his contract with Williams. That payout will allow Williams relatively free choice of a 2019 driver - and they'll pick Russell. However, Stroll moving to Force India puts Ocon in a tricky position, and Mercedes need to have him on the grid next season. In doing so, they screw Ocon though. Mclaren is probably the only seat they can try and place him in (hence the seat fitting), but can they squeeze him into the 2019 car? I think Mercedes and Ocon would tolerate him missing the end of this season if it secures him a place on the 2019 grid.

Vandoorne is probably a goner, he's not happy at Mclaren, and Sauber (whilst they rate him) probably don't have space for him.

Toro Rosso probably won't take an experienced driver, in F2 neither Albon or Nyck De Vries have affiliations with an F1 team, so Toro Rosso could probably adopt both of them. Down the line Fukuzumi and Ticktum might be in contention, but not yet. Toro Rosso might gamble on both Albon and De Vries (similar to Vergne and Kvyat), and be more than prepared to cut one of them as soon as they have a "proper" junior to promote (neither have a chance of superlicense for 2019)

There's a chance De Vries might miss out on a superlicense, in which case who knows?

 

Anyone heard the rumor that Ricciardo might be demoted to Toro Rosso for the rest of the year? It would be a ****ty thing to do, but crazier things have happened.

https://thesportsrush.com/daniel-ricciardo-to-be-demoted-to-toro-rosso/

 

Will Buxton asked Ricciardo that himself , he said Sh*t I hadn't thought of that .

 

I’d be amazed as id have thought they wouldn’t want him having any Honda access?

 

Ricciardo surely has a season-long contract with Red Bull, there's no way he would have signed something which included an option for demotion. The situation surrounding Kvyat was much different (who apparently TR have asked about).

I think if Red Bull want to promote Gasly, they'll have to give Ricciardo a butt-load of cash to take some time out.

 

I'd think Ricciardo would rather sit the rest of the season out than be made a fool of.

 

Michelin not tendering for the next tyre contract . Shame , a tyre war may have spiced things up a bit .

 

I can't say I blame them. Pirelli get criticised whatever they do. It's much easier to say "we could do better" without actually trying to.

 

Wonder what odds you'd get on Leclerc replacing Vettel rather than Kimi at Ferrari?

I highly doubt that would happen but would make for a heck of a silly season.

 

Ferrari rumoured to be hiring Leclerc in order to honour the wishes of Sergio Marchionne.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-raikkonen-ferrari-2019-seat/3170465/

Meanwhile McLaren take the unusual approach of announcing that they're dropping Vandoorne before signing a replacement.
https://www.mclaren.com/formula1/te...andoorne-leave-mclaren-after-end-2018-season/

 

What is it with McLaren announcing things way to early for their own good????? Has their PR person gone mad?
That said with the comments Vandoorne has stated over the last week or 2 he was already aware he was out. Hopefully Ocon?

 

Ocon is the best guy on the market. Worth noting though that Lando Norris's contract includes a clause that he can sign for another team if McLaren don't take up the option by September. So the timing may be a hint at that.

Personally though i don't think he's ready yet.

 

We're going to find out, Mclaren have confirmed Norris for next season.

 

If he's quick enough then he's good enough.

The problem with holding drivers back too long is the risk of losing them to someone else. Vandoorne really had done little to show he was worthy of a 3rd season so they may as well go for someone else. Norris will at least be cheap! The £££'s they'll save from Alonso's salary can go towards car development.

I think it was said that the McLaren was 0.8sec a lap slower than last years car at Monza, when everyone else was quicker. Bearing in mind the Honda was by far the least powerful engine out there last year, what does that speak of this years chassis with Renault power? Shambolic.