Vettel Leaves Red Bull. Replaced by Kvyatt.

That's why I think they may retain him for another year. They would be too green.

 

JEV was told he was not needed and he was too old. The damage has been done. 2 rookies will be great. We can equally compare them.

I wonder if the sudden verstappen deal was brought in knowing Vettel was going. These deals were determined a while ago.

 

Congratulations to Kvyat, I hope he can handle himself at Red Bull and definitely reckon he can.

Go Team Dani!

They ditched Alguersuari and Buemi for Ricky and JEV, I'm not sure they're too worried.

 

OK, off topic a bit, but who's going to win the team battle, Verstappen or Sainz?

 

Dude, forget about the team-mate battle, Verstappen's going to win the WDC! I hear he's like Senna, Prost, Fangio and Schumacher all rolled into one!

Frankly I have no idea. Would be tempted to put a metaphorical fiver on Verstappen just because I've not been all that impressed with Sainz and I could see Max getting one big haul of points to beat his team-mate.

This is of course assuming Red Bull don't promote someone out of left field - for instance, they've got Alex Lynn who's winning in GP3 (which is where they promoted Kvyat from) and Pierre Gasly who's third in FR3.5 in his first season.

 

I hope Da Costa gets the Toro Rosso seat. I've never rated Sainz Jr and don't think he'll stand a chance against Verstappen.

It's disappointing to see Kvyat promoted to the first team, when there are so many decent drivers in the midfield. Hulkenberg/Grosjean alongside Ricciardo would've been excellent, or Alonso even.

Shocked by Vettel's decision to leave Red Bull. The team have been breaking up a bit in the last year or so but they're still the most attractive drive apart from Mercedes. It was unthinkable a year ago that Vettel, Newey (to an extent) and Prodromou would all leave Red Bull this season. With Webber and Pilbeam leaving too there's hardly anything left of the team that dominated for so long.

 

Agree on Hulkenberg

Kvyat clearly is going to become the Mark Webber of the team, as Ricc seems to have become the lead driver. Red Bull are that kind of team.

 

Hulk has been distinctly average the last few races

 

But consistently brilliant for a number of years before that.

 

This

Kvyat has been nothing special forever... I just think it's a clear case Red Bull wanting a numero uno

 

Memories in F1 are very short.

 

Yeah, it's how they work best. Kyvatt will be a good no.2 for Ricciardo for a couple of seasons.

 

Maybe Ferrari could buy Raikkonen out of his contract and put Hulk in the other car? That way if Vettel doesn't work out, they can turn to Hulk. Hulk has been consistently excellent in differing machinery over the past few seasons, so he can clearly drive anything given to him.

 

I'd love to see this but I can't help feeling that, with more junior drivers being promoted beyond him this year and next, his chance may have passed: if no top team wanted him before, why would they now? But it's a real shame as far as I'm concerned and I hope I'm wrong.

As for Vettel, well, at Ferrari, at least he'll be able to blame the car. I still say he's over-rated.

 

If Hulk really was that good, he would have scored a podium by now. Not one in his career to date.

 

Neither had Ricciardo before this year.

 

Fair point. Though it is worth mentioning if it wasn't for a coming together with Hamilton, he would have won the 2012 Brazilian GP in a Force India.

 

My interest is why the driver's are making THESE moves...

Alonso to Mclaren-Honda? Does anybody think that's wise? When was the last time a Honda engine was competitive in F1? When was the last time an engine manufacturer came back to the sport after an absence and was in anyway competitive right out of the box? Mclaren have been EVEN WORSE than Ferrari... If he's pissed off with a lack of competitiveness, why move to them of all the possible moves he could make?!

And now, why would anybody move from Red Bull, who've had the 1st/2nd best car for the last 7 years or something... To go to Ferrari? Also seemingly a massive downgrade...
For me, this move is one that could be justified through financial motives, tradition motives (Ferrari is a big check on any world class driver's list I'd imagine), but not much else. I can't really believe he wants to be Schuey mark II... What would be the point? An egotist like an F1 driver wants to be the best of all time, not a clone of a previous era, surely (and I say that realising every second driver has a yellow helmet because of their Senna-man-crush)? I just don't understand the move from a driving standpoint.

Kvyat has been the big winner in my book. The guy is less talented than the vast majority of the grid, and he's just scored the best promotion.

If Raikkonen was to be dropped (don't for a second think he will be), I'd like Hulk or Bianchi to be given a shot. However, I'd imagine Ferrari getting Massa back

 

err, no. Hamilton was overtaking him for the lead when Hulk slid into him. Was very early days too so not even a podium was guaranteed that day.

 

I'm pretty sure Hulk was overtaking Hamilton, not the other way around.