[Red Liner]

So seb to Renault? That just doesn’t sound right. This really is silly season

[turbo]

Sainz to replace Vettel at Ferrari

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/14...errari-in-2021

[RM Motorsports]

Leclerc is Ferrari's Blue Eyed Boy has contract valid till 2024. Whoever will be his teammate will surely have to play a second fiddle. Sainz and Norris get along very well and Mclaren is making good performance development and both seem to very much enjoying Mclaren. I think Sainz should stick with Mclaren as both drivers get equal treatment at Mclaren. Also Mclaren will be getting Mercedes power unit next year, and that will be definitely a big step.

Reading Seb's below statement, I guess he might all together retire from F1.

“What’s been happening in these past few months has led many of us to reflect on what are our real priorities in life. One needs to use one’s imagination and to adopt a new approach to a situation that has changed. I myself will take the time I need to reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future".

Seb is 4 times F1 champion and achieved enough, and doesn't make sense for him to join a mid-field team where he will struggle just like Alonso. Only option can be Mclaren if Sainz heads to Ferrari.

Renault lured Ricciardo with big promises but failed to deliver. Renault's future in F1 is also under doubt because of management crisis. Ricciardo should be heading to Ferrari.

[SilentEngine]

It's going to be the first time since 2007, when a Ferrari driver line-up will not include a WDC. I know 2020 is done yet but we are unlikely to see a Ferrari WDC this year.

Ever since i started watching F1 since 20 years back Ferrari always had a WDC driving for them except for 2007, which incidentally is the last time they won a WDC!

[MCR]

Alonso to return to F1 with Renault.

Link : https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...errari-Renault

Sebastian Vettel turns down McLaren Offer. Could retire form F1.

Link : https://www.essentiallysports.com/f1...-in-f1-rports/

[rohitoasis]

Ricciardo move to Mclaren confirmed in their official release in the website.

https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/...-mclaren-2021/

The duo of Ricciardo and Norris would be the most charming driving pair.

[motorworks]

And Sainz has been confirmed at Ferrari for 2 years, 2021 & 2022.

So Renault and Mercedes have 1 seat each available, Im guessing Mercedes will opt to retain Bottas. Renault have been dropping some hints about Alonso this morning, so they might just pull a great surprise, but if they do, I really dont know what both Renault and Alonso would achieve with this.

Also, all these moves certainly mean that Seb is out of F1, I dont think Mercedes will give him that 2nd seat, way too complicated to have Hamilton and Seb in the same team.

[motorworks]

I was just wondering, why has Ferrari once again let go off the opportunity to sign Ricciardo?

Red Bull didnt think Sainz was a good fit in their team, they could have signed him for 2019, but did not. And they were more than eager to hold on to Ricciardo when he was about to leave.

So is it because Ricciardo would have been less compliant to team orders at Ferrari? I dont think Sainz will be as compliant as Massa or Bottas, he will fight for his place in the team, he just wouldnt give Leclerc a walk over, also like Max, Sainz comes from a family of racing legacy, so I dont think he would just be happy being a no 2 driver.

Or was it money? Ricciardo supposedly had a 30MN contract with Renault, so Ferrari would have had to pay at least as much, or even if he agreed to a slight pay cut, they still would have to fork out 20-25MN. Now, thats not high for Ferrari, but if you have Leclerc at 10-12MN, and the other guy at twice that money and both of them end up being at par, or worse if Leclerc beats Ricciardo, then its not money well spent. With Sainz, his contract would be very similar to Leclerc, so no complications there. Also, Ferrari are now quite sure that they would not be able to compete with Mercedes this year or the next. And in 2022, with new rules, anything can happen. Hence why break the bank for a driver when you know you are going to end up 2nd or 3rd? I think with Sainz they are assured of a driver who is not very error prone, they have Leclerc who is quick, but can make that mistake here and there, so thats a good balance to have.

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by motorworks

I was just wondering, why has Ferrari once again let go off the opportunity to sign Ricciardo?

Red Bull didnt think Sainz was a good fit in their team, they could have signed him for 2019, but did not. And they were more than eager to hold on to Ricciardo when he was about to leave.

Well, we don't know if it was Ricciardo who didn't want to go to Ferrari. Ricciardo left RedBull basically when they were making it more or less clear about building the team around Max by signing Max until the end of 2020 season. At Ferrari, they have Leclerc signed till 2024, so it's clear who they are planning to build the team around. Why would Ricciardo choose to go there, if he wasn't comfortable staying at RB in similar circumstances?

[shibujp]

Originally Posted by motorworks

I was just wondering, why has Ferrari once again let go off the opportunity to sign Ricciardo?

Red Bull didnt think Sainz was a good fit in their team, they could have signed him for 2019, but did not. And they were more than eager to hold on to Ricciardo when he was about to leave.

So is it because Ricciardo would have been less compliant to team orders at Ferrari? I dont think Sainz will be as compliant as Massa or Bottas, he will fight for his place in the team, he just wouldnt give Leclerc a walk over, also like Max, Sainz comes from a family of racing legacy, so I dont think he would just be happy being a no 2 driver.

Or was it money? Ricciardo supposedly had a 30MN contract with Renault, so Ferrari would have had to pay at least as much, or even if he agreed to a slight pay cut, they still would have to fork out 20-25MN. Now, thats not high for Ferrari, but if you have Leclerc at 10-12MN, and the other guy at twice that money and both of them end up being at par, or worse if Leclerc beats Ricciardo, then its not money well spent. With Sainz, his contract would be very similar to Leclerc, so no complications there. Also, Ferrari are now quite sure that they would not be able to compete with Mercedes this year or the next. And in 2022, with new rules, anything can happen. Hence why break the bank for a driver when you know you are going to end up 2nd or 3rd? I think with Sainz they are assured of a driver who is not very error prone, they have Leclerc who is quick, but can make that mistake here and there, so thats a good balance to have.

i think Ferrari has made it abundantly clear who they consider to be the No 1 driver at Ferrari when they signed on Leclerc for 4 years. I do not think Riccardo will sign himself up to play second fiddle to Leclerc or to be challenged to do to Leclerc what Leclerc did to Vettel when Binotto declared that Vettel was No 1 for the 2019 season.

Frankly the only one who may play such a role is sadly Bottas. But then I don't see him leaving Mercedes unless they kick him out of there! That said how Ferrari manage Carlos Sainz would be interesting with relation to Leclerc. I don't think Papa Sainz is gonna take to kindly to seeing his boy being asked to play second fiddle to Leclerc. And frankly I am not sure Ferrari with Binotto and it's unique culture has it in itself to manage two explosive personalities. It's going to be interesting.

Vettel at Ferrari has already done the work of developing the car and if you go by Schumacher's record may have been close to cracking a championship there. Schumy also took 4 years to string together a championship winning team and car and a pliable team-mate! Vettel spent one too many years at Red Bull allowing his confidence to be sapped by a car that was just not upto it and a challenging team mate. Schumacher came out of a high of winning two championships with Benetton to take up the task of resurrecting the fortunes of Ferrari. I don't think Vettel would have the stomach for taking up development of yet another car at McLaren though if you look at it he has nothing to lose at this point and everything to gain.

2021 is sure going to be a season to watch out for I can say that much. The grid is bursting at it seams with young talent Verstappen, Leclerc, Sainz, Norris, Russel, Albon on the grid with Ocon and Wehrlien on the ropes.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[DeKay]

Pretty interesting views by Peter Windsor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPQsmun4xzI

[motorworks]

So Daimler has officially confirmed that their F1 participation as a works team will continue, putting an end to rumours that Mercedes could sell their works team and remain an engine supplier. And thats good for F1. Renault too have confirmed to retain their works team post the new budget Cap, so F1 is guaranteed of at least 3 manufacturers in the form of Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari.

With smaller teams like Williams struggling, F1 needs the bigger teams to see the COVID crisis out. Other smaller teams like Alfa Romeo Sauber, Toro Rosso have the backing of Ferrari and Red bull respectively and Racing point has the Aston Martin angle now, so im guessing they may not be troubled in the short term. So its just Williams and Haas who would struggle big time.

[shifu]

F1 gets green light to start 2020 season with Austrian GP double-header

Source: Link

[Hatari]

The writing was on the wall I feel for Seb. He was never in the Shumi/Alonso/Hamilton league, was always going to be tough.

But Ferrari will be on a rebuilding phase with the Budget cap, their culture will need to change to imbibe efficiency, something never considered since 1996.

Was very surprised by Cyril Abiteboul's words on Daniel's departure. Immature to say the least.
I personally dont rate him at all as a team boss.

Originally Posted by motorworks

I was just wondering, why has Ferrari once again let go off the opportunity to sign Ricciardo?

They want to avoid 2 superstars in one team, Charles is the chosen one already. Money would not have been an issue. In Sainz they have a solid race driver, capable of bringing in good points regularly.

[motorworks]

Originally Posted by Hatari

The writing was on the wall I feel for Seb. He was never in the Shumi/Alonso/Hamilton league, was always going to be tough.


They want to avoid 2 superstars in one team, Charles is the chosen one already. Money would not have been an issue. In Sainz they have a solid race driver, capable of bringing in good points regularly.

Firstly, I think Schumacher is well beyond the trio of Hamilton, Alonso and Seb. He won in an era where there wasnt as much single handed domination that both Hamilton and even Seb to some extent have had. Also, its widely acknowledged that Hamilton, Alonso and Seb are the best of this last decade irrespective of the championships each of them won. I think Hamilton has had an easier environment to contend with since the time he joined Mercedes. While Alonso and Seb have had to struggle with incompetent Ferraris and also the huge pressure of driving around in the red car without a championship for more than 5 years.

Seb has had a bad run in a many races over the last 2 years, but doesnt take away what he achieved, whether the 4 championships with Red Bull or the many wins and podiums he secured for Ferrari. With Alonso, his propaganda was clear, he made it clear that the Ferrari was a dog to drive and he was putting it beyond its reach, so everyone went with it, saying its the driver and stuff. But with Seb, he hasnt been critical of the team or the car, he has sort of absorbed the pressure on himself and thats probably the reason for his high profile mistakes.