Scuderia Toro Rosso has announced that Alexander Albon will drive for the team in the 2019 Formula 1 season, alongside Daniil Kvyat. The 22-year-old British/Thai finished third in the Formula 2 Championship this year, having been in the running for overall victory until the final race.
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Mercedes AMG: 44] Hamilton & 77]
Bottas - This will stay as is, no movement here, Hamilton will sign his $55m a year base pay, with $90m a year with bonuses contract for the next 3 years and Bottas will sign a $20m base/$35m a season with bonuses deal for the next two years.
Scuderia Ferrari: 5] Vettel & 7] Raikkonen
Kimi will sign a new two year deal as LeClerc is too young to take on, and will step up in 2020 to a red car. See secure till end of 2020.
Tag Heuer Red Bull-Honda: 3] Ricardo & 33] Verstappen
Red Bull will dangle enough money under the nose of Riccardo for a 3 year deal till end of 2021, but Daniel will have a break deal to leave in 2020 if the Honda partnership goes wrong, this will leave him to walk over to Ferrari. Verstappen safe till end of 2019 as well
Renault Sport F1: 27] Hulkenberg & 31] Ocon
Ocon will sign for the next 3 years to Renault Sport and Sainz will be given back to red Bull, Hulkenbergs deal safe till end of 2019.
Mclaren-Renault: 55] Sainz & 2] Vandoorne
Alonso will leave for a Sprint McLaren Andretti Autosport drive in Indy for 2019, he has had enough. But with deals to be done, Sainz will be loaned to McLaren for two seasons from Red Bull, however my rationale will be revealed later. Vandoorne there for continuity, and this will be his last year for him in the team.
Sprint Andretti Autosport*-Mercedes: 11] Perez & 53] Rosso
Force India will be sold, or swept up via Administration by Andretti Autosport, they will take the team towards a more Haas model with more non listed parts from Mercedes. Perez will be kept for the Mexican money, and Rossi will be brought over from Indy to finally be given a chance in a good F1 car.
* Rich Energy and DragonSpeed LLC are also interested in buying the team over.
Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda: 10] Gasly & xx] Norris
Gasly will be retained, Hartley will be gone by the end of the year anyways as he is a endurance racer, however in the deal for Sainz, Lando Norris will take the Toro Rosso for a year until Red Bull have their next driver ready, but Toro Rosso will take Norris for a year.
Haas-Ferrari: 20] Magnussen & 16] LeClerc
Grosjean will finally be gone in F1 after this year, K-Mag will finally have his lead drive in a team and will be joined by Charles, and it will be a chance for him for two years to get the experience he needs to take over Kimis seat.
Alfa Romeo Sauber-Ferrari: 9] Ericson & xx] Giovinazzi
Ericson is safe due to his backers, Antonio will get his season in F1 with backing from Ferrari
Williams-Mercedes: 18] Stroll & 94] Wheirlien
A team in trouble, will keep Stroll in the seat for another year as per contract, but will take on Pascal in order to keep the Mercedes bills low. However the team will be in transition as Paddy Lowe overhauls the team and starts to make his mark on it in a ruthless manner with the technical department getting a raft of new faces and new technical direction.
However, the 2019 season will see lots of moving and posturing, with one new engine manufacturer and two new teams coming in for 2021 ill also predict with Audi or Porsche being the engine manufacturer and a new UK based team and a new German based team. Do not be surprised if Toyota look at coming back to F1 as either a engine supplier or team again, depending on the Le Mans result this weekend.
Ricciardo has suggested he would like only a two year contract. Ferrari could hire him then make the Leclerc choice in two years time when both their drivers contracts end.
My instincts are telling me that Ocon will not spend another year at Force India. If, and it's a big if, Ricciardo moves to Ferrari I won't be in the least surprised if RedBull put Ocon in their car. They're masters at disrupting established orders. Unless Hamilton goes, which I see no reason for him to then inspite of a solid year, Bottas will get the boot.
"Sebastian there's very, you're a member of a very select few.. Stewart, Lauda, Piquet, Senna, Prost, Schumacher, Fangio.. VETTEL!"
