Good questions! My take isPhil wrote: ↑22 Apr 2021, 10:53I think the question about the Mercedes seat is the most interesting one and pretty much guaranteed to dictate what will happen up and down the grid.
Will Hamilton be at Mercedes or in F1 in 2022?
Will one of the Mercedes seats go to either Bottas or Russel?
Will Verstappen be able to get out of his contract with RedBull to join Mercedes in 2022? Or is he firmly locked in, also due to how well RedBull are positioned this year?
If Verstappen moves, who will he be replaced with?
If George moves, who will he be replaced with?
Would Mercedes consider someone outside their junior program that is not Verstappen? E.g. Norris?
Is Alonso really that rusty and will he lose out to Ocon this year? (some part of me thinks that Alonso is just rusty)
Yes
Yes- Russell (unless he does something to lose it this season- it seems clear if he should be available that Norris is becoming a viable option)
No- well he might be able to get out of it but there won't be a Mercedes seat for him. (Even if Hamilton leaves it'll be Russell and Bottas) And I think he'll be encouraged to stay after 2021 anyway.
If Verstappen moved, I can see them trying to get Ricciardo back, or move one of the AT boys up. Either way the RB car will be less idiosyncratically designed if Verstappen isn't there so it shouldn't be a huge issue.
If Russell moved, sadly it's probably another pay driver. Although I hope they'd be brave and say they are moving up the ladder and will need an experienced hand, so I'd hope for a 'wily veteran'
Yes they would. If not Russell then I really think Norris could be a possibility.
Alonso- have to face the fact he may sadly be 'past it' now. Let's see after 6 races. He may well lose out to Ocon. But perhaps for all the publicity he brings Alpine, (and money in cap sales alone?!) it's not so bad