The Formula One driver market in 2024 exploded earlier than ever with the announcement by Lewis Hamilton pre-season he was leaving Mercedes for Ferrari. Yet the domino effect expected from this failed to materialise with Carlos Sainz the key displaced player taking months to decide where his future career in the sport was best served.

Sainz remarkably decided he was to reject two works teams outfits offers – Audi and Renault (Alpine) and instead pledge his future to the independent Williams team and team principal’s vision for their future rapid progression.

Of course F1 contracts can be rescinded as was the case for Logan Sargeant following his “unnecessary” destruction of the car at the Dutch Grand Prix. This is the also a potential scenario for Sergio Perez who claimed four podiums in the first five races but has since failed to make the top three in the last 11 rounds of the 2024 season.

 

 

 

Checo survives by the skin of his teeth

Checo is currently averaging a four place finish behind his team mate in the classified results of each Grand Prix to date. His average qualifying position is even worse when compared to Verstappen with him over six places behind the world champion in the fifteen Grand Prix to date.

Senior paddock observers believed Sergio’s future was history going into the summer break. Yet just one day after the teams went into recess, the big Red Bull pow wow between Christian Horner and Dr. Helmut Marko confirmed the Mexican driver was here to stay – even if just for now.

Amongst the top four teams Perez is the worst points scorer when comparing other team mates, which has seen Red Bull’s lead in the championship cut from 99 points to now just single figures.

Yet for now he remains within the RB team, though Christian Horner has lined up Daniel Ricciardo as a replacement if the results for Perez don’t improve. Ricciardo is in a trfiky predicament given that his Red Bull team mates who are competing this season have a contract for 2025, while the Aussie is yet waiting.

Hamilton furious at Monza

 

 

 

Perez results to team mate worse than Sargeant

The Formula One driver market in 2024 exploded earlier than ever with the announcement by Lewis Hamilton pre-season he was leaving Mercedes for Ferrari. Yet the domino effect expected from this failed to materialise with Carlos Sainz the key displaced player taking months to decide where his future career in the sport was best served.

Sainz remarkably decided he was to reject two works teams outfits offers – Audi and Renault (Alpine) and instead pledge his future to the independent Williams team and team principal’s vision for their future rapid progression.

Of course F1 contracts can be rescinded as was the case for Logan Sargeant following his “unnecessary” destruction of the car at the Dutch Grand Prix. This is the also a potential scenario for Sergio Perez who claimed four podiums in the first five races but has since failed to make the top three in the last 11 rounds of the 2024 season.

Checo is currently averaging a four place finish behind his team mate in the classified results of each Grand Prix to date. His average qualifying position is even worse when compared to Verstappen with him over six places behind the world champion in the fifteen Grand Prix to date.

Alpine ‘not for sale’, yet the reality is

 

 

 

Horner’s favourite is Ricciardo

Senior paddock observers believed Sergio’s future was history going into the summer break. Yet just one day after the teams went into recess, the big Red Bull pow wow between Christian Horner and Dr. Helmut Marko confirmed the Mexican driver was here to stay – even if just for now.

Amongst the top four teams Perez is the worst points scorer when compared McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes team mates, which has seen Red Bull’s lead in the championship cut from 99 points to now just single figures.

Yet for now he remains within the RBR team, though Christian Horner has lined up Daniel Ricciardo as a replacement if the results for Perez don’t improve. Ricciardo is in a tricky predicament given that his Red Bull team mates who are competing this season have a contract for 2025, while the Aussie is yet waiting to know whether he has a future with the team.

Should Ricciardo be ditched for Liam Lawson, as team consultant Dr. Helmut Marko is insisting the team make a place for the young Kiwi in 2025, then his hopes of remaining in F1 hang by a thread.

Wolff shock admission as Marko says Mercedes cheating

 

 

 

Paddock rumours growing

Following last weekends announcement from Mercedes that their Max Verstappen lookalike superstar junior – Kimi Antonelli – will be replacing Lewis Hamilton should Ricciardo be dropped by Red Bull his only hope is a driver for Sauber/Audi.

In Zandvoort Sauber/Audi held conversations with junior F2 driver Gabriel Bortoleto and with Hulkenberg on board the team must decide whether they continue to peruse the pre-set goal of an ‘experienced’ F1 driver or look to there future with a rookie who may take three seasons to get up to speed.

Having two F1 teams Red Bull have less than a headache of the others but their successful junior programs means their roster of drivers is now six but for just four seats. Ted Kravitz of Sky F1 gave his opinion on the matter claiming that the ‘paddock’ has now heard what the future hopes of an F1 driver are for Daniel Ricciardo.

Horner brought back the Aussie given he has been the only driver who has competed successfully with Max Verstappen in their early years. Yet Dr.Marko believes the Aussie is over the hill and should be replaced.

Hamilton criticises McLaren strategy

 

 

 

Senior F1 writer claims announcement imminent

Liam Lawson is set to race for one of the Red Bull team next year which clearly means its either Checo or Daniel who are fighting for their futures and who treason on contention will remain how the dice falls.

Yet Ricciardo is running out of road despite being a seven times Grand Prix winner. F1 legendary pit lane reporter, Ted Kravitz now says: “Are we going to have a driver announcement at RB before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a couple of weeks’ time?

“We’re all expecting it, Daniel Ricciardo pretty much telegraphed it on Thursday and is that driver says the Red Bull driver announcement going to be that Liam Lawson will partner Yuki Tsunoda at RB next year?”

F1 race control ‘needs to get a grip’ says Brundle

 

 

 

Ricciardo cagey

Meanwhile as far as the Aussie’s own future is concerned before the weekend in Italy, Daniel remained cagey when speaking to Fomrula1.com. “Let’s say – nothing to share,” he said.

“Obviously my intention is to keep competing in the sport, but time will tell. There is nothing fixed for next year.

“I would say some things should get confirmed in the not-so-distant future. I don’t think anyone will have to wait until October/November, I think things will happen sooner than that.”

Red Bull insider: Team given up hope for 2024

 

 

 

Vettel to drive for Audi

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the Formula One paddock, Audi chief Mattia Binotto was recently spotted in a lengthy conversation with rising Formula 2 star Gabriel Bortoleto during the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza. The sighting has fuelled intense speculation that Bortoleto, who has been making waves in the junior categories, could be in line to secure the second Audi F1 seat for the 2025 season.

But even in retirement, another driver has been the middle of intense of paddock rumour as Sebastian Vettel remains the subject of intense speculation, with much of the motoring world wondering whether he could make a dramatic return to the grid with Audi. Rumours indicate this is a distinct possibility.

With Nico Hulkenberg already confirmed as one of the drivers for the team’s ambitious F1 project, Bortoleto’s, or even Vettels’ potential arrival could spell the end for current Sauber drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu… READ MORE$