F1 2019 - Teams and Drivers - Who goes where?!

Wasn't expecting it after Sergio Marchionne passed away.

What a meteoric rise from Leclerc, and all on merit - despite being brought up in Monaco he doesn't come from a rich family.

The second youngest full-time driver for Ferrari (aged 21), after Ricardo Rodriguez in 1961 (20).

Leclerc won't have the consistency to win the title first time out, but he's certainly got the ability to push Vettel and perhaps even eclipse him.

The most exciting Ferrari line-up since 1995 (not that Berger or Alesi were great, but Alesi was more exciting than most team's drivers put together!).



The_Abyss said:
He's carrying on?! Wow, didn't see that coming. Perhaps he can act as a mentor and help the team. Vettel will struggle without Kimi to set up his car.
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He won 0% of his four titles with Kimi's help. I think he'll cope.
 
Spunkey said:
It'll be interesting to see how Vettel does if Leclerc starts to push him harder. The only time he's had that was 2014 and it showed him up so badly he ran off to another team.
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I'll say it again, but there was far more to that season than meets the eye, as I covered here and quoted below.

this_is_gav said:
I really don't think Vettel's head was in it in 2014. His child was born over the winter and after each day of testing he was flying back to Germany to be with his family, and only flying back just before jumping in the car. There were more important things in his life than F1.

Also Ricciardo won three races to Vettel's none, but only because Vettel was screwed in the pit-stops at the Canadian GP (Ricciardo's first win). Vettel also lost out at Hungary (Ricciardo's second win) as he was in the top 4, 7 seconds ahead of Ricciardo, but the timing of the safety car meant the top 4 all missed the pit entry (Ricciardo was able to pit, coming out in the lead after the leaders pitted the following lap, leaving Vettel in 7th).

I'm not excusing his undoubted lacklustre performances that year, but there was much more to that season than meets the eye on paper alone. I'm pretty sure had Ricciardo turned up in 2013 and not 2014 then it would have been a very different story. Hopefully it happens again so we can see a rematch. :)
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The_Abyss said:
He's cracking under the pressure now, so let's see.
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I agree. I can't help but feel it's not only Raikkonen that is being replaced here, but potentially Vettel in the long-term too. I doubt Ferrari think that Vettel has been a liability (far from it, he's one of those who have brought them back to the front) but there are very definite chinks in the armour. Vettel at Red Bull during the blown exhaust era was one of the best combinations I've seen in my lifetime (honestly, I can't say I've seen anyone as at one with their car over a season as him then), but at Ferrari he seems under far more pressure, and has done from the start, making silly errors he rarely did at Red Bull. Ferrari needed to make sure they had someone to either push Vettel further or ultimately replace him, and Leclerc certainly appears to have the ability to do that.



As for Raikkonen. Well, I'm one of those who still hope he manages a win and I think he fully deserves one. He's been inconsistent, but at times still shows his speed - as Monza demonstrated.

I didn't have him down as the romantic type and wanting to bookend his career, but there's so little about him we know I suppose.

I've always been of the opinion you should only stop when you stop enjoying it, not when you stop being at the top of your game.

I can't help but feel there's more to this though. Are Ferrari placing Raikkonen at Sauber to coach Giovanazzi? Expecting Sauber to be capable of taking points from their rivals next season? Keeping their options open should Vettel leave if Leclerc dominates him? Kimi's contract finishes at the same time as Vettel's and Hamilton's...

There's absolutely no reason for Sauber or Ferrari to pay Raikkonen's not inconsiderable salary to be there. There's more to this one that might not be apparent until 2021.
 
Very excited to see what Leclerc can do next season!

Glad that Kimi still gets a seat in F1, he'll have more of a support role in helping Sauber develop their car for sure.
 
Surprised, but can see why. Vettel is good, but not as good as Hamilton.
Kimi isn't as go as that. So take a risk to move forward (especially with Bottas as number 2)

Risk is he isn't that great under pressure etc tc


If leclerc performs, and merc and Ferrari were equal next year, I'd say it would be a ferrari and Hamilton driver championship.

Shame I won't get to see it
 
this_is_gav said:
I can't help but feel there's more to this though. Are Ferrari placing Raikkonen at Sauber to coach Giovanazzi? Expecting Sauber to be capable of taking points from their rivals next season? Keeping their options open should Vettel leave if Leclerc dominates him? Kimi's contract finishes at the same time as Vettel's and Hamilton's...

There's absolutely no reason for Sauber or Ferrari to pay Raikkonen's not inconsiderable salary to be there. There's more to this one that might not be apparent until 2021.
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If you're suggesting that Kimi is being kept at Sauber to possibly return to Ferrari in two years time, then:

a) this will never happen
b) if it does happen only a team like Ferrari would be mad (yes, genuinely mad) to plan for it
c) this will never happen
 
The_Abyss said:
If you're suggesting that Kimi is being kept at Sauber to possibly return to Ferrari in two years time, then:

a) this will never happen
b) if it does happen only a team like Ferrari would be mad (yes, genuinely mad) to plan for it
c) this will never happen
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No it won't, but there must be a degree of insurance there. It's a plain odd move, to pay Kimi to go to Sauber when there's nothing really in it for Sauber - the expected move was to take Ericsson's millions and placing Giovanazzi alongside him.
 
this_is_gav said:
No it won't, but there must be a degree of insurance there. It's a plain odd move, to pay Kimi to go to Sauber when there's nothing really in it for Sauber - the expected move was to take Ericsson's millions and placing Giovanazzi alongside him.
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Nothing in it for Sauber? A popular world champion with a huge depth of experience and skill in setting up and developing a car is nothing?
 
Spunkey said:
It'll be interesting to see how Vettel does if Leclerc starts to push him harder. The only time he's had that was 2014 and it showed him up so badly he ran off to another team.
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Yup. We'll see. I think Leclerc will struggle to make the leap but I can't see Vettel coping if Leclerc betters him. You can make excuses for being owned by a less experienced newcomer to your team in one season (see upthread) but twice? Much harder.
 
Mr Jack said:
Nothing in it for Sauber? A popular world champion with a huge depth of experience and skill in setting up and developing a car is nothing?
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For their position I mean. It would make as much sense keeping Ericsson's millions and ploughing that into development and hiring a young gun alongside him, as they did this year.

That said, the Sauber was a handful early on this season, with both driving having offs in pre-season and the early rounds, so perhaps a steady pair of hands with a reputation for developing a car would help... I still don't think Sauber will be paying him though.
 
The_Abyss said:
Where are the reports that he has part ownership of Sauber and that Ferrari are still paying him?
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There are probably reports because no-one can make any other sense of it. :D

As far as I know there's no depth or sources to the reports, only suggestions.

There is definitely more to emerge, be it him being a part-owner, manager, driver coach or otherwise.
 
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