2024 Formula 1 Drivers threadFormula 1

[Jimlaad43]

So with Sebastian Vettel retiring, silly season for 2023 has kicked into action.

Aston Martin are getting on with it though, as they have announced Vettel's replacement as Fernando Alonso who will be leaving Alpine!


This of course leaves an opening at Alpine, probably for Piastri. So we will see what happens there.

 

[MagpieRacer]

I'd be amazed if Piastri wasn't a shoe in now for Alpine. Wouldn't be surprised if thay announcement came before the day is done.

With talk that Williams were being given a headache km going for him or their own academy driver Logan Sargeant, will be interesting to see if they now commit Sargeant to F1 next season with Piastri making that expected move and possibly making thay decision easier.

 

[TumeK5]

It has to be Piastri. Alonso making a sudden move away from Alpine and Piastri being their reserve driver, now's the time.

PIASTRIII

 

[PeterJB]

This has killed any chances Felipe Drugovich had of getting a seat next year. If Williams replace Latifi it'll be with Doohan, who isn't a contender for the F2 title. Pourchaire is but as a Sauber junior him getting a seat in dependant on how Zhou does from here on, or if Bottas decides to call it quits.

Tsunoda is rapidly deteriorating so maybe there's an opening for Lawson or Iwasa since Vips isn't on the cards anymore.

 

[NotThePrez]

So with Sebastian Vettel retiring, silly season for 2023 has kicked into action.

Aston Martin are getting on with it though, as they have announced Vettel's replacement as Fernando Alonso who will be leaving Alpine!


This of course leaves an opening at Alpine, probably for Piastri. So we will see what happens there.

What the 🤬. Talk about breaking news!

Well, that's definitely a door open for Piastri to finally get his F1 seat.

 

[Liquid]

Me on Friday:

Alonso is fast enough to stay in F1 next year but I pray he doesn't end up at Aston Martin.

... ... ...

 

[MagpieRacer]

This has killed any chances Felipe Drugovich had of getting a seat next year. If Williams replace Latifi it'll be with Doohan, who isn't a contender for the F2 title. Pourchaire is but as a Sauber junior him getting a seat in dependant on how Zhou does from here on, or if Bottas decides to call it quits.

Tsunoda is rapidly deteriorating so maybe there's an opening for Lawson or Iwasa since Vips isn't on the cards anymore.

I doubt very much that Drugovich had any chance regardless. The most likely Latifi replacement is Logan Sargeant. I could definitely see Lawson getting the nod at Red Bull though. He may feel unlucky not to have had a shot for 2022.

 

[PorscheFan91]

Weird choice. Perhaps Alpine want fresh blood in (but Fernando’s still a superb racer) or AM offered him a great contract as they want his expertise. I struggle to see why he’d be hankering after AM when they’re less competitive than Alpine and indeed, the only year they had a truly great season was when they copied the Merc.

Will be interesting to see who gets the seat - I agree Piatsri deserves the seat. Wouldn’t be surprised if they also approach Gasly considering he’s highly unlikely to ever end up back in the RB. He does still seem very committed to RB though.

 

[NICKname]

With talk that Williams were being given a headache km going for him or their own academy driver Logan Sargeant, will be interesting to see if they now commit Sargeant to F1 next season with Piastri making that expected move and possibly making thay decision easier.

No chance. He's good for a rookie but he should be beating Drugovich if he wants a shot at F1. No one in F2 is good enough for F1 at the moment, it's a weak grid.

 

[Famine]

Clearly Alonso prefers a V8 Vantage over an A110 as his company car...

 

[MagpieRacer]

No chance. He's good for a rookie but he should be beating Drugovich if he wants a shot at F1. No one in F2 is good enough for F1 at the moment, it's a weak grid.

Sargeant and Pourchaire have been unlucky, Drugovich has had everything his own way. If anyone outside of Latifi is partnering Albon next year it'll be Sargeant.

 

[NICKname]

Sargeant and Pourchaire have been unlucky, Drugovich has had everything his own way. If anyone outside of Latifi is partnering Albon next year it'll be Sargeant.

They've also been inconsistent. I think Sargeant and Pourchaire together have fewer top 5 finishes than Drugovich has on his own. That's not solely down to luck. And even Drugovich himself should've done better as a third year driver.

 

[MagpieRacer]

They've also been inconsistent. I think Sargeant and Pourchaire together have fewer top 5 finishes than Drugovich has on his own. That's not solely down to luck. And even Drugovich himself should've done better as a third year driver.

Which says more about Pourchaire than Sargeant who is in his first F2 campaign. Regardless of results, Sargeant will be the lead candidate for the Williams seat if and when Latifi goes.

 

[TheCracker]

Weird choice. Perhaps Alpine want fresh blood in (but Fernando’s still a superb racer) or AM offered him a great contract as they want his expertise. I struggle to see why he’d be hankering after AM when they’re less competitive than Alpine and indeed, the only year they had a truly great season was when they copied the Merc.

If he's going to see out his time in F1 in a team where he's not going to be fighting for wins, he may as well pump up his retirement funds and get well paid for it.

 

[FoxMulder]

Alonso falling down the grid again is a shock. AM is a mess and this will be him next year:

 

[egl92]

I think what Alonso is looking for with this change is peace of mind. To feel appreciated by his team again and to be comfortable doing what he likes, which is nothing more than race.

Remember that Lance was a member of Ferrari Academy at the same time that Fernando was a Ferrari driver.
He has a very good relationship with Lawrence Stroll from his time at Ferrari.

It's not the first time that Lawrence tries to sing Alonso. For 2021 season the driver he wanted was not Vettel, it was Alonso. But Fernando opted for Alpine after McLaren-Honda fiasco.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

ANALYSIS: Why Alonso accepted Aston Martin’s advances and signed a shock deal – and why it could be a perfect match | Formula 1®

The timing of Aston Martin’s announcement that scooped the prized signing of Fernando Alonso was something of a shock – but the move itself makes a lot of sense, as F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto explains.

www.formula1.com

 

[Blitz24]

Ooh fun!

 

[NICKname]

Ooh fun!

If Alpine actually trades in Piastri for Ricciardo after they've driven Alonso away from them they're certified clowns.

 

[Jimlaad43]

If it's true that Alpine only knew Alonso was leaving them when they saw the Aston Martin announcement, then Piastri wasn't to know that a seat was on its way, and therefore being sensible they've looked around. Now of course, a seat is free for him at Alpine he basically has first refusal and can use any offers he has had from other teams to improve his deal at Alpine if he wants.

Of course I have a feeling that Alpine and Piastri are currently just inking the deal now and waiting for the right time to announce him, but I don't see this McLaren issue as more than a fallback if Alonso and Ocon stayed for '23.

 

[Northstar]

Ooh fun!

McLaren sure seems to have a thing for going after drivers under contract.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Sargeant will get an FP1 outing with Williams at the USGP.

 

[Blitz24]

Aww, no fun:

 

[MagpieRacer]

I get the feeling we haven't heard the last of this.

 

[Jimlaad43]

You say that, but Piastri in a decent midfield car will be fun. He was incredible in 19, 20 and 21 in the Junior categories, and should be an excellent rookie.

I can see Piastri doing a lot more FP1 sessions in a certain Spaniard's car as the season heads to the end of the year, a bit like Norris is 2018.

 

[MagpieRacer]

You say that, but Piastri in a decent midfield car will be fun. He was incredible in 19, 20 and 21 in the Junior categories, and should be an excellent rookie.

I can see Piastri doing a lot more FP1 sessions in a certain Spaniard's car as the season heads to the end of the year, a bit like Norris is 2018.

Oh yeah no doubting his talent, he's 100% deserving of an F1 seat. I just mean in the sense that according to some sources, his team were talking to Mclaren and possibly even had a pre contract agreement in place. I'm half expecting Mclaren to announce him in a few hours time 😆.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Oh yeah no doubting his talent, he's 100% deserving of an F1 seat. I just mean in the sense that according to some sources, his team were talking to Mclaren and possibly even had a pre contract agreement in place. I'm half expecting Mclaren to announce him in a few hours time 😆.

The McLaren talk is probably a perfectly reasonable thing to have happened in the situation. Seeing as a seat became available, the McLaren seat was then not needed.

If it's true that Alpine only knew Alonso was leaving them when they saw the Aston Martin announcement, then Piastri wasn't to know that a seat was on its way, and therefore being sensible they've looked around. Now of course, a seat is free for him at Alpine he basically has first refusal and can use any offers he has had from other teams to improve his deal at Alpine if he wants.

Of course I have a feeling that Alpine and Piastri are currently just inking the deal now and waiting for the right time to announce him, but I don't see this McLaren issue as more than a fallback if Alonso and Ocon stayed for '23.

 

[PeterJB]

Does seem weird that this was dropped at 2 am in Melbourne, with no acknowledgmement of it by Piastri himself...

 

[Liquid]

Will Piastri be the next Vandoorne and dominate the juniors only to flounder at the top?

 

[toastet]

So Piastri it is in the Alpine from 2023 on.



Who takes bets in which race he and Ocon will have contact for the first time?