Now he returns to a works team going into a rebrand and, just like Racing Point/Aston Martin, trying to make a statement. He won world titles there in 20, and few would have believed it if you had told them then that he would be racing for Renault in 2021 without another to his name.
On a grid that is packed with intrigue, Renault are no exception, having tempted Fernando Alonso back to the team for a third time. Now he will join Lando Norris, regular winner of the ‘Best Social Media Contribution’ and ‘Funniest Team Radio’ awards on race weekend, and what is sure to be an exciting team to watch in 2021.Īlpine (formerly Renault): Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon Ricciardo has not the success at Renault he hoped he would enjoy (Photo: AFP) The Australian’s two-year spell at Renault has produced just one podium since his move from Red Bull where he achieved 29 podiums and seven race wins, but it has earned him an estimated £42million. Ricciardo is set to race for his third team in four years after McLaren drafted him in to replace Sainz in a hasty twirling of the roundabout that took place rather incongruously during the coronavirus lockdown. Sainz will very much be the No 2 to Leclerc, but has shown plenty of gusto for McLaren this year to suggest he will be a more racy teammate than Vettel. The German four-time world champion will certainly help him do that. The Canadian billionaire took over what was then Force India more than two years ago and now wants to make a splash by rebranding as Aston Martin, an iconic name in motoring. Vettel is a statement signing for the team’s new owner Lawrence Stroll, who is expected to give his son Lance a new contract in the near future. It was all but confirmed when he was seen getting into team principal Otmar Szafnauer’s car at Silverstone earlier this year, and he was subsequently announced as Perez’s replacement not long after. It was the worst kept secret in the paddock that Sebastian Vettel would be heading to Racing Point for 2021 after being ditched by Ferrari without even the offer of a new contract. The Mexican could not have scripted a much better audition than the 2020 season as he drove his Mercedes-powered Racing Point to fourth in the drivers’ championship and picked up his first ever race win in Bahrain.Īlbon will stay with the team as a test and reserve driver, but it is Perez who will now be the fifth man in F1 to try to match his teammate Verstappen.Īston Martin (formerly Racing Point): Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll Nico Hulkenberg, who has impressed in substitute appearances for Racing Point this year and out-qualified both Red Bulls at Silverstone, was being mooted as a potential replacement and mentioned that he was “waiting for a call from Helmut ”, but he lost out to Sergio Perez. Albon, who only had 12 races for Toro Rosso before being promoted mid-season last year to replace the ailing Pierre Gasly, remained half a second slower than Max Verstappen, a gap has never narrowed, and his position of seventh in the drivers’ championship was low given the machinery at his disposal.
Almost everybody was desperate for the British-born driver, who races on a Thai licence, the country of his mother, to do well but he simply did not make enough progress. Red Bull: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez Albon has not been able to challenge teammate Verstappen on a regular basis (Photo: Reuters) “Hopefully I have given Toto a headache not just for 2022, maybe sooner,” he said. The 22-year-old Russell very nearly delivered a fairytale debut at the Sakhir Grand Prix, arguably out-driving Bottas for large parts of the weekend, only for a botched Mercedes pit-stop and a puncture to dash his hopes of an unlikely victory.ĭespite eventually finishing ninth, Russell made a big statement in Bahrain. The seven-time F1 world champion will be Valtteri Bottas’ teammate against next season, although there was a brief moment when it looked as though Mercedes might have a late change of heart and try to crowbar George Russell into their team sooner than expected, at the expense of the Finn. It would have been of the most remarkable coups in sporting history if anyone had lured Hamilton away from Mercedes, and in the end he decided to stay on for another year by signing a new contract in early February.
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