Analysis – An Overview of the 2021 Formula 1 Grid

Mercedes

The star-branded team secured Valtteri Bottas’s contract during the summer by extending it for an additional season. The Finnish driver will complete his 5th season with the Brackley team. His teammate Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, remains without a contract for the next season. However, both parties seem very positive about a future together.

Our opinion: Extension of Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari

The 2021 driver duo is known at the reds as Charles Leclerc signed a contract extension last year that now binds him until 2024 with the Maranello team. His teammate will be none other than Carlos Sainz, the Spanish driver having decided to leave McLaren to join the Scuderia.

Red Bull

Just like Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, Max Verstappen last year extended his contract with the Milton Keynes team until 2023. Regarding his future teammate, many uncertainties and rumors are circulating in the paddock.

Alex Albon’s mixed season puts him on an ejection seat. Thoroughly beaten since the start of the season by his teammate, this does not favor the contract extension of the Anglo-Thai driver. Red Bull is giving him until the Imola Grand Prix to make adjustments and keep his seat.

Will Pierre Gasly’s excellent season at AlphaTauri allow the Norman driver to reclaim the Red Bull seat? According to Christian Horner, who spoke this weekend on Formula 1’s microphone, the French driver will not return to a Red Bull. The team could find a driver outside its ranks if Albon is not retained.

Rumors from Italian and Austrian media about a return of Nico Hülkenberg to Formula 1 in place of Albon are also circulating. Very strong during his stints replacing Racing Point drivers, Hülkenberg has shown he still has the pace to compete in F1. Sergio Pérez being without a seat for next year is also an option not to be ruled out. The second seat at Red Bull is highly coveted, nothing is decided yet and the suspense is total!

Our opinion: Arrival of Hülkenberg

McLaren

The Woking team is complete for the next season as they replace Carlos Sainz, who is heading to Ferrari, with Daniel Ricciardo. The current Renault driver, having decided to leave the French manufacturer, will join Lando Norris at McLaren next season.

Renault

The diamond-brand also has its duo of drivers. Esteban Ocon is being renewed for the next season. To compensate for Ricciardo’s departure, Renault made a great move in the transfer market by securing the services of the highly experienced Fernando Alonso. The double world champion will make his return to the top category of motorsport within the very team that enabled him to win his two world titles.

Racing Point

The future Aston Martin team, owned by Lawrence Stroll, will have his son, Lance, in one of the English manufacturer’s single-seaters. Currently a Racing Point driver, he retains his seat. His teammate will be four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. Not renewed by Scuderia Ferrari, he has decided to take a chance with Aston Martin.

AlphaTauri

The sister team of Red Bull is very dependent on the parent company’s decisions in its choice of driver. Currently, no driver has been officially announced. Pierre Gasly, who is having the best season of his young career, has a very strong chance of being extended. Red Bull is very satisfied with the French driver and wants him to be the driving force in leading AlphaTauri to the top.

Daniil Kvyat, for his part, doesn’t seem to be in the good graces of the energy drink brand. A replacement by Alex Albon doesn’t seem to be considered either. Both drivers risk leaving Formula 1 at the end of the season if they don’t elevate their performance levels to meet the expectations of their management.

According to our colleagues at Motorsport, Yuki Tsunoda, current F2 driver and Honda protégé, could make his F1 debut next season by taking Kvyat’s seat.

Our opinion: Extension of Gasly – Arrival of Tsunoda

Alfa Romeo

Kimi Räikkönen, the oldest driver on the grid (41 years old), will once again start the Grand Prix in Australia next season for his 19th season in the premier class.

Antonio Giovinazzi has not yet been extended within the Swiss team. With performances below expectations, the Italian driver, a Ferrari protégé, could be replaced by another Ferrari Driver Academy pilot. Mick Schumacher (the son of Michael Schumacher) and Callum Ilott are contenders for the Alfa Romeo seat.

Our Opinion: Extension of Giovinazzi

Haas

With the announcement this weekend that Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen will not be extended, the Haas team will start the 2021 season with 2 new drivers. Our colleagues at Canal+ confirm that Nikita Mazepin, a Russian F2 driver, will have one of the 2 seats in the American team thanks to the financial support of his father, a Russian businessman.

The second seat could be assigned to one of the drivers from the Ferrari Driver Academy (Schumacher/Ilott) since Haas is powered by the Maranello team.

Our opinion: Arrival of Mazepin and Mick Schumacher

Williams

Nicholas Latifi will be on the 2021 grid with Williams thanks to the sponsors he brings to the Grove team.

His current teammate George Russell, who has a contract for the next season, might no longer be part of the team’s plans. His contract, having been signed before the acquisition by Dorilton Capital Management, could be terminated by the new owners. Mercedes, from which the young British driver comes, has indicated it can do nothing in this situation.

A moment anticipated at Haas or Red Bull, Sergio Pérez could ultimately secure the Williams seat thanks to his numerous sponsors. Although the Mexican driver doesn’t deny being in contact with the Grove team, he doesn’t wish, just like Williams, to discuss the matter publicly. If Pérez were to be confirmed at Williams, Russell would then become a reserve driver at Mercedes.

Our opinion: Arrival of Sergio Pérez