What will the F1 lineup look like for the 2016 season?

The 2016 Formula 1 season will be marked by continuity for many teams. Indeed, very few transfers will be observed, and none among the major teams on the grid.

However, some questions remain unanswered, and not minor ones. Will Dietrich Mateschitz’s two teams, Red Bull and Toro Rosso, still be on the starting grids in 2016? If so, with which engine will they participate in the season? A solution seems to be on the verge of being found by the Austrian eminences, and an additional year’s collaboration with Renault is the leading option. Toro Rosso might then turn to a Ferrari power unit.

Renault, which has signed a letter of intent to purchase the Lotus team, has not yet confirmed the establishment of its team based on the Enstone outfit. It is therefore not yet known whether the team, currently led by Federico Gastaldi, will race with a French engine or continue with the Mercedes, which seems unlikely.

In terms of drivers, few surprises are expected. The majority of teams have retained their current lineup, like Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams, Sauber, and Force India. At Red Bull, only Daniel Ricciardo has a multi-year contract. It could well be that Max Verstappen makes the jump from the junior team Toro Rosso to the senior team after just one season in Faenza. In that case, Frenchman Pierre Gasly, currently Red Bull’s third driver, would be in a strong position to replace him, but it seems more likely that Toro Rosso will continue with their current duo, especially since Daniil Kvyat has held his own against Ricciardo this year.

We will also note the appointment of Jolyon Palmer at Lotus, the experienced duo confirmed at the new Haas team with Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez, and the question mark at Manor, which will likely have to place a Mercedes driver in one of its seats. Pascal Wehrlein seems to be the favorite.

Summary table of the 2016 F1 grid: