2017 transfer update
Last week was an eventful one in terms of transfers for next year. So it's a good time to take a first look at what the Formula 1 grid might look like for the 2017 season.
The transfer market for the 2017 season was not the most hectic in history. This was probably due to the three in-form teams at the time that decided to retain their driver duos for the coming year.
Thus, at Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, who after three years of fratricidal battle will have to face the new regulations announced together. At Red Bull, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen have long-term contracts, as does Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari. The Scuderia created a semi-surprise by also renewing Kimi Räikkönen, who does not have to blush in comparison with his quadruple world champion teammate. But at the reds, the drivers are not really the main concern…
Another team to have quickly confirmed its 2017 lineup, McLaren, which took advantage of Jenson Button’s semi-retirement to finally appoint the Belgian hopeful Stoffel Vandoorne alongside the always motivated Fernando Alonso.
In the middle of the pack, the situation is more uncertain. Renault kicked off the hostilities by announcing the signing of Nico Hülkenberg last week. Valtteri Bottas is expected to support him, but the Finn is under contract with Williams. The British team, which sees Felipe Massa retiring, was counting on driver No. 77 to support young Lance Stroll. In case of Bottas’s departure, Alex Lynn might get his chance, but it’s unlikely that Claire Williams would field two rookies. In that case, many drivers lacking a contract could knock on the team’s door, such as Felipe Nasr, Kevin Magnussen, or Jolyon Palmer. However, the trend is towards a status quo concerning the Finn.
Nico Hülkenberg joining Renault leaves Sergio Pérez without a teammate at Force India. However, Pascal Wehrlein, nurtured by Mercedes, could well seize the opportunity, unless Esteban Ocon manages to impress the star company’s management to take the seat.
But the Frenchman is also a possible choice for Frédéric Vasseur and Renault, who hold him in high regard. An additional year of learning at Manor is also not to be excluded for Ocon, where he could support Rio Haryanto, returning with a budget, or the in-house tester, Jordan King.
Carlos Sainz, who was once expected to join Renault, will ultimately remain with Toro Rosso, which did not want to release him. It’s hard to see how Daniil Kvyat could continue with Red Bull next year, and Pierre Gasly, if he wins the GP2 championship, is in pole position to replace him. But Helmut Marko is known for his strokes of genius, or madness, and he could well create a surprise.
A surprise effect that should not concern Romain Grosjean, who seems well on his way to continuing the adventure with Haas. The American team relies heavily on the French driver, and he doesn’t have many other options at the moment. His current teammate, Esteban Gutierrez, remains a logical choice for Gene Haas, although he does not rule out the possibility of bringing in another driver, such as Daniil Kvyat, who could impart the good Austrian practices of the multiple world champions Red Bull to the young team.
Finally, uncertainty remains for Sauber, which has nevertheless managed to secure its financial future. The investors are said to be close to Marcus Ericsson, which could secure a seat for the Swede. As for Felipe Nasr, he hasn’t really convinced this year and could be replaced by Ferrari’s young prospect, Raffaele Marciello.
To see more clearly, consult the summary table of confirmations and rumors for 2017:
