Ferrari: Fresh momentum from the 2021 season onwards
The Scuderia will have its youngest lineup in 50 years in 2021. Sebastian Vettel will be replaced by Carlos Sainz Jr., whose place at McLaren will be taken by Daniel Ricciardo, who is coming from Renault. As quiet as it is on the race tracks at the moment, things are just as turbulent behind the scenes at Formula [...]
As quiet as it is on the racetracks at the moment, things are just as turbulent behind the scenes in Formula 1 these days. First, at the beginning of the week, Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari announced their separation by mutual consent, as it were, at the end of the 2020 season, which has not yet begun. Now Carlos Sainz Jr. has been named as the four-time world champion's successor.
Into the future with youthful vigor
The 25-year-old Spaniard signed a contract for 2021 and 2022, while Carlos Sainz Jr. and Monegasque Charles Leclerc, who is just 22, make up Scuderia Ferrari's youngest team in five decades.
Team principal Mattio Binotto: "We believe that a driver pairing with the talent and personality of Charles and Carlos is the best possible combination to help us achieve our objectives. A new cycle is beginning for us to make it back to the top of Formula 1. It will be a long and arduous journey considering the current situation. There will be a lot of changes."
No big leaps yet
The Ferrari rookie is the son of two-time World Rally Champion and this year's Dakar Rally winner Carlos Sainz. The Madrilenian, born on September 1, 1994, had his best of five seasons with McLaren last year.
Sainz finished the 2019 World Championship in sixth place, scoring his first podium in the 102 Grands Prix to date when he finished third at the Brazilian GP. He contested these in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (16 of 20 races) as a Red Bull junior with Scuderia Toro Rosso before moving to Renault F1 for a year and a half and McLaren F1 for 2019 and 2020.
Ricciardo wants to be happier with McLaren
It has also already been decided who will replace Sainz at McLaren. After just two years, Daniel Ricciardo will leave the Renault F1 Team and drive for the Brits from 2021. His first season with the French was disappointing for the 30-year-old Australian in 2019, with fourth place as his best result.
Ricciardo previously celebrated seven GP victories with Red Bull Racing and was third in the World Championship in 2014. His teammate will be Llando Norris, a Briton just 20 years old. Like Leclerc for Vettel, Norris could become a youthful sticking point for Ricciardo.
And what does Vettel do?
As far as Sebastian Vettel's future is concerned, there is only speculation at the moment. Conceivable options would be Mercedes instead of Valtteri Bottas, a return to Red Bull Racing or even retirement.
Renault has also not yet announced a successor for Ricciardo. Formula 1 remains exciting - albeit only in terms of personnel at the moment.
