CARLOS SAINZ SET FOR SAUBER MOVE April 19, 2023 · by thejudge13 · in Daily F1 News and Comment. · Despite Ferrari signing the Spanish F1 driver to replace the increasingly erratic Sebastian Vettel, Carlos Sainz has never been the team’s number one son nor the child with a Ferrari birthright. The favoured one in Maranello is Charles LeClerc, whose Scuderia lineage hails back to 2016 when the Monegasque signed for the junior academy run by Maranello. Sainz from the “Red Bull Academy” In stark contrast Sainz junior began an academy academy began ‘the enemy’ back in 2010, when Helmut Marko spotted the prodigious talent racing in Formula BMW. Sainz was recruited into the Red Bull academy and debuted in Formula One alongside Max Verstappen in 2015. Having failed to make the big Bull team following three seasons at Toro Rosso, Carlos left for an opportunity with Renault in 2018. But despite a strong second season with the French team he was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo and found a race seat with McLaren. The Woking bromance that developed over 2 seasons with team mate Lando Norris proved to be not enough for Sainz to resist the call from Ferrari. The Spanish driver replaced Sebastian Vettel, who’s contract was not renewed, and began his Ferrari career in 2021. Sainz surprised his critics and finished firth in the Drivers’ championship in his first year at Ferrari, two places ahead of the Ferrari darling Charles LeClerc.
I think that, as a new factory team in F1, AUDI will seek to recruit top drivers. Interesting that they look at Sainz, if that is true. That means to me that they think highly of him, and believe he could be tempted.
Silly season would be starting quite early. Who are the candidates to take his seat at Ferrari? Does Hamilton retire and open up his seat? The other post is speculating that if Hamilton retires, Le Clerc goes to Mercedes. Then 2 seat at Ferrari would be open. A story that I read this morning says that Honda wants to link up with Aston Martin. Will that put a Japanese driver in one of their seats or as a reserve?
Audi wants German drivers in their F1 team. Whether you like that ideology or not, that's what they have in mind.
I think it's wrong for a team to restrict their choice on the ground of nationality. A team should try to attract the best drivers they can afford.
True, but the national connection was a strong consideration for Honda. Ferrari has over the decades certainly had times when this was true too.
That one comes completely out of the blue. Aston Martin is more involved with Mercedes than McLaren for example; I can't see them severing that link. Unlile Mercedes, Honda isn't a reliable partner; they keep going in and out of F1.
Both your quoted stories today have been clickbait with in this case not even any mention of the headline in the story - the Leclerc one was pretty tenuous too but at least you added a question mark.....
Did the FIA come up with a new Placing ... where does Firth fit? between Fourth and Fifth? or is it a really wet spot up in Scotland?
The story was saying that the available choices for Honda were William, McLaren and Aston Martin and that Honda was only interested in Aston. It went on that Stroll/A-M were interested because it fit with Strolls objective of fighting for championships which is far harder when one is using customer engines. As the direct partner with the engine supplier one is able to be part of the design and packaging process from an earlier date; not waiting to find out what MB has already decided that works best for their concept. The article did point out how switching to Honda would mean that AM has to create their own gearbox. Also, AM uses the MB wind tunnel but that Aston is in the process of building their own. Personally, I would rather see Williams get on board with an engine manufacturer as a long term prospect. I rather doubt that any new engine program is going to be a front runner on day one. Let Williams and the new engine maker develop together.
Audi posted this in March and it was stated again recently:: Mar 11, 2023 Audi confirm ‘no concrete discussions’ yet with Mick Schumacher over future drive But, as Audi continue to put the foundations in place for their Formula 1 venture, reaching out for Schumacher about a possible drive has not been on their to-do list, while the brand confirmed that a German driver in their line-up is not a necessity.
Not forgetting that Mercedes apparently holds 15% of shares in Aston Martin, and also supplies engines and other components for their road cars.
Yes, it could get to be problematic on the road car side but Stroll sure seems to be hell bent on getting his F1 team to be a true contender. Being second fiddle to the engine supplier (any supplier) may not be way to best achieve his goal.
I will take my hat off to Lawrence Stroll if he manages to satisfy both needs without upsetting Mercedes. If one remembers, McLaren didn't manage it.
Welcome to the internet. If you've got no story, make one up... Denzel said it best: "If you don't read the paper, you're uninformed. If you do read the paper, you're mis-informed.
