The Formula 1 committee recently announced the postponement of the Dutch Grand Prix which was originally slated to happen on May 3. It is unfortunate since it was very much anticipated to make its return since 1985.
And because its unlikely that big events will happen anytime soon, the racing world now turns its focus to the driver roulette that has been going on for several weeks already as the negotiating table between players and constructors remains in full swing.
Ferrari made a huge step towards its rebuilding when they brought in Carlos Sainz Jr. to replace Sebastian Vettel, who is expected to leave after this season.
With the void left by Carlos Sainz Jr., McLaren went on to acquire Daniel Ricciardo to take his place starting next season.
By this time, the majority of the constructors have yet to confirm their full lineups looking into next year, so it will be interesting to see on how it will all turn out especially with most of the big players having expiring contracts.
SBOBET gives you today’s set of Formula 1 2020 updates.
Toto Wolff reportedly wants Valtteri Bottas to move on from Mercedes
Could Valtteri Bottas be on the move?
According to several reports from France, the Finnish driver may very well be on his way out of the Silver Arrows and team principal Toto Wolff would prefer that he would transfer to Renault.
“Even though Bottas may not want to leave, team boss Toto Wolff would rather he join the Renault team,” said in the report.
This is quite a surprising development especially since Bottas owns one of the highest Formula 1 2020 odds coming into this term after finishing second overall in the world championships last season.
The report claims that Bottas’ manager Didier Coton had been in several talks with Renault principal Cyril Abiteboul. Neither party had confirmed or denied the rumours, which further adds speculation on Bottas’ future with Mercedes.
“He is talking to Red Bull and Renault, or his management is at least. He can deny it, he has deniability. His manager is Didier Coton and Toto Wolff has an interest in Bottas still as he has since he started,” said Ted Kravitz, who is an analyst for Sky Sports.
Earlier this month, Valtteri Bottas expressed his utmost commitment to win for the Silver Arrows despite his looming contract situation.
“Since a kid, I’ve had this target in my career to be a world champion, and obviously I still haven’t achieved it, so that keeps me going, and that keeps me motivated,” said Bottas.
“It’s no secret that my contract ends at the end of this season. For sure, if you know what you’re doing for many years ahead and obviously if you’re comfortable in the team, it’s only a win-win situation,” he added.
But with neither him or Lewis Hamilton confirmed to be in the lineup for 2021, perhaps Toto Wolff is biding his time to see how the drivers’ market pans out.
Like Bottas, Hamilton’s big contract is set to expire after this season. The Briton and the Silver Arrows are reportedly in talks for a possible three-year extension.
Sebastian Vettel is also one name to consider if you’re Mercedes. However, Vettel may not like the idea of being the second fiddle behind Lewis Hamilton.
Can Michael Schumacher 2.0 make his way to Formula 1 soon?
Mick Schumacher, who is the son of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, is in line to get his shot in Formula 1 earlier than expected as pundits suggested that he could get a seat in Alfa Romeo to replace Kimi Raikkonen.
The young German has enjoyed a steady progress in the racing ranks. After winning the 2018 season in Formula 3, the 21-year-old has been garnering interest due to his strong performance racing for Prema Theodore Racing in Formula 2.
He was also signed by the Prancing Horse as an academy driver last year, which increases his chances to move up.
“Mick has a good chance of getting into F1, for example, at Alfa Romeo. Kimi Raikkonen may soon end his career and Antonio Giovinazzi is not so strong. So, I think a young driver like Mick could have a chance,” said his uncle Ralf Schumacher during a recent interview.
For it to actually happen, certain things must come in Schumacher’s way to make that jump. First, he needs to secure his super license and he has to wait for the 40-year-old Kimi Raikkonen to officially retire from racing.
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