Seb Calling it a career at the end of this season

[forty_three]

Full announcement video on Instagram

Can't always say he was one of my favorites, although I do appreciate his decision to use his role and visibility to raise awareness to causes he cares about.

It's kinda weird to think of a grid without him though.

 

[Retroram52]

Four-time F-1 Champion is done driving. No word on what EXACTLY he is going to do next. Looks like he won't be around F-1 all that much with the charity and causes work. Sort of like what Nico Rosberg did and does today.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Hypercar endurance is what I've heard. Likely Porsche.

Vettel had his head squarely on his shoulders.

 

[ckhokie]

Going to miss Seb. Really wish he had a competitive midfield car this year. He’s always fun to watch

 

[forty_three]

Well, his announcement has straight up supercharged silly season.

So, by surprise, Alonso signed for Aston for next year opening a seat at Alpine. Alpine reserve driver and F3/F2 champion Oscar Piastri has the inside line at that seat. In fact, so much so that Alpine tweeted this:


Oscar went radio silent for an hour and then said this:

There is wide speculation that he has signed a deal with McLaren to replace Danny Ric who just so happens to own the break clause, not McLaren. Meaning if McLaren wants him out of the seat, they have to pay him the full amount of his contract in buyout.

As Pato put it

 

[forty_three]

The effects keep rippling outward.

So, the rumor is McLaren feels they can put Piastri in Ricc's seat with a buyout (or bring Pato or someone from Indy). Which then puts Danny heavily in rumors tied to Haas. Which then puts Mick out of a seat or going to Williams.

 

[ckhokie]

Nice to have some drama to hold us over. Piastri is an Alpine driver, so wouldn’t they need to sign off on a McLaren seat? Also, if Piastri does take a McLaren seat, why wouldn’t Alpine try to take Danny? He’s a known commodity over there and would likely be more talented than anyone else available; and for a program who is aiming to be best of the rest, I’m not sure how you consider unproven commodity drivers. I don’t think Pato moves the needle for anyone.
Danny failing to Haas and Mick not having a seat doesn’t make much sense to me yet.

 

[ckhokie]

Williams announcement at 10am Eastern today. May see some dominoes start to fall

 

[Retroram52]

Moving Ricciardo to Schumacher's seat at Haas has little or no reasoning that makes a lick of sense.