YOUNG LIONS FIGHT FOR DREAM FOR FOR F 1 DREAMF 1 DREAM
Britons caught up in middle of ram pant silly season
British hopefuls Lando Norris and George Russell are facing a battle to force their way into Formula 1 in 2019, as the driver market silly season has been kicked into top gear this week.
The uncertainty over the future of Force India – which has been placed into administration – and Daniel Ricciardo’s shock move to Renault has paved the way for the busiest off-season in recent history in Formula 1.
Russell – who is leading the Formula 2 championship ahead of Norris – said: “There are a lot of drivers potentially moving around in F1, it’s like a domino effect and I’m further down the line.”
Young British hopefuls Lando Norris and George Russell are facing a battle to secure a Formula 1 seat in 2019, with Force India’s administration woe and Daniel Ricciardo’s Renault switch set to disrupt the driver market.
Russell – a Mercedes junior who has also tested for Force India – and Mclaren reserve Norris sit first and second in the Formula 2 championship past the halfway point of the season, and both were testing last week for their respective teams and have been since 2017 (see right for times).
Russell, 20, would have been a potential option for Force India, as his fellow Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon had been in advanced talks with Renault, potentially vacating a seat for Russell to take. But with Ricciardo signing for Renault, that closed the door on Frenchman Ocon. With Renault no longer an option, he could stay with Force India or fill another seat that could block Russell’s promotion.
Williams has emerged as a potential destination for Russell. The British outfit runs Mercedes engines and looks set to use its gearboxes next year too. With rumours that Lance Stroll’s father is looking to invest in Force India, with Stroll moving to the team, that could open up another option for the 20-year-old Russell.
“At the moment, because I’m in F2, and there are a lot of drivers potentially moving around in F1, it’s like a domino effect and I’m further down the line,” Russell told MN. “I feel like with what we are doing in F2, we’re making the opportunities for ourselves. I feel like we have a fair chance, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be given that opportunity [in F1], if we keep performing.
“I think the more we keep performing, like with the wins over the [F2] triple-header, it’s forcing my name into the shop window and making Formula 1 teams realise ‘we should be looking at this guy’.
“From that side of things, that’s in my control. I have to keep being quickest, keep taking opportunities and keep my name out there. I can’t rely on everyone else to settle. I need to make it happen for myself. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing on track and the rest will come.”
Norris, 18, has an equally unclear driver shuffle hindering him. Fernando Alonso could leave F1 to go to Indycar or sportscars, while Stoffel Vandoorne could be dropped from Mclaren, or could move to another team. Mclaren team boss Zak Brown has
confirmed he would be interested in Carlos Sainz, who is out of a drive at Renault, and that could be another driver Norris may have to contend with for a 2019 seat.
Red Bull remains interested in Norris and approached Mclaren earlier this season to loan him to Toro Rosso in place of Brendon Hartley. But Red Bull’s approach was rebuffed.
Speaking at the Hungaroring test last week, Norris confirmed that he could spend another season outside of Formula 1, as long as he was getting regular free practice appearances with Mclaren to stay sharp and ready for 2020 in F1.
“Obviously it would be very nice to be in F1,” said Norris, “but at the same time, staying with Mclaren, maybe it’s better to say I want to be doing FP1S if there is a confirmation of a season in 2020 [in F1]. Maybe that’s a better opportunity and a better situation to be in. Until everyone starts making decisions, I don’t really know.”
When asked if he could see himself driving for someone other than Mclaren, he said: “I don’t think that’s necessarily the way to go.
“Ideally I’ll be with Mclaren next year, that’s the perfect situation. But it’s not up to me to decide, it’s up to the bosses and Fernando and whoever makes all the decisions.
“I just have to focus on Formula 2, doing the best job I can do in that, hopefully winning, and having good days like today and yesterday [at the Hungary test] just to try and persuade it my way. Until then, I just have to keep my head down.”
Another Briton who has been linked with an F1 seat is Dan Ticktum. He is second in the European Formula 3 standings, just one point behind series leader Marcus Armstrong. He undertakes key simulator work for Red Bull and the 19-year-old is highly rated by the squad.
But momentum behind him replacing Hartley at Toro Rosso has waned due to the fact Ticktum is unlikely to earn enough superlicence points to allow him to race in F1 unless the FIA changes the superlicence rules for a championship or one-off race like Macau. That is unlikely – especially for one driver only – but not impossible.