In the round-up: Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says Sebastian Vettel is their first choice of driver to partner Charles Leclerc in the 2021 F1 season.
What they say
Binotto was asked whether Hamilton might be under consideration for a drive in 2021:
I will reply in a different way. I think Seb is our first choice at the moment and obviously it’s something we are discussing with him. He is certainly our first option, our preference at the moment.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Due to the virus risks currently in Asia, I’m sad to announce that I’ll be withdrawing from the remaining #F3Asia rounds.
As you guys probably know I was born premature so I have weakened immune system, it was a tough decision to make but I have to put my health first. pic.twitter.com/BNONHVbBWU
— Devlin Defrancesco (@DevlinDeFran) February 10, 2020
It’s like I’ve been doing it for years! 😬 I’m happy my balance has improved a lot in the last 4-6 weeks. Hopefully this is signs of things to come in 2020! The grind never stops. #SCI #spinalcordinjury #progress pic.twitter.com/2LogPfUfM2
— Robert Wickens (@robertwickens) January 17, 2020
My 2020 helmet: a fresh look and my new partner @carnextcom on it. I’m happy with it! 👌 🦁 #UnleashTheLion #ProudPartner pic.twitter.com/y1hHPnRY7G
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) February 11, 2020
BREAKING: Launch week is cancelled due to Mercedes virus #F1 pic.twitter.com/fs66Qdfpby
— Christian Menath (@MSM_Christian) February 11, 2020
The number style on the new Ferrari SF1000 is very reminiscent of that on one of its predecessors from 30 years ago, the 1990 Ferrari 641, here driven by @nigelmansell.
More pictures of the new Ferrari: https://t.co/P9oFdLgDuK#F1 pic.twitter.com/COkFd7idUq
— RaceFans (@racefansdotnet) February 11, 2020
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
State Secretariat backtracks, allows Monas to host Formula E race (The Jakarta Post)
"However, the committee underlined several requirements in the letter, including the construction of spectator stands and other facilities in accordance with statutory regulations, especially Law No. 11/2010 on cultural heritage."
Ferrari unveil new car with F1 teams set to agree more equitable revenue deal (The Guardian)
Zak Brown: "I think it will go through, I would be surprised if all 10 teams on the grid this year are not on the grid next year."
Johnson attends wet first COTA test day (IndyCar)
"For me, this is a learning experience and (IndyCar) has always been a bucket list category for me to come see these cars, be around these cars. (Next year) is open for me and who knows what opportunity might come along in IndyCar, sports cars or back to my off-road roots. I’m just taking it all in and see what comes of it."
Hanoi restricts autos on two streets for F1 race (VN Express)
"The capital city has restricted the entry of many vehicles from two streets being readied for the nation's first ever Formula One race."
We always endeavour to credit original sources. If you have a tip for a link to feature in the next RaceFans round-up please send it in via the contact form.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Comment of the day
[smr2020test]Will Aston Martin be a true ‘works’ Formula 1 team?
They will be using an engine from the same location as the Aston Martin road cars do, so as much as Aston is actually a car manufacturer, they will be a manufacturer team. Similar to McLaren (though not with Mercedes or Renault engines, as that’s not what’s in their road cars either). Can only Mercedes, Honda, Renault and, from the historic peculiarity that they still build engines, Ferrari, be real manufacturers?
And their peers, in principle, like VW, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Mazda; but is Nissan still one (when its alliance with Renault is gone)? Can Porsche/Audi/Skoda/Lamborghini/Alfa Romeo be ‘real’, and which ones of the PSA brands would be, and which aren’t?
I mean, with groups of car manufacturers working together on developing platforms for their future cars, because of the ever+increasing costs of doing that (and the lack of advantage in competing on that) which ones will be true manufacturers and developers of every (or even just the major) components in their cars, and thus eligible to potentially get a ‘manufacturer’ team?
@Bosyber
Happy birthday!
No RaceFans birthdays today
If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is via the contact form or adding to the list here.
Charles
12th February 2020, 0:40
Ahh that 90s Ferrari was a pure beauty compared with the limousine abominations of today!
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
12th February 2020, 6:52
One of the best looking F1 cars ever. Hardly a fair comparison.
You should compare today’s F1 to Mercedes S-class, I think they look quite good, low and sporty. From the right angles atleast. :D
Jay Menon (@jaymenon10)
12th February 2020, 7:53
The new range of S-Class does not hold candles to the old W116s and W126s.
The new S-Class range looks like they were designed by 16 year old who was given SolidWorks license for Christmas.
Mercs in years gone by were driven by your dad and grandad, which is why I loved them…now its driven by your mates…
Cristiano Ferreira
12th February 2020, 0:59
I think its pretty obvious by now that Vettel will remain Ferrari’s number one choice for a seat as long as Hamilton wants to stay in his “easy mode farming trophies” and as long as Verstappen is happy with Red Bull.
I think its down to Vettel, if he still wants to drive for Ferrari, maybe in a 2nd driver role or not.
ColdFly (@)
12th February 2020, 7:44
The only obvious thing is that Binotto will proclaim Seb to be his preference until he signs another driver.
Islander
12th February 2020, 10:02
“At the moment….”. That’s a crucial caveat he tagged on the end.
Robbie (@robbie)
12th February 2020, 1:37
I really can’t see LH going to Ferrari, so I don’t think Binotto has a decision to make that includes him in the conversation. I think Binotto has tonnage more faith in SV than a lot of posters around here. Rhetoric such as SV being CL’s number 2 is merely that.
DB-C90 (@dbradock)
12th February 2020, 5:08
@robbie finally something that we agree on. Well put.
Todfod (@todfod)
12th February 2020, 7:13
@robbie It’s foolish to think that Ferrari haven’t contacted Hamilton already for a 2021 drive, especially considering they’ve got nothing but repetitive disasters from Vettel since 2016/2017. It’s more likely than not that Hamilton either turned them down, or, Ferrari decided to put all their eggs in one basket (Leclerc) and will only retain Sebastian as a #2 driver. But let’s be serious… there isn’t a single person who follows F1 as a sport who would actually believe that Vettel is a better prospect than Hamilton.
RB13
12th February 2020, 10:05
@todfod very well said.
Robbie (@robbie)
12th February 2020, 11:34
@todfod I’m sure Ferrari and LH have talked. That would be standard procedure. We discussed this in the fall because of the fact that LH and Binotto were spotted talking to each other a few times, and of course because of the reality that many drivers aspire to be at Ferrari at some point in their career, so if LH were to want that time is running out for him at his age. So of course rumours are going to abound.
But for sure I do not see LH going there, and the other option does not have to strictly be because they have put ‘all’ their eggs in one basket with CL and that SV will be a number 2. They could also just let them race and figure out a drive status if need be as they go along. I highly doubt Binotto is going to literally designate SV, as a 4 time WDC, number 2 status to CL, as much as many posters find that concept so easy to let roll off their tongues, from their armchairs. CL is going to have to earn that season upon season while SV is there. Let’s start by seeing where their car is on the grid and what unfolds one race at a time. They’d be foolish to assume the relatively unproven CL with only one season behind him in a competitive car, deserves to be elevated above a 4 time WDC, which is still what SV is in spite of his errors, and that is a cache that he has earned and that CL has not yet.
And of course SV is not a better prospect than LH in his 6 year running WCC car. Not sure why you brought that up. It still doesn’t mean he’ll be going to Ferrari. But then you also claimed yesterday that if Max isn’t confident come 2021 in RBR/Honda providing him a winning car, then he’ll go to Mercedes, like that is strictly up to him and like he’d be invited alongside LH and LH would be fine with that. Not.
Todfod (@todfod)
12th February 2020, 12:06
@robbie
They’d be foolish to support a 4 time WDC who cannot beat an unproven driver in his first year in a competitive car. Let’s face it, Sebastian has had the past 3 seasons to show what he’s made of, and he’s failed 3 years in a row. So, if you’re Binotto, would you put your faith in a proven failure or in unproven success?
Lewis Hamilton is a better prospect than Sebastian Vettel. Period. There’s no need to bring his 6 time WCC car in the sentence. You’re just deluding yourself if you believe anything else.
Max is getting stronger and stronger every season. He’s going to be the best driver on the grid in 2020 or 2021 by the latest (if he isn’t already). Mercedes would want the best driver in their car… and by 2022 that would be Max. So yes, I do think they would let Hamilton go if Max was available for 2022. I don’t see how this is connected with the any of the Vettel retention story we were discussing… but anyways
hobo (@hobo)
12th February 2020, 16:39
@todfod – I’m with you until the last point about Max vs Lewis. I get that Lewis is 35 and will be 37 in 2022, but he hasn’t dropped off. Maybe Merc will try to overlap the two for a season or two of transition(?), but I find it difficult to imagine them showing Lewis the door when he will likely be a 7-8x champ at that point.
If Lewis decides to try Ferrari after all records are secure, or is done with F1, that would all line up. But I think it will be more up to Lewis than Merc. (i.e. they will keep him if he wants to stay.)
Robbie (@robbie)
13th February 2020, 2:11
@todfod The thing is, Binotto, the actual decision maker, doesn’t think in the rhetorical speak that you do. He doesn’t consider SV a proven failure. I don’t have to imagine if I’m Binotto because he has just verbalized confidence in Seb, likely knowing that the team and the engineers let them all down too, not just Seb. Perhaps Binotto might get as critical as you if everything else they do is done as well as Mercedes, including the car at that level, and then if Seb squanders that…gotta look at him.
I get what you are saying about LH being a great driver even without the 6 time WCC car, but I highlight it because it is relevant to the task Ferrari and SV have at hand as having a dynamo of a benchmark to tackle. They could cut their errors in half and that could still be too many to beat LH and Mercedes in what has become a normal season for them.
I brought up your suggestion about Max going to Mercedes because in another post you had made it sound like he’ll just do that at the snap of his fingers in 2022, 100% you said, just as you are now claiming LH was a real possibility at Ferrari, and I’m disagreeing to both bits of rhetoric.
It is interesting though that you have now added that LH would get replaced by Max at Mercedes. You hadn’t presented that aspect when you claimed earlier 100% Max will go to Mercedes if RBR’s 2021 car isn’t up to snuff.
So you’ve got LH to Ferrari because that is a no-brainer for Binotto, Max replacing LH at Mercedes, Seb who knows where? Back to RBR to replace Max? Nah just can’t see everything lining up for all that to happen. All in 2 more seasons. I predict LH will have no real actual temptation to go to Ferrari, nor Mercedes any desire to replace him, and he will see out his career there in another 3 to 5 years, so then where do things go from there with Max and Seb? I think Max is going to stick it out and have solid success starting this season at RBR and for quite some time yet.
2021, hey who knows, but as a Max fan I’m sure pleased with the degree to which you acknowledge his potential, in that you could foresee Mercedes actually letting LH go in favour of him. That would be quite something.
Todfod (@todfod)
13th February 2020, 10:53
@robbie
If Binotto had so much faith or belief in Vettel, he would have already signed him on for the future with an expensive contract. He hasn’t though… so maybe actions speak louder than (Italian diplomatic) words
My point is not to speculate on the driver market.. but to make a point that it’s possible for even drivers in great form to get replaced by someone with more future potential. So, I really don’t see a bright future for drivers who had their last strong season around 5 seasons ago, and are not being able to keep up with young and fresher talent. There isn’t as much loyalty in this sport… every team wants the best driver and every driver wants the best team.
Todfod (@todfod)
13th February 2020, 11:08
@hobo
Mercedes strikes me as a team really clinical in their decisions. They dumped Brawn as soon as his job was done… they put Bottas on one year contracts even though he is performing and conducting himself like an ideal #2 driver. I expect the same with their main driver philosophy.
I agree the whole presumption that Lewis’ performances will start to drop over the next couple of seasons is the reason I mentioned the Max move, but it only seems inevitable that he will. At that time.. Mercedes and Lewis will probably reach an understanding behind closed doors for him to exit. It’s just a guess… but not something completely unlikely.
Robbie (@robbie)
13th February 2020, 14:22
@todfod Fair enough. Can’t speak for why Binotto and SV haven’t done a contract extension other than he is still under contract and so there is no rush. They have this whole year to sort that. Now you might be right and SV won’t be extended, but my point is that it will not be because he thinks of SV as a failure.
Kingshark (@kingshark)
12th February 2020, 2:36
Long term I think that Ferrari would rather build the team around Leclerc than pay money for Hamilton. Makes sense after all, Leclerc is 22 and Hamilton is 35.
Joe
12th February 2020, 4:27
Am I the only one weirded out by the Christian Menath tweet? Throw the flag! that’s off side. People are dying. You gotta take that down.
BrawnGP (@brawngp)
12th February 2020, 6:10
agreed, its not even funny and in very poor taste
Paul Duggan
12th February 2020, 7:08
Well said. Jolted when I saw it.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
12th February 2020, 7:12
Yep, and I echo @brawngp – it’s in poor taste, and even fails at being funny/edgy.
bosyber (@bosyber)
12th February 2020, 7:14
Have to agree indeed. Also, compare to the class and bravery of Wickens, it’s a stark contrast which I wouldn’t want to be (so far) on this side of if I could help it!
ColdFly (@)
12th February 2020, 7:45
Weird tweet, and ridiculous to elevate it to the round-up.
RB13
12th February 2020, 10:05
+1 stupid tweet.
Srdjan Mandic (@srga91)
12th February 2020, 10:32
Oh, come on, guys! What’s the matter with you?!
It’s just a joke about Mercedes.
Do you honestly think he’s making fun of people suffering from the Corona Virus?!
antony obrien
12th February 2020, 12:27
will no one think of the children!
Darryn Smith (@darryn)
12th February 2020, 18:11
Keith can never resist a Marlboro ad though.
Serg (@)
12th February 2020, 4:31
Sebastian, you never button the second button of a blazer. And those oversized pants would have looked better on Nigel Mansell.
Something I would not expect form an Italian company.
x303 (@x303)
12th February 2020, 11:29
My thoughts exactly! They look really weird in those suits, which is not the intended effect I suppose.
Louis
12th February 2020, 4:33
How about the pairing of Leclerc and Ricciardo in 2021?
Phylyp (@phylyp)
12th February 2020, 6:40
Just seen this…
Chinese GP to be called off due to coronavirus
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
12th February 2020, 7:36
@keithcollantine
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
12th February 2020, 8:18
@phylyp you’re ahead of everyone. I never doubted it, with all that goes into the ‘circus’ and the travel involved, it seems senseless to do the round, just skip it, i’m sure Beijing won’t have an argument against F1 for not going.
bosyber (@bosyber)
12th February 2020, 7:12
Thanks for the CotD! @phylyp oh, well, guess that gives some space in the schedule for april.
BasCB (@bascb)
12th February 2020, 7:24
CG on the very good CotD @bosyber
Phylyp (@phylyp)
12th February 2020, 7:35
A worthy COTD, @bosyber
bosyber (@bosyber)
12th February 2020, 7:18
On this day – that’s still the best Lotus livery we have seen in F1 in this century – though the car itself still looks immediately overweight and underdeveloped, which, together with the yellow wheels, look a bit like a tractor – I do think this was a genuinely interesting team, even if they didn’t have much of a chance in the end. And, wow, young Chandok.
loetkoe
12th February 2020, 7:30
It’s Fairuz Fauzy, not Chandhok
bosyber (@bosyber)
12th February 2020, 9:35
eh, oh, right, completely forgot about him, really embarrasing – did he actually get to drive in the car?
KaIIe (@kaiie)
12th February 2020, 7:33
‘Interesting’ bit from the Hanoi article: “The track in Hanoi is the second F1 venue with 23 turns after Singapore’s Marina Bay Street circuit”. This makes it sound like the number of corners is somehow special.
DAllein (@)
12th February 2020, 8:35
Lewis to Ferrari is a fake story.
Mutual respect does NOT in any way mean any collaboration.
So such “news” is just a great click-bait for Media (I am not accusing RaceFans of it, this is done by all outlets out there)
Balue (@balue)
12th February 2020, 19:41
@dallein Obviously. No one would even think about leaving one of the best teams in the history of the sport, it’s just silly. Hamilton has also said there will be no other teams until he retires.
Islander
12th February 2020, 10:05
This tells us clearly that Ferrari talks with Lewis are already well advanced, and an announcement is imminent.