Many drivers linked with Renault switch (14th Update)
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| Frederic Vasseur waiting to see which driver produces the biggest check for his 2nd seat |
(GMM) The identity of Nico Hulkenberg's teammate at Renault next year could be revealed within days.
That is the claim of Frederic Vasseur, after Renault announced that current Force India driver Hulkenberg will drive for the French works team in 2017 and beyond.
"We believe Nico is among the best of the new generation of drivers," Renault chief Vasseur told the French broadcaster Infosport Plus.
"I have worked with him in the junior series — he is one of the drivers who has won everything, from Formula BMW to F3 and GP2.
"In my opinion, Nico realizes that this stage of his career is right to starting working with a factory team. Confirmation of the contract with him is an important step for our team," Vasseur added.
Currently, Renault's two race drivers are Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer.
TV2, a Danish broadcaster, claims Magnussen's advisor Jesper Carlsen traveled to England late last week for talks with Hulkenberg's current team, Force India.
And Palmer told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "I still have a chance to stay with Renault."
That could be because Renault's reported first choice to be Hulkenberg's teammate, Valtteri Bottas, now appears poised to in fact stay with Williams.
Also strongly linked with Renault is Esteban Ocon.
Vasseur told the French daily L'Equipe that Renault wants to sign two 'number 1' drivers.
"It works for Mercedes," he said.
"I don't like when a team has one top driver and a second in the shade.
"Ocon? He's on our short list, it's no secret. But we need a couple of races now to look over the candidates before making a decision.
"I know Bottas too and like him, and we are carefully watching him, but as far as I know, he has a contract with Williams," Vasseur added.
He told Infosport Plus that the decision will take "a few days or weeks at the most".
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| Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg, not Sergio Perez, appears headed to Renault |
10/11/16
(GMM) Rumors are continuing to swirl about the potential look of Renault's 2017 driver lineup.
Multiple authoritative sources are reporting that Nico Hulkenberg looks set to escape his Force India contract and sign a three-year deal to lead the French works team from the cockpit.
It is believed that Renault team boss Frederic Vasseur's favored choice to be the German's teammate is Frenchman Esteban Ocon.
But there are signs of a power struggle at Renault, with Vasseur and Cyril Abiteboul apparently at loggerheads. If Abiteboul wrestles control of the Enstone team, a 'handshake' deal between Vasseur and Toto Wolff over Ocon's Renault link could collapse.
The uncertainty would seem to explain why many drivers are still not confirmed at their respective teams now deep into October, including Williams' Finn Valtteri Bottas and Toro Rosso's Russian Daniil Kvyat.
Vasseur told the French broadcaster Canal Plus: "If all the drivers who are linked with us joined, we would be a football team rather than a formula one team.
"Hulkenberg is one of two or three possibilities," he explained. "But nothing is finished yet."
According to the paddock grapevine, Hulkenberg and Ocon is the most likely 2017 Renault lineup.
"A German and a Frenchman, that sounds fine," Vasseur admitted. "But a German with a Russian or a Finn would also be interesting. There are many possible combinations."
10/10/16 (GMM) Red Bull blocked Carlos Sainz Jr's move to Renault for 2017, according to the Spanish driver's well-known father.
Sainz senior, a world rally champion, appeared on Spanish radio Onda Cero and confirmed reports that his 22-year-old son wanted to accept an offer from the Renault works team.
"He was very close to leaving (Toro Rosso) because the offer was really interesting and he was interested, especially in the three years (contract)," Sainz snr said.
"But in the end Red Bull did not let him go; they wanted one more year," he added.
"The coming season can be a good year for Red Bull and they want to have someone (available) in case something happens, and they prefer that it is Carlos.
"So on one side that is good and on the other side it is not," said Sainz snr.
Sainz Jr is firmly under contract to Red Bull for 2017, who want the young Spaniard to remain at the secondary team Toro Rosso.
Sainz's father continued: "Hopefully in the future he will take the step of going to a more competitive team and he can fight a little higher up.
"Next year should be the last year for Carlos at Toro Rosso," he said. "The normal thing is to move then to another team, because no one has been there (at Toro Rosso) for four years in a row.
"I think joining a team like Renault is an important step but hopefully in the future something like that will happen," said Sainz snr.
He also indicated that Sainz Jr is likely to have to leave the Red Bull family in order to get his chance further up the grid.
"Red Bull (Racing) has young drivers confirmed for the next three years and so the future there is a little difficult," he said. "Unless one of them is upset and leaves, it will be difficult to make the jump to Red Bull."
09/29/16
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| Will Perez take his Carlos Slim money to Renault? |
(GMM) The driver 'silly season' is still bubbling away in the F1 paddock.
The biggest seats still up for grabs are the ones at the works Renault team, who have told Kevin Magnussen he faces a longer wait for news.
One rumor is that Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz could head to Enstone in an elaborate deal involving cheaper engine deals for the Red Bull-owned teams.
"There's been a bit of interest, a bit of contact," the Spanish driver admitted in Malaysia.
"It's an honor to have some interest from a manufacturer team that wants to develop the car and create a good base for the future," Sainz added.
"At the moment, I have full trust in Toro Rosso," he said.
"I don't have enough information about Renault to know if they're going to perform next year, or if it's going to take two or three years," added Sainz.
Another driver linked with Renault has been Sergio Perez, who on Thursday sounded increasingly impatient about the hold-up regarding his future.
"My deals are quite complicated because of my sponsors," the Mexican, who is thought most likely to stay at Force India, told reporters.
"At the moment I am just considering one team. There are some other options on the table but I hope it works out with one team and if it doesn't by next week, we will have to look at something else," Perez added.
09/27/16
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| Carlos Sainz |
(GMM) Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost does not believe the Faenza based team will lose Carlos Sainz.
Spaniard Sainz has already denied persistent rumors that he could be the subject of a swap deal involving engine price between team owner Red Bull and Renault.
Tost is quoted by Italy's Tuttosport: "Carlos has a contract and I do not think Red Bull is planning to let him go, especially considering his development."
He added that Sainz, 22, is now "a professional of the highest level, and in 2017 we need a driver like him.
"Considering all the (rule) changes we will have, it will be essential to have an experienced driver, and ideally two," Tost added.
Sainz's current Toro Rosso teammate is Russian Daniil Kvyat.
09/17/16 (GMM) Both of Toro Rosso's drivers are being linked with a sensational switch to the works Renault team for 2017.
Rumors that team owner Red Bull could 'sell' Carlos Sainz to Renault and get an engine price discount in return have been circulating for some time.
Those rumors are still swirling in the Singapore paddock.
"There are rumors, but if you worried about all the rumors in formula one at this time of the year, I think there would be no time to sleep," Sainz, already under contract to Toro Rosso for 2017, is quoted by Mundo Deportivo newspaper.
Renault's apparent interest in Sainz would be understandable, as he fared well alongside Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso and is now shining with Daniil Kvyat as his new teammate.
Sainz said: "I have the impression that other people think it's easy to beat your teammate and especially if it's Kvyat — but it's not easy."
But Russian Kvyat is also still highly rated by some, and Russian media sources are even linking the beleaguered 22-year-old with Renault for 2017.
However, others believe he is at much greater risk of losing his place in F1 altogether.
"Right now I'm in the formula one paddock and I'm fully focused on my work," Kvyat said in Singapore.
"Of course, life can change in a lot of different ways, but I like what I'm doing now and ideally I would not want to change anything.
"It will depend on how events will unfold," he added.
09/04/16 (GMM) Sergio Perez says his plans for the 2017 season are not quite ready to be revealed.
On Saturday, British television announced at Monza that the Mexican will definitely be staying at Force India next year rather than switching to Renault or Williams.
But official confirmation did not follow.
"What I know is that what happens is what I always wanted," Perez is quoted by the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet.
But, when he was asked after qualifying at Monza if the rumors are true, he added: "Officially nothing is confirmed, but I hope soon to announce everything."
Asked if that means he is staying with Force India, Perez answered: "I see no reason to change, but in this business you never know."
It is believed Lance Stroll, the son of Canadian fashion billionaire Lawrence Stroll, is now in pole for the Williams seat with up to $35m of backing in tow.
09/03/16 This rumor is downgraded to 'false' today. Sergio Perez appeared to confirm paddock speculation that he is to stay at Force India for another season, after he successfully clinched eighth place on the starting grid for this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Although no official announcement has yet been issued, Force India's Otmar Szafnauer had told reporters that the deal to keep Perez at the squad for a fourth season had now been signed.
Asked by Sky Sports F1 whether the deal had indeed been sealed, Perez gave an initially indirect answer before finally conceding that Szafnauer was 'correct' in what he had said.
"I've been saying like for the last month or so that I'm very happy where I am and that I've already made up my mind, so I think what Otmar says is quite correct.
"Our performances this season show that the potential is there, " he added. "It was only the pros and cons with my partners, but Otmar if you said it must be true…"
08/29/16
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| Sergio Perez, has huge check will drive but will he step back to slower team – Renault? |
(GMM) News about Sergio Perez's future may now be imminent.
It has been a hot topic in the F1 paddock recently, after Force India supremo Vijay Mallya said the Mexican has a deal in place for 2017.
Perez, however, is refusing to commit publicly to the Silverstone team, nor refute speculation his Mexican backers could transfer to the works Renault team.
Force India deputy Bob Fernley said at Spa that the team would "very much" like to keep Perez, but acknowledged that his sponsor contracts are "highly sophisticated and complex".
"That's the negotiation process we're under now and I would be very surprised if we're not staying with the two drivers in 2017," he added.
Also linked with a potential move to Renault for 2017 is Williams' Valtteri Bottas, and Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen told the Danish newspaper BT: "Renault is a team with attractive potential.
"But right now Williams, Force India, Toro Rosso and even Haas are quicker," he added.
Perez, meanwhile, indicated that the uncertainty could end shortly.
Asked when news about his future will be known, the 26-year-old said at Spa: "I hope soon — before the start of the races in Asia."
F1's European season ends after Sunday's Italian grand prix at Monza, with the circus then moving on to Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.
08/17/16
(GMM) Sergio Perez has admitted it is possible his powerful Mexican backers will call time on his tenure at Force India at the end of 2016.
Team supremo Vijay Mallya has said both Nico Hulkenberg and his current teammate are definitely staying for 2017, but Mexican Perez has been linked with potential moves to Renault or Williams.
When asked if it is possible he will leave Force India, Perez replied: "Yes."
The 26-year-old is backed by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim and his companies, and he explained: "It's up to me and the group of sponsors.
"If we're moving around teams, we take the decision together with the group of sponsors that I have and that decision has not been taken."
Perez, who has been particularly on form in 2016 with two podiums, is regularly a factor in F1's annual 'silly season', and that is due in part to his powerful backing.
"My deals are not so simple as I have a lot of sponsors that have to do deals and so it takes longer," he admitted.
08/04/16 The rumor to Ferrari is downgraded to 'false' now that Ferrari has re-signed Raikkonen.
07/05/16 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen looks set to keep his place at Ferrari in 2017, according to the latest specialist reports from Italy.
Although other drivers have been linked with the Finn's place, his podium in Austria and Sebastian Vettel's DNF means the pair are now equal on points after 9 races this year.
La Gazzetta dello Sport says Ferrari will take its decision on Raikkonen within the month of July, indicating that it might fall in the 36-year-old's favor.
Ferrari test driver Marc Gene agrees.
"It is likely that Kimi will continue. I believe it anyway, in part because there don't seem to be any clear replacements for him on the market," he told the Spanish broadcaster Movistar.
06/23/16
(GMM) Sergio Perez's bid for a Ferrari race cockpit for 2017 could have got an eight-digit boost.
The Mexican is riding a wave of confidence and form at present after two podiums in the last three races for the little Silverstone-based team Force India.
"He still has the fiery image of a young driver but now we also see he is methodical, calm and able to resist pressure," former F1 driver Franck Montagny told Le Point.
"Now we will have to see if he can resist media pressure too, with these rumors," added the Frenchman.
Indeed, while Ferrari and the 26-year-old have played down the speculation, rumors continue to link Perez with a move to Maranello next year.
Germany's Auto Bild claims that bid could have been boosted even more by his backer, Carlos Slim, who already sponsors Ferrari via Haas driver Esteban Gutierrez.
The report said Slim, who according to Forbes is the world's fourth-richest billionaire, is willing to boost his sponsorship by an eight-digit figure if Perez is chosen to replace Kimi Raikkonen.
As for rumors that Mercedes is also interested in Perez, team boss Toto Wolff said: "That's not true."
06/08/16
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| Kimi Raikkonen |
(GMM) Maurizio Arrivabene has indicated Ferrari intends to keep Kimi Raikkonen at the team beyond 2016.
The 36-year-old Finn's contract is expiring, and names including Nico Rosberg and Daniel Ricciardo have been linked with the seat.
Sebastian Vettel, however, publicly wants Raikkonen to stay.
When asked to name the ideal teammate for German Vettel in 2017, boss Arrivabene answered: "I'll tell you next year.
"We have the ideal pairing, with both of them pushing forward. What more do we want?" he told the Swiss newspaper Blick.
06/06/16 (GMM) Sergio Perez's father has triggered wild speculation about the next high-profile news in formula one.
Ilta Sanomat, a Finnish daily, said it has heard from Mexican sources that Perez's father Antonio has declared that big news is looming ahead of the Canadian grand prix this week.
"It is rumored that (Sergio) Perez could move to Ferrari very soon or later this season, taking Kimi Raikkonen's place," the report declared.
However, Antonio Perez's declarations are more likely to tie in with rumors that the Dutch beer giant Heineken is set to announce a major sponsorship with the F1 group of companies within the next few days.
Force India has been linked with a reported Heineken team sponsorship deal.
Interestingly, Heineken owns 42 per cent of Vijay Mallya's drinks empire United Breweries, with Force India co-owner and boss Mallya's share down to just 32pc.
Heineken said recently it was "following developments" in the Mallya saga, amid the former Indian billionaire's collapsed airline Kingfisher and his legal troubles.
"We have been following developments in the Indian press recently. But we would not comment at this stage," a Heineken spokesperson had said.