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Formula One: Which drivers will drive for Mercedes and Ferrari in 2019?

By Asher Fair

MONTMELO, SPAIN - MAY 14: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 leads Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track during the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya on May 14, 2017 in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
MONTMELO, SPAIN - MAY 14: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 leads Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track during the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya on May 14, 2017 in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) /
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SUZUKA, JAPAN – OCTOBER 07: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer leads Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
SUZUKA, JAPAN – OCTOBER 07: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer leads Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images) /

Which drivers could move to Mercedes or Ferrari in 2019?

With the possibility of multiple seats open at Mercedes and Ferrari in the 2019 season, this has caused a lot of speculation as to which drivers will fill those seats. This speculation has now been going on for a few months even though the start of the 2019 season is still nearly one and a half years away.

While there are certainly more than two drivers that would have a chance to move to Mercedes or Ferrari in the 2019 season should there be an open seat or seats, two drivers stand out. Those two drivers are the two current Red Bull Racing:Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.

Verstappen and Ricciardo are already widely considered the most talented drivers currently in the sport. However, Red Bull Racing has not given the the consistent speed and reliability that they need to contend for championships, and both drivers are eager to move on to greener pastures because of it.

As far as seats actually being open at Mercedes and Ferrari in 2019, that obviously remains to be seen. Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have yet to agree to a contract extension past 2018, but it doesn’t mean it won’t happen; after all, he is still just 32 years old and is already one of the greatest drivers of all-time. Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel recently agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2020 season, so his seat will likely not be open in 2019.

Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen also recently agreed to one-year deals with Mercedes and Ferrari, respectively, that keep them in their current seats through the 2018 season, but no longer. That’s not to say they won’t stay longer, but it is to say that the uncertainty beyond the 2018 season is massive.

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