Beyond the Flag
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Formula 1: 2019 Silly Season driver lineup prediction

By Asher Fair

SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JULY 01: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes WO9, Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H and Valtteri Bottas driving the (77) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes WO9 (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JULY 01: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes WO9, Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H and Valtteri Bottas driving the (77) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes WO9 (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) /
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NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB14 TAG Heuer leads Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB14 TAG Heuer (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JULY 08: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB14 TAG Heuer leads Daniel Ricciardo of Australia driving the (3) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB14 TAG Heuer (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) /

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Honda

No. 3. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Honda. DANIEL RICCIARDO. #3.

Daniel Ricciardo is widely regarded as the hottest free agent on the driver market, but he will more than likely stay put at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing even with the team switching from Renault engines to Honda engines next season.

The likelihood that one of the two seats currently available at Scuderia Ferrari and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport will go to the 29-year-old Aussie is far less likely now than it was a few months ago, so he has no reason to leave. It remains to be seen how Red Bull Racing will perform as the works Honda team, but staying may be Ricciardo’s best option, and it may pay off for him.

#33. . No. 33. Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, Honda. MAX VERSTAPPEN

Last fall, Max Verstappen became the second driver to sign a contract that extends beyond the conclusion of the 2018 Formula 1 season when he signed a three-year contract to remain with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing until at least the 2020 season.

At just 20 years old, the Dutchman has already earned four victories in his Formula 1 career. All other drivers in Formula 1 history have had just one combined win by the time they turned 22. He has what it takes to win multiple races per season and potentially multiple championships, but he should focus on consistency and staying out of trouble throughout the rest of his current contract with Red Bull Racing.

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