Formula 1: Which drivers will drive for which teams in 2019?

McLaren, Renault

Esteban Ocon had been widely rumored to be Carlos Sainz Jr.’s replacement at Renault since Sainz Jr. is driving for Renault on loan from Red Bull Racing and Red Bull Racing are set to switch from Renault engines to Honda engines starting next season.

As a result, it was speculated that Sainz Jr. would leave the French team and either return to Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, or replace Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull Racing assuming Ricciardo left to drive for either Mercedes or Ferrari.

Sainz Jr. and Ricciardo are both set to leave their respective teams, but because Ricciardo is set to replace Sainz Jr. at Renault, there are no seats open at the team for Ocon. With McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne having underperformed throughout the season, it is likely that the 21-year-old Frenchman will be his replacement in 2019.

Carlos Sainz Jr., who is in his first full season driving for Renault after driving for the team in the final four races of the 2017 season as the replacement for Jolyon Palmer, has already signed a two-year contract to drive for McLaren starting in 2019.

Shortly after two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, who currently drives for McLaren, announced that the 2018 season will be his final season as a Formula 1 driver, the 23-year-old Spaniard was confirmed as the replacement driver for his fellow countryman before he signed his new contract.