With no drivers under contract yet for the 2019 Formula 1 season, which two drivers will Scuderia Toro Rosso sign for next year?
Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team, currently do not have any drivers under contract for the 2019 Formula 1 season. Of the team’s current two drivers, rookies Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley, only Gasly has a contract to drive for any team next year, and he did not re-sign with the Faenza-based team.
After current Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo made a shocking decision to sign a two-year contract to drive for Renault Sport as Carlos Sainz Jr.’s replacement beginning next season, current Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly became the favorite to sign with Red Bull Racing to become Max Verstappen’s teammate.
That is exactly what the 22-year-old Frenchman decided to do.
With Toro Rosso having tried to replace the struggling Hartley, who currently sits in 19th place in the driver standings with just two points as a result of two 10th place finishes, with McLaren reserve driver Lando Norris earlier this year only to have McLaren block the deal, it was believed that the 18-year-old Briton could potentially drive for the team on loan from McLaren next year.
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However, with McLaren and Stoffel Vandoorne parting ways, the Woking-based team decided that Norris, who currently drives full-time for Carlin in Formula 2 and sits in second place in the driver standings, would be his replacement, meaning that he will not drive for Toro Rosso in 2019.
So which two drivers will make up Toro Rosso’s 2019 driver lineup?
Another driver with whom Toro Rosso attempted to replace Hartley this year is current Formula 3 driver standings leader Dan Ticktum. However, they were unable to do so because of the fact that the Motopark driver was not even permitted to test for the team until after the Hungarian Grand Prix due to rules pertaining to his FIA Super Licence.
However, at this point, it appears likely that the 19-year-old Briton will land with Toro Rosso next year as either the replacement for Gasly or Hartley. He will likely end up replacing Gasly simply because Gasly’s current seat has been confirmed as open for next year while Hartley’s has not.
Who, if anyone, will replace Hartley, or will the 28-year-old Kiwi return for his second full season in the sport next year?
Given the fact that Toro Rosso tried to replace Hartley on multiple occasions this year, it would hard to believe that there are no other drivers out there who they would rather sign than him.
Vandoorne is one driver who could be in the mix for Toro Rosso to sign given the fact that he is the driver who Norris is set to replace at McLaren, meaning he does not currently have a ride lined up for next year.
A driver who has been trying to make a return to Formula 1 is Robert Kubica, the 33-year-old Pole who last competed in the sport in the 2010 season. He is a very talented driver who won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix and finished in as high as fourth place (2008 season) in his four seasons as full-time driver. He currently test drives for Williams Martini Racing and could certainly be in the mix for Toro Rosso to sign.
Mercedes junior driver George Russell, the current leader of the Formula 2 driver standings, is another driver who Toro Rosso could consider signing for next year. Mercedes would be better off loaning the 20-year-old Briton to the Italian team than letting him sign with Williams.
Williams have been the slowest team in Formula 1 so far this year, and they will likely be the only Mercedes-powered team with a seat open next year since the factory Mercedes team have no open seats for 2019 and Racing Point Force India, the other Mercedes-powered team, likely won’t have any, either.
Which two drivers will drive for Toro Rosso in the 2019 Formula 1 season? Will Brendon Hartley be replaced? If so, who will replace him? Who will replace Pierre Gasly?