Formula 1: 2018 full-time drivers not returning full-time in 2019
By Asher Fair
Several changes have been made to the Formula 1 driver lineup from the 2018 season to the 2019 season. Which drivers from 2018 will not be returning in 2019?
All 20 of the drivers who competed in any races throughout the 2018 Formula 1 season competed in all 21 of the season’s races. However, only eight of these drivers are set to drive for the same teams in the 2019 season for which they drove in the 2018 season.
Meanwhile, the other 12 seats on the grid are set to be occupied by different drivers. Only six of these 12 drivers competed in Formula 1 in the 2018 season, meaning that the other six of them are new additions to the grid.
This also means that six of the 20 drivers who competed in the 2018 season are not set to compete in the 2019 season. Here is a list of these six drivers, in alphabetical order.
Fernando Alonso
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Fernando Alonso retired from Formula 1 following the conclusion of the 2018 season, which was his 17th season in the sport and his fifth season driving for McLaren. The two-time champion retired having earned 32 victories and 97 podium finishes, two totals that rank sixth on the all-time wins list and podiums list, respectively. Carlos Sainz Jr. is set to replace him in the 2019 season.
Meanwhile, Alonso is set to drive for McLaren Racing in the 2019 Indianapolis 500 in his pursuit of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, and he is set to continue to drive for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the World Endurance Championship.
Brendon Hartley
The 2018 season was Brendon Hartley’s first season competing in Formula 1. He drove for Scuderia Toro Rosso and recorded a top finish of ninth place in the United States Grand Prix, which was one of only three races that resulted in him scoring any points. He finished in 10th in the other two and finished in 19th place in the driver standings with just four points. Alexander Albon is set to replace him in the 2019 season.
Marcus Ericsson
The 2018 season was Marcus Ericsson’s fifth season competing in Formula 1, and it was his fourth season driving for Sauber (now Alfa Romeo Racing). He recorded a career-high six top 10 finishes and finished in a career-high 17th place finish in the driver standings by tying his career-high of nine points, but he is set to be replaced by Kimi Raikkonen* in the 2019 season. Instead of competing in Formula 1, he is driving for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in IndyCar.
* = While Raikkonen was announced as one of Alfa Romeo Racing’s drivers for the 2019 season just minutes before it was announced that Sauber’s Charles Leclerc would replace him at Ferrari in 2019, he is considered Ericsson’s replacement because of the fact that Ferrari have the right to choose one of Alfa Romeo Racing’s two drivers per the Swiss team’s title sponsorship deal with Alfa Romeo. Leclerc was Ferrari’s pick for Sauber for the 2018 season while Ericsson was Sauber’s pick. For the 2019 season, Raikkonen is Alfa Romeo Racing’s pick while Antonio Giovinazzi is Ferrari’s pick, which is why Ericsson is technically set to be replaced by Raikkonen.
Esteban Ocon
The 2018 season was Esteban Ocon’s third overall season and second full season competing in Formula 1, and it was his second season driving for Racing Point (formerly Force India). He only lost his ride because of the fact that billionaire Canadian investor Lawrence Stroll led a consortium that purchased the team and subsequently changed their name. Stroll replaced Ocon with his son, Lance, in the team’s driver lineup for the 2019 season.
Ocon is set to be the reserve and test driver for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport in the 2019 season, and many people believe that he will return to Formula 1 in the 2020 season as the replacement for Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes.
Sergey Sirotkin
The 2018 season was Sergey Sirotkin’s first season competing in Formula 1. He drove for Williams Martini Racing and recorded a top finish of 10th place in the Italian Grand Prix, which was the only race that resulted in him scoring any points. He finished in 20th (last) place in the driver standings with just one point and is set to be replaced by Robert Kubica in the 2019 season.
Stoffel Vandoorne
The 2018 season was Stoffel Vandoorne’s third overall season and second full season competing in Formula 1. He had a disappointing season that resulted in him finishing in 16th place in the driver standings, which is where he finished in the 2017 season.
He did so by scoring only 12 points, which was lower than his point total of 13 in the 2017 season, and he failed to match his career-high finish of seventh place, as his best finishes of the season were his eighth place finishes in the Bahrain Grand Prix in the Mexican Grand Prix. He is set to be replaced by Lando Norris in the 2019 season. Instead of competing in Formula 1, he driving for HWA Racelab in Formula E.
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This Sunday, March 17 is when the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 season is scheduled to get underway. It is set to do so from Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, Australia with the Australian Grand Prix. Be sure not to miss this race, and be sure not to miss any of the other 20 races on this year’s schedule, which you can see here, either.