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Formula 1: Driver lineup changes from 2019 to 2020

By Asher Fair

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 01: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W10 leads the field at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 01, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 01: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes W10 leads the field at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 01, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) /
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The 2020 Formula 1 driver lineup is slightly different than the 2019 driver lineup. What changed from one season to the next?

The 2019 Formula 1 season came to an end nearly a full month ago with Lewis Hamilton winning yet another Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit, the sixth consecutive victory at the track for Mercedes, to put a stamp on his sixth career championship-winning season, which was his fifth in the last six years and third in a row.

The 2020 season isn’t scheduled to get underway for another two and a half months or so with the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, but the driver lineup for the record-breaking 22-race season has already been confirmed.

From 2018 to 2019, the driver lineup saw quite a few changes. Just eight drivers representing six different teams and only two pairs of teammates stayed put from one year to the next while 12 drivers representing eight teams, including four pairs of teammates, either changed teams or left the sport completely.

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Of these 12 drivers, six changed teams while six left Formula 1, paving the way for six new drivers for the 2019 season. Among these six new drivers were four rookies and two drivers who previously competed in the sport.

But from the 2019 season to the 2020 season, there were nowhere near as many changes in the driver lineup. Eight pairs of teammates are slated to return, including the two pairs that remained the same from 2018 to 2019, and two other drivers are slated to stay put as well.

Nobody is switching teams, although two drivers have left Formula 1 and are set to be replaced. Of the two replacements, one is a rookie and one isn’t, with the one who isn’t a rookie having competed as recently as the 2018 season.

Here is a short rundown of the driver changes from the 2019 season to the 2020 season.

NOTE: (R) means rookie.

Renault

  • IN: Esteban Ocon
  • OUT: Nico Hulkenberg

Williams

  • IN: Nicholas Latifi (R)
  • OUT: Robert Kubica

Next. Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time. dark

With so much continuity in the Formula 1 driver lineup from the 2019 season to the 2020 season, how will the 2020 season play out? The Australian Grand Prix is scheduled to get the 2020 campaign underway on Sunday, March 15.

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