Formula 1: Haas to completely overhaul 2021 driver lineup

With Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen out, Haas are set to completely overhaul their Formula 1 driver lineup for 2021.

Since Haas began competing in Formula 1 in 2016, Romain Grosjean has been one of their two drivers every year. He began competing alongside Esteban Gutierrez, who was replaced after the 2016 season by Kevin Magnussen.

Grosjean and Magnussen have been together with the sport’s lone American team ever since, and no two teammates on the current grid have been together longer.

Only two pairs of teammates, the Haas pair and the Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, have been together since before the 2019 season began. Those two duos have been together since the 2017 season began.

But Haas will not continue with Grosjean nor Magnussen in the 2021 season, the team confirmed Thursday.

Here is what team principal Guenther Steiner had to say about releasing Grosjean and Magnussen after the 2020 season.

"“We have a lot of good memories together – in particular our 2018 season when we finished fifth in the standings in only our third season. Romain and Kevin played a significant part in that success.“Of course, there is still plenty of racing left in the 2020 season. It’s been a challenging year, no doubt about that, but both drivers have given their all behind the wheel of the VF-20. We value their inputs and experience to keep pushing the team forward through to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.”"

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As for which drivers will be a part of the team’s lineup overhaul, there has not yet been any news. However, the most likely scenario involves the team securing the services of a veteran, perhaps Sergio Perez or Nick Hulkenberg, and pairing that veteran with a rookie.

Ferrari Driver Academy members Mick Schumacher, Callum Ilott and Robert Shazrtman, all of whom currently compete in Formula 2, all have to be considered options here, as would Haas reserve and test drivers Pietro Fittipaldi and Louis Deletraz, the latter of whom also currently competes in Formula 2.

Formula 2 driver Nikita Mazepin also has substantial financial backing and may be hard to pass up, especially if they can’t sign Perez and secure the sponsor money that would come with that deal.

Haas have not announced a timetable on their 2021 driver lineup announcement, but Steiner has said that “anything is possible”.