Just as we thought that the drive lineups for 2017 we falling into place, there could be quite a bit of shuffling around during the winter break, as the entire Formula One community begs the question: who will replace Nico Rosberg on Mercedes?
Up until the week following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, only Manor and one half of the Sauber team had yet to confirm their drivers for the upcoming season. However, the surprise retirement of World Drivers’ Champion Nico Rosberg shocked the entire Formula One world, leaving a vacant seat on the team that has dominated Formula One for the past three seasons. Understandably, a chance to drive with the top team in Formula One is an opportunity that many drivers will dive at, Mercedes’ driver decision could create a headache for many of the other teams on the grid.
Early favourite for the opening was Pascal Wehrlein, as he is backed by Mercedes and has showed some promise at Manor in 2016. It’s likely that he will be replaced at Manor by a pay driver for 2017, which is why he was in talks with Sauber to take over Felipe Nasr’s seat. This, along with some reported sponsorship issues with Nasr, is the reason that Sauber has yet to release their full driver lineup, having only confirmed Marcus Ericsson for next season.
Although Wehrlein was an early favourite, it has emerged that the team is looking at drivers with more experience and better performance. Reports have entered the media, suggesting that Mercedes has been in contact with Valtteri Bottas, in an attempt to recruit him to the Brackley-based team. The Williams driver is currently set to drive alongside Canadian Formula One rookie, Lance Stroll, for the 2017 season.
No official confirmation from either team has been released, although it is believed that Williams will not let Bottas go easy. With the upcoming 2017 rule changes just around the corner, an experienced driver is vital in car development because they are more able to provide valuable feedback on the car than someone new to the feel of a Formula One car. Bottas would also be instrumental to mentoring Stroll.
If Bottas were to make a team change, this could start a chain reaction further down the grid, as drivers lunge at the newly open seat at Williams. This could put Wehrlein in the Williams and Nasr in the Sauber, or vice versa. Esteban Gutiérrez is also in the mix, likely linked to a Manor seat, although he could return to Sauber, a team for which he has raced for in the past.
It seems likely that, unless there is a driver announcement sometime this week, we will be waiting until the new year to find out which driver will be joining the Silver Arrows on their 2017 campaign.
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