Reports have emerged stating that Carlos Sainz has a provisional deal with Renault for 2018 and maybe even part of 2017 under certain circumstances. The move could trigger major changes in the grid, not only to drivers, but also engine suppliers.
The switch has not yet been confirmed by Renault or Toro Rosso, but Sainz will be moving to Renault in 2018 to replace Jolyon Palmer. Palmer has underperformed during his time in Formula One and has been regarded as a pretty disappoint one, so it’s a well-known fact that the Brit has been on the chopping block for quite some time now.
With little room for growth in the Red Bull franchise, it’s perfectly logical for Sainz to move away from Toro Rosso, as I explained in my article early last month. However, rumors suggest that Sainz has been given to Renault by Toro Rosso in exchange for allowing the Red Bull junior team to terminate their contract with Renault for engine supply prematurely.
Why would Toro Rosso want to do this? To switch the Honda engines. With McLaren likely dumping the Japanese supplier at the end of the season and the Sauber deal having already been cancelled, Honda is desperate to find a team that can help them keep their Formula One dream alive. That team is reportedly Toro Rosso.
That would, of course, allow McLaren to grad Renault power units for 2018. The French supplier previously said that they were not interested in another customer team, but with Toro Rosso out of the equation, the deal would be almost guaranteed.
Looking at the drivers, Sainz’s Renault move likely leaves Palmer out of a seat for 2018, with no major openings or teams that would be willing to contract him. As for the empty seat left on Toro Rosso, no driver has been named at this time, although Pierre Gasly is a heavy favourite.
However, the driver swap could happen much sooner than the end of the season, with some reports suggesting as soon as the Malaysian Grand Prix. A sudden change like this would pretty much guarantee Gasly the seat for at least the rest of the season.
