F1: could Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen swap teams in 2021?

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton races against Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the 2019 F1 Monaco GP

published 7 August 2019

2021 swap for Lewis and Max?

Could Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen swap teams for the 2021 Formula 1 season?

F1 mid-season review: no stopping Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari falter, Max powers the Bulls, 2020 grid shapes up

Quoted by F1Sport.it, Terruzzi said on the Pit Talk F1 podcast: “There is valid reasoning that connects Ferrari with this exchange. The fact [is] that Ferrari do not want Hamilton nor Verstappen because it has made a choice on Leclerc.

“If you are convinced that you have a champion [elect] in the team already, supported by a lot of relevant data, you don’t want to add a driver who wishes no.1 status.”

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Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has signed a new deal for 2020

Wolff: Bottas would get a ‘soft landing’

If Valtteri Bottas loses his seat for 2020 he will be given a “soft landing” by Mercedes, RaceFans reports.

The Finn’s position at the Silver Arrows is under threat with Esteban Ocon a possible option for next season.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says whatever decision is made by the team for the 2020 line-up they will assist the driver who misses out.

Wolff said: “We have responsibility for the juniors and for the ones who are in the car with us right now. We’re not going to do anything that is going to make it harder for them.

French F1 driver Pierre Gasly talks with Red Bull Racing consultant Dr Helmut Marko

Gasly must get it together

Red Bull boss Christian Horner says Pierre Gasly will be given the second half of the season to prove himself.

While team-mate Max Verstappen has impressed with race wins in Austria and Germany, French driver Gasly has struggled since stepping up from Toro Rosso.

Urging Gasly to “get it together”, Horner told Sky Sports: “He’s got the second half of the year to really get it together because then they’ll be a lot of pressure on what we do for next year.

“But we’re not looking at replacing him or switching drivers around, it’s really in his court now to get it together and build on some of the promise we have seen flashes of. He just needs to put it together more consistently.

Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner with drivers Romain Grosjean (left) and Kevin Magnussen (right)

2020 grid: confirmed drivers so far

The summer break marks the peak time in the F1 silly season with driver rumours, team fall-outs and contract negotiations hogging the headlines.

There’s been plenty of speculation about Valtteri Bottas’s future at Mercedes and Pierre Gasly’s fortunes at Red Bull. The prospects of Haas duo Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean has also been a big talking point for fans, as has Nico Hulkenberg’s future at Renault.

Planet F1 has taken a look at which drivers have their spots for 2020 and which teams are still yet to confirm their line-ups.

Mercedes