![]() (Image: 2020 Getty Images) Red Bull: Max Verstappen, Sergio PerezĪlex Albon failed to make an impact alongside Max Verstappen with Red Bull last year after replacing the ailing Pierre Gasly midway through the 2019 season. ![]() Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas, who finished second in last year’s championship, will return for his fifth season with the team.į1 champion Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton is still expected to re-sign with Mercedes, however, though George Russell, who impressed in his stead at the Sakhir Grand Prix, is on standby should contract talks break down. Lewis Hamilton may have sauntered through the 2020 season, equalling Michael Schumacher’s seven world titles and surpassing his 91 race wins in the process, but he is yet to sign a new contract with Mercedes for the 2021 season, meaning the seat is officially vacant. ![]() Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas, Vacant (Lewis Hamilton) Here is what we know now of the full driver line-up for the 2021 season. The delay has caused a significant change in the driver line-up for 2021, with a slew of big names embarking on new challenges with new teams. However, the coronavirus pandemic delayed plans for another season as manufacturers’ factories were closed during lockdown and there was little time to prepare a dramatic new design as a result. The 2021 campaign was set to be a game-changing year, with owners Liberty Media planning to implement a slew of rule changes to provide more equity and sustainability to the sport. The rebrand to Alpine followed and, while the team finished P5 once again in the Constructors' standings, Team Enstone finally got a monkey off their backs by Ocon taking a brilliant victory in mixed conditions in Hungary, aided by Alonso's superb defending against a charging Lewis Hamilton.Īlonso would see himself back on the Formula 1 podium for the first time since 2013, too, by taking a deserved P3 in the sport's first visit to Qatar later in the year.Īs for what happens next, 'El Plan' is certainly to see the team get back to the front and, potentially, enable Alonso to chase a third World title.The 2021 Formula 1 season is set to commence in a little over two months. It wasn't enough to keep Ricciardo for 2021, but in his place Renault got their two-time World Champion Alonso back for a third stint with the team, while they also got a new identity. However, after more than doubling their 2019 tally, finally Renault had taken that big step forward. Renault would come out on the losing end of a very tight battle for P3, ultimately ending the campaign P5 in the Constructors' Championship. Ricciardo would end Renault's wait for a podium since returning to Formula 1 with P3 at the Eifel and Emilia Romagna GPs, while Ocon lifted the mounting pressure on himself with P2 at the Sakhir Grand Prix. However, for every step forward Renault took on the race track, it seemed to be followed by one back.Ģ020 though brought a change of line-up with Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon flying the flag for Renault, and with it came a change in fortune. There were signs of improvement in 2019 with Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg fourth and fifth at the Italian GP. Piquet Jr spilled the beans when he lost his drive, resulting in a PR nightmare for Renault and the banning of Briatore in what became known infamously as "Crashgate".Ģ008 marked Renault's final year as F1 race winners with Alonso also taking P1 at Suzuka later in the season.Īfter several barren years, the team was eventually sold to Lotus, who ran it from 2012 to 2015, before Renault bought it back in the hope of repeating past glory. The Spaniard returned in 2008, playing a role in Renault's most controversial moment in Formula1.Īlthough not known at the time, Alonso won the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix when his then team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr was ordered to crash his car thus helping his team-mate to the win. There was a repeat performance the following season before Alonso left and Renault had a winless 2007 campaign. Three years later Renault won the first of two World titles with Fernando Alonso taking the Drivers' crown while, together with Giancarlo Fisichella, they also wrapped up the Constructors'. Rebranding the Benetton team with Flavio Briatore at the helm, the team had a successful debut campaign as it finished fourth in the championship. Having been an engine manufacturer in the late 1970s to the mid-'80s, Renault finally took the plunge and entered Formula 1 as a works team in 2002. In and out of Formula 1 since 2002, at least as a works team, Renault hoped a change of name to Alpine - Renault's sports car brand - will help them find their feet again, and it partially paid dividends in 2021.
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