The 2021 Formula 1 driver market er💮upted into life last week with a triple-whammy of announcements that are set to have major ramifications up and down the grid. 

Sebastian Vettel’s 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:unexpected exit from Ferrari paved the way for Carlos Sainz to get his 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:belated chance at✤ a front-running team, while McLaren swiftly acted to ꦡ168澳洲5最新开奖结果:sign cuওrrent Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo as the Spaniard’s replacement alongside Lando Norri🥀s, whoꦕ was also confirmed at the Woking outfit for 2021. 

Vettel’s impending Ferrari departure once his contract at Maranello expires at the end of the 🃏year has blown the driver market wide op✱en in an unlikely twist, and the wider implications of the mutual split have left plenty of unanswered questions in F1’s latest silly season. 

Mercedes or retirement for Vettel? 

Ri꧑cciardo’s quick-fire move to McLaren has left Vettel with seemingly few realistic options if he is to continue his F1 career beyond the end of the 2020 season. 

Red Bull has 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:all but ruled out a revival of th𒉰e partnership that secured four successi🐼ve world championships between 2010 and 2013, leaving the clearest option appearing to come a🤪t Renault. 

However, if reports in Germany are anything to go by, Vettel is said not t✅o be interested in a mov💯e to Enstone and is instead eyeing up any potential opening at Mercedes. 

If the Mercedes avenue fails to open up, then 2020 might just prove to be Vet🍌tel’s swansong in F1 with retirement another likely scenario for the four-time world champion.

What will Mercedes do? 

The Vettel development certainly🌱 adds an extra dimension to ꦫthe situation at Mercedes, which technically has no drivers contracted to contest the 2021 season. 

Lewis Hamilton is expected to remain at Mercedes for 2021 and beyond, having previously 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:distanced himself from speculation linking him with a sensational switch to Ferrari - a door which has now been firmly slammed shut with Sainz’s appointment - 🌞though an official announcement is yet to be made. 

Vettel’s departure perhaps has a bigger bearing on the future of Valtteri Bottas, whose one-year contract extensio𒉰n with Mercedes runs out at the enꦓd of the current campaign. 

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted Mercedes168澳洲5最新开奖结果: "cannot ignore" Vettel’s exit from Ferrari but stressed the German manufacturer remains committed to its 𒁏current drivers. 

In reality, Mercedes is likely 🐈to stick with the safety and security of its current successful combination that has helped it claim all of the w꧟orld championships on offer since Bottas’ arrival in 2017. 

Renault faces a dilemma  

What happens next at Renault remains the biggest que𒈔stion mark left in the 2021 driver market jigsaw puzꦫzle. 

Renault's capture of Ricciardo back in 2018 represented a real statement of intent for the team and the French squad was 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:evidently irked by t♍he loss of the Australian to a midfield rival. As a result, it is left needing to find a new teammate for Esteban Ocon, who was signed on a two-year deal running until the end of 2021. 

Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul previously 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:refused to rule out a move for Vette🍒l, while Fernando Alonso has also been linked with a return to the F1 grid with the team he won his two world champioꦯnships with in 2005 and 2006. 

Alon♎so, who turns ꩵ39 in July, stated he would only be interested in an F1 comeback if he had a chance of competing for world titles, which seems improbable at Renault in the short-term at least. 

Other candidates for Renault might come in the shape of another former driver, Nico Hulkenb𓃲erg, or Bottas, in the unlikely event that Mercedes decides to mix things up with its 2021 line-up. 

Renault could also turn to its young driver programme and promote from within, with highly-ra💟ted prospects Guanyu Zhou and Christian Lundgaard currently competing in Formula 2, though any step up to F1 for the pair w💦ould hinge on them meeting the superlicence points requirement this season. 

And what of the rest of the grid? 

Red Bull only has Max Verstappen contracted to race beyond 2020 with the Dutchman 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:committing his future to the team earlier this year in a deal which runs until 🍨tꦚhe end of 2023. 

Alex Albon is set to embark on his first full-season with the Milton Keynes squad in 2020 an🐷d will more than likely be retained if he can make the necessary improvements on the strong fo🤪undations he laid with a brilliant rookie campaign last year. 

Racing Point will transition into an Aston Martin works effort in 2021 with Sergio Perez spearheading the charge into its exciting new era. Although there has been no official announcement on who will be the Mexican’s teammate, anybody other than Lance Stroll would be a hug𝓰e shock considering his billionaire father owns the team. 

AlphaTauri is happy with its current pairing of Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly, though a game of musical൩ chairs between Red Bull’s fleet of contracted drivers can never be ruled out. Red Bull juniors Juri Vips or Jehan Daruvala would have to have particularly standout seasons in Super Formula and F2 respectively to have a chance at promotion to F1 for 20👍21. 

At Alfa Romeo, 40-yဣear-old Kimi Raikkonen is heading into the final year of his contract and it remains to be seen whether the Finn will want to extend his long tenure in the sport with a lack of real incentive ꩵto continue racing beyond his own enjoyment. 

Antonio Giovianzzi was 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:overlooked for th🧔e Ferrari 2021 seat and is in need of a 🌜performance step up to secure his future at the Swiss squad, with five of the Scuderia’s juniors - including Mick Schumacher and reigning Formula 3 champion Robert Shawrtzman - set to race in F2 this year as they bid to throw their name into the equation for💫 a 2021 F1 drive. 

The Ferrari-affiliated Haas squad could be another landing spot for any of the aforementioned Scuderia 🌠juniors if the American outfit opts to remain in F1 and wants to move away from its unchanged lin🐲e-up consisting of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, who are entering their fourth year together as teammates. 

Williams is unlikel🎃y to make any movement until developmen🏅ts further up the grid take shape. George Russell and F1 debutant Nicholas Latifi are probably a safe bet to continue with the team in 2021 barring any surprises, which might come if Mercedes chooses to promote its leading junior Russell.