P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Will the 2025 F1 driver silly season see "chaos"?
Esteban Ocon strongly believes that Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for next season has opened up a prime seat at Mercedes, catching most of the paddock by surprise. With only seven of the 20 seats filled beyond this season, the F1 driver market is still wide open. Teams such as McLaren and Ferrari have secured drivers not only for 2025, but also into the era of new regulations starting the following year.
Max Verstappen at Red Bull and George Russell at Mercedes are among the few drivers with confirmed contracts extending beyond this season. Lance Stroll is expected to remain with Aston Martin, though not officially confirmed. Despite 13 vacancies for 2025, it remains uncertain when the driver market will see significant movement.
There are contrasting perspectives on the pace of market activity; some anticipate rapid movements, while others foresee a more cautious approach due to the abundance of available top drivers. Mercedes is monitoring their protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli for a potential F1 race seat in the future, possibly at Williams. Red Bull’s second seat is highly coveted, with Sergio Perez aiming to retain it, while options like Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson are being considered.
Aston Martin aims to retain Fernando Alonso, making his seat seemingly off-limits for other drivers. Despite the uncertainty surrounding top seats, it is evident that the driver market is poised for intriguing developments in the near future.
