Silly season in F1 is typically something to look forward to. The driver market really opens up late June to August, and drivers get swapped around, some drivers get dropped (and somehow have to finish an entire second half of the season knowing they're fired and may never drive again) and even well known personnel like team principals and heads of engineering can get shuffled.
This however, did not happen, at least with the drivers, in 2023. We got the literal same exact grid line up with Sargeant being the last announced. Then before the 2024 season could even begin, we learned LeClerc and Norris had already locked themselves down to their respective teams for at least another year plus. We were BORED as fans. Change is what literally makes this sport interesting, be it the car or the persons working and driving.
Then the news of all news happened. No, not F1 rights holders being idiots who told Andretti he would not add value to the sport with a new team. This was about money and ego by the way, always is, not some BS one tiny meeting he didn't attend. F1 title holders can also charge a mere 600 million vs current 200 million f he comes in in 2028 with the backing of GM? unless he buys out Audi/Sauber. Boop. No, this wasn't about Christian Horner allegedly doing or writing something inappropriate to a female staffer. No, not DTS star Guenther Steiner being ousted from HAAS (can you hear Schumacher cackling in the background). OH NO, it was the news that Lewis Hamilton was dropping his long time winning team, Mercedes, to defect to Ferrari for the 2025 season, an entire year away!
I nearly spat out my water. We've heard of alleged moves for years now, same thing with Lando, and it just never happens, so of course, I thought this was a hoax, but two seconds of Googling later, it was confirmed by reputable F1 websites. It was the Piastri affect in the best way. When Piastri said he was not driving for Alpine, the internet had a literal melt down, but this was like that melt down exploded, threw itself against another wall, and exploded again.
Bye bye Carlos, we hardly knew you, and hello Lewis! This meant, under no circumstances, would F1 have a boring Silly Season for 2024 because that Mercedes seat is all but gold (or maybe now an off colored silver), and with Red Bull seemingly wanting not wanting and wanting to fire Checo and free up that seat for...Daniel? Lawson? Albon? Rookie? fans cannot wait to see what will happen.
Currently, there are now 13 drivers that will be out of contract at the end of 2024...I say 13, because Lance Strulovitch (actual birth name), has a magical, "Daddy owns the team contract that lets him drive indefinitely." Thirteen. That's more than half the grid that will be clawing for a seat and someone in that fight will get burned much the way of Carlos whom Ferrari suspiciously refused to sign a contract with despite him winning the ONLY race against Max in 2023 with that most genius tow of his former teammate, and filing the paperwork prior to the 2024 season (now we know why).
Who do you want to see stay or go? Who do you think will get to move up the ranks to the top of the grid teams? Can't wait. Let the shenanigans begin!
What Girls & Guys Said
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2Opinion
always they got sth going on
such headache
I only watch to see the racing cars
dont care about names
With Lewis Hamilton, this should come as no surprise as all the best drivers end up driving for them in the end. Ayrton Senna didn't only because he died.
Ayrton Senna was killed in 1994, I believe.
@handsomelad70 That is correct
Figured it was 1994.
@handsomelad70 yep 20 years ago nest month
At which Grand Prix?
@handsomelad70 The San Marino Grand Prix, it would have to be in Italy. There is such a thing called an Italian jinx in F1. He was being chased by Michael Schumacher at the time, who then went on to dominate for Ferrari. If you are an F! fan it makes you wonder how things would have panned at had Senna not died
Was Michael Schumaker seriously injured in the San Marino Grand Prix?
@handsomelad70 No he never crashed, only Senna did.
Oh, right, wasn't Schumacher in a skiing mishap?
@handsomelad70 Yes just over ten years ago, never been the same again
Lance Stoll is a fellow Canadian lad.