Yea, I think they will go with Colin Herta and one experienced F1 driver with results. That kind of rules out Shumacher and maybe even Magnussen. Someone like Sainz or Russell would be perfect, except I seriously doubt they will be available for Andretti. Fact of the matter, it is going to be another back of the pack team for the first two years.
So yea, likely candidates are Bottas or Perez (both race winners). I doubt Zhou is on the list. Ocon is a possibility, depending on his contact with Haas. There is also a Mexican driver of considerable talent in the Indy Cars series, Pato O'Ward, who is worth considering. I gather he is under contract with McLaren.
Anyhow, I gather seats for 2026 that are not secured are:
1. Alpine-Mercedes: Second seat, but probably Doohan or Colapinto.
2. Both Cadillac-Ferrari seats: Probably Colin Herta and one other.
3. Both Mercedes seats: Most likely Russell and Antonelli, but I gather the team has options (Verstappen?).
4. Red Bull Junior Team: probably Hadjar. Suspect Yuki will be gone if he can find a ride elsewhere.
5. Red Bull-Ford: Second seat, but probably will be retained by Lawson due to a lack of other good options.
Seats that the drivers/teams have the option (and desire?) to leave:
1. Red Bull: Verstappen I gather can leave when he wants. He might.
2. Williams: Sainz has the option to leave when he wants. I gather that would only be for a top four ride, which I don't think is going to show up.
3. Haas: Ocon: Not sure of his contract status. Suspect he has options.
4. Aston-Honda: I gather they can clear a seat if a more attractive option shows up (like Verstappen).
5. Audi: Suspect they are looking for an experienced team leader (like a Sainz) and Bortoleto could be a place holder. It relly depend on how they develop.
In one article Russell was quoted as a potential candidate to lead US team. I am not sure what is Mercedes thinking, but he is not as highly valued as Hamilton was. (Just my feeling.) If he leaves, hard to say who would jump in. Carlos has a contract, and I am not sure if Max is interested.
Russell was never touted as 'one of the greats'. Even in F2 it was Norris who was the designated British favorite alas Russell's consistency prevailed in the end. Right now Antonelli has more hype than Russell ever had and Mercedes could be fine anointing the youngster as future team leader which makes Russell expendable on the long run (I suspect he views himself as outright team leader not just in AKA's rookie season but life can alter every plan after all). So yeah, I can totally envision Russell leaving Mercedes before he even turns 30 yo.
07.04.1968 - Flower of Scotland when will we see your like again? 01.05.1994 - We'll never forget...
Well, we know he was already locked in to the end of 2026 so even if its only a year its end '27, and maybe end '28.
Read elsewhere today he made it onto the highest earners list. Just over $8 million basic wage.... with race wins, podiums, WDC and WCC bonuses he ended up with over $35 million for his accountant to sort out..
According to Forbes, the cost of the team's success came with a hefty bill for McLaren.... they forked out almost $65 million in bonuses between just its two drivers.
EDIT On the Channel 9 TV news they just confirmed Oscar's renewal takes him to end 2028.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
Everso Biggyballies wrote: ↑1 week ago
According to Forbes, the cost of the team's success came with a hefty bill for McLaren.... they forked out almost $65 million in bonuses between just its two drivers.
This is kind of amazing. That looks like sloppy financial management, especially as neither of these drivers were even thinking about leaving McLaren.
I have been watching Netflix's latest season of Drive to Survive. The sense I get from the Netflix show was McLaren believes that Piastri is the real deal and has more potential than Norris. That is at least the picture they gave of what McLaren is thinking.
My sense from watching last season was the Piastri really did not measure up, didn't have the speed, was a long way away from upstaging Norris, and was probably overrated by Renault/McLaren in the dramatic fight to sign him up.
These are two very divergent views. Is he really the next great thing?
Ruslan wrote: ↑1 week ago
The sense I get from the Netflix show was McLaren believes that Piastri is the real deal and has more potential than Norris. That is at least the picture they gave of what McLaren is thinking.
And according to DTS was Max pissed after Lando's maiden win at Miami.
WARNING: real footage
WARNING: real footage
Brian Redman: "Mr. Fangio, how do you come so fast?" "More throttle, less brakes...."
I guess I will do my usual watch the first couple of episodes of the latest DTS to check on what its like but I have never gone back and watched a full series, not even in the off season later. I have not yet felt I am missing out and although it now keeps coming up on my Netflix as something new I need to watch I have yet to get the enthusiasm to click "Watch episode 1". It will happen. Maybe after the weekend.
* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left
“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)
* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
