Wehrlein is 'likely to lose F1 seat'
- Published on 01 Aug 2017 10:59
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- By: Fergal Walsh
Pascal Wehrlein could be set for an F1 exit at the end of the season. According to Germany's Bild, the Sauber driver will have no place to claim a seat in 2018 meaning he is likely to sit on the sidelines and take up a position as Mercedes reserve driver or take a trip to a different racing series.
Over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Sauber announced that it had cancelled the deal with Honda surrounding an engine deal for 2018. Instead, Sauber would stick to Ferrari power which it has run with since the 1997 season.
The deal meant that Sauber would return to up-to-date power, as this year it is running with 2016 engines. Sergio Marchionne, the president of Ferrari, stated that Sauber was to become a junior team for Ferrari, placing one of its junior drivers in the car for 2018.
It is likely then, that either Anontio Giovinazzi or Charles Leclerc will make the full-time move next year with Giovinazzi supposedly the first in line. With Marcus Ericsson's backers financing Sauber, it is highly unlikely that the Swede will lose his seat for 2018.
No seat seems to be available for Wehrelin, and he states there is not much he can do about it: "I have scored all five points," he told Bild, "and in qualifying it is 8:2 for me against Ericsson. What more can I do?"
A return to DTM may be possible as the German won the championship in 2015. However, with Mercedes pulling out of the series after 2018, that deal may not be such a comforting one. Formula E is another possibility for the 22-year-old.
Fergal Walsh
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Replies (13)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
Sadly, it's looking that way. A talented guy with no seat
FatMike
Posts: 153
that would be a real shame. But i guess thats also F1. 40 to 50 of the best racers in the world having to either play the political cards right, bring a big bag of cash or simply be undeniably talented. The latter only achieved by Ocon and Verstappen on the current field of young drivers
krommenaas
Posts: 155
Why do these rich backers always insist on supporting a second rate driver? I just don't get it. What's in it for them?
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
National appeal I guess
mbmwe36
Posts: 533
I almost feel like he's fallen victim to the hype machine. He was seen as the second coming, a super talent etc. - And he has actually done a perfectly serviceable job, every now and then showing amazing skills, but at the end of the day he's been disappointing, because expectations were so high.
I wouldn't mind seeing him sticking around, but it's not easy to see where.
However, if the rumours that 2 new teams will join the fray in 2019 are true, I could see him being in the mix there.
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
How has he been disappointing?
boudy
Posts: 1,168
If he was talented enough he'd be in an Mercedes. The fact that he isn't means that he isn't. Next ....
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
He's talented, just inexperienced. You could use the same argument for Ocon.
boudy
Posts: 1,168
Not really. I believe that ocon was more in the roams of renault. Ocon has been more consistant than him. The experience argument is only used if results do not go the drivers way. Just don't think that he has the capability of the likes of ham, ric or ver.
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
Its hard to tell when he's driving for a backmarker team. But I think it would be heavily unfair on him to lose an f1 future this way because he has shown speed on many occasions
F1racefan97
Posts: 113
If he has the talent then he will be back surely
Orchide
Posts: 82
WEH is an arrogant twat. Happy to see him leave.
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
I hate this idea of so-called 'Junior Teams.' Toro Rosso is a great team, but it's held back in many ways by Red Bull. They even won a race before Red Bull, but it's the junior team. They might get great drivers, but they always move on. It's gotta be a horrible task to work under that kind of a ceiling. Now Sauber? I hope not. Especially to Ferrari whose academy has failed to produced a single notable talent. The most promising thing they had was a driver who never won a single championship 'Jules Biachi.'