3
A spate of announcements regarding the McLaren-Honda-Toro Rosso-Renault saga is set to begin. Reports over the weekend suggested the meat of the entire complex saga is now on the bones, with McLaren to team up with Renault after splitting with Honda. "The Japanese company has now accepted it is leaving McLaren to supply Toro Rosso from 2018," said the Spanish daily Marca.
Many of the actual contracts will apparently be signed in the coming hours and days, ahead of the Singapore grand prix this weekend. Honda's McLaren split and deal with Toro Rosso, for instance, "will be made public on Wednesday or Thursday", the same sports newspaper added. Marca is following the story closely, as both of F1's Spanish drivers are centrally involved. Satisfied with the Renault engine deal, Fernando Alonso looks set to stay at McLaren, but it is rumoured the British team "has proposed a salary reduction" for the 36-year-old due to the lost millions in Honda backing.
And Carlos Sainz is also part of the whole saga, reportedly as a 'sweetener' as Toro Rosso moves from Renault to Honda power. The 23-year-old is joining Nico Hulkenberg at the works Renault team, with at least a two-year contract that could actually get a head-start from Malaysia next month. "As is his style and the environment he has created, (Red Bull's) Helmut Marko could decide that he does not want to keep Sainz" beyond Singapore, Marca reported.
Red Bull junior Pierre Gasly looks ready to step in, but the Frenchman may have put his foot in it by declaring to the Japanese press that he is looking forward to debuting at Sepang. "I just said I was hoping to drive for (Toro Rosso) soon," he clarified on Twitter. "(I) never mentioned Malaysia. (They are) just twisting my words." (GMM)
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
184,416 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
270,065 comments on McLaren 155 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about McLaren
Replies (3)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
It's really getting quite late.....
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Assuming it will happen.
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
Kvyat is the luckiest guy in this transaction at least in the short term. Because really it should have been him getting the boot out of Toro Rosso. Amazing the Helmut Marko hasn't pulled the trigger yet. Perhaps in keeping with Red Bull tradition, he's waiting for the worst possible moment to cut him loose. Either way, this all sounds like good news to me. Honda stays in Formula 1. Sainz gets a better car which he absolutely deserves. McLaren get a better engine. Alonso stays with McLaren instead of going to Indy or worse Williams. It will be easy news to deliver. Now, knowing Alonso's luck chances are that Honda will be amazing next season