Williams 2018 seat shortlist down to three names
Williams has slimmed its shortlist of drivers to partner Lance Stroll for the 2018 Formula 1 season down to three drivers, Motorsport.com understands.
Formula 1 2018
The 2018 Formula 1 World Championship is the 69th season of the world’s leading open-wheel single-seater series. Sanctioned by the sport’s governing body, the FIA, its 10 teams and 20 drivers will compete in 21 Grands Prix around the world, beginning in Australia on March 25 and ending in Abu Dhabi on November 25. <p>The French Grand Prix, at Circuit Paul Ricard, returns to the calendar for the first time since 2008. The German Grand Prix, at Hockenheim, reappears after a one-year absence. The Malaysian Grand Prix, run since 1999 at Sepang, has dropped off the 2018 calendar.</p> <p>The main technical change for the new season is the adoption of the Halo cockpit protection system to all cars.</p>
Williams has become the most coveted seat left on the F1 grid for 2018, with the team having received enquiries from several drivers and made its own contact with others.
But it is now focusing on Robert Kubica, current driver Felipe Massa and reserve Paul di Resta.
During the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, it emerged Kubica is set to test a 2014-spec F1 car in the coming weeks so Williams can evaluate whether his return is feasible.
Renault ran Kubica in a private test and then for a day in the post-Hungarian Grand Prix test as it evaluated fielding him alongside Nico Hulkenberg in 2018.
But Renault ran out of time to do further testing when Carlos Sainz, who the team had chased since last year, became available as part of the McLaren-Renault/Toro Rosso-Honda engine deal.
Williams is now picking up the baton to continue the evaluation of Kubica and has the time and car available in which to do it.
Massa is in contention to stay on, with the team grateful for him stepping in to replace Valtteri Bottas at late notice and scoring consistent points.
Di Resta has been pushing for a return to a race seat for the first time since the 2013 Brazilian GP after standing in for Massa in Hungary.
Sources suggest Williams is in no rush to make a final decision given it is in a strong position regarding a lack of vacancies elsewhere.
The outfit is believed to have contacted Fernando Alonso about a drive, but the Spaniard is set to re-sign with McLaren, after the outfit swapped Honda for Renault power.
It had also targeted Sergio Perez, but it is understood he decided it was too much of a risk, knowing a good season in 2018 was important to his chances of joining a top team in the subsequent year.
Marcus Ericsson and Jolyon Palmer are interested in the seat, but it is believed a move for either is highly unlikely.
As Williams ideally needs one of its drivers to be over the age of 25 as part of its arrangement with title sponsor alcohol brand Martini, Mercedes protege Pascal Wehrlein is not currently on its agenda.
Share Or Save This Story
Rowland to test Super Formula car this month
Sirotkin, Stroll to have two race engineers each
Hamilton "sacrifice" saved Mercedes an hour of testing
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Defendant ordered to pay £250,000 legal fees in Felipe Massa F1 title case
Felipe Massa’s F1 2008 lawsuit will proceed to trial
Has George Russell hit his stride too late? 'With this form I would have been in the fight'
F1 pundit slams Franco Colapinto's "outrageous" Baku crash but rejects Lando Norris's race ban call
How an “informed gamble” enabled Toyota to beat Alpine in the Fuji 6 Hours
Sebastian Vettel gives update on F1 future as he opens up on life after retirement
Why Mercedes is still quicker than McLaren
Baku late-race chaos almost costs George Russell victory over Max Verstappen
How George Russell claimed his career-best pole margin in F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying
How the chase to catch Mercedes is unfolding
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments