Who Will Haas F1 Sign if They Sack One of Their Drivers

It is no secret that the Haas F1 team is not enjoying the best of seasons, both on-track and off it. From being a relatively strong team in the past few seasons, to going right back to square one, it has gone horribly wrong. With their off-track battle with Rich Energy, the situation has spiralled off exponentially.

Now, at the recently concluded British Grand Prix, team boss Guenther Steiner was in an even fouler mood. This was because the team slumped to a double retirement at a stage where getting points was crucial.

Their troubles were compounded when their drivers, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen collided with each other. Magnussen had to pull in to retire after a few laps of limping around. Teammate Grosjean followed him a few laps later.

Their situation is so dire that they are the second-to last team in the championship, only ahead of the struggling Williams F1 on 16 points. They have accumulated 16 points so far and there is a rumor that one driver may be let go for next season.

To that end, It looks increasingly likely Romain Grosjean will be the one to get the boot This is because, he has not scored at all, and he has suffered five retirements, the most out of any driver this season. The question is, who will replace him at the American team and the potential candidates are, Valtteri Bottas, Nico Hulkenberg, Mick Schumacher and Brendon Hartley. The likes of Pietro Fittipaldi and Arjun Maini would have been potential candidates, but the Haas F1 team are not looking at any rookies.

Valtteri Bottas: The Finn is arguably a surprising mention for a seat at the Haas F1 team. However, since Toto Wolff has openly admitted that he will help Valtteri Bottas if Mercedes does not work out, it could be an ominous sign. However, the likelihood of Bottas joining a midfield team from a front-running team is very very low. Especially considering he is performing fairly decently in the W10.

Nico Hulkenberg: For some, this may or may not be a surprising inclusion depending on perspective. Nico Hulkenberg has been around for a very long time and has often been touted as the next rising star in F1. Unfortunately, he has been extremely unlucky on numerous occasions. He even holds the unwanted record of having the most race starts without a podium. If he does move to Haas F1 from Renault, though, the big question will be, can he help the team out of their rut?

Mick Schumacher: Arguably one of the favorites for a seat, the young German will be eager to get his first taste of proper Formula One machinery. He won the FIA Formula 3 championship in 2018 and is currently 14 in the Formula 2 championship. However, with some minor influence by Ferrari, he could have a leg into the Haas F1 team.

Brendon Hartley: The Kiwi driver was let go by the Toro Rosso team after Pierre Gasly’s promotion and Daniil Kvyat and Alex Albon filling up the Toro Rosso seats. Now, Hartley has been let go by the Red Bull program, only to be pounced on by Ferrari. However, at 29, Hartley is not exactly the best choice for Haas F1, unless it is just a short-term solution.