Super Thursday: 'Ferrari, McLaren and Renault present new 2021 driver'

Thursday is an important day for Formula 1 fans. Indeed, there are many news items on the schedule with a transfer from Carlos Sainz to Ferrari, Daniel Ricciardo to McLaren and Fernando Alonso to Renault.

The Formula 1 season of 2020 has yet to start, but the 'Silly Season' has already started this year due to the coronavirus. It must be weird that as a driver you start a season when you already know that you will be leaving at the end of the year. Usually this happens halfway through the year, but during a whole season this can be a strange situation.

Lots of announcements

The question is whether Vettel will respond to a team order every time to help Charles Leclerc. He will leave anyway and with the door locked at McLaren and Renault, the German also seems to have chances at the future Aston Martin and possibly as a replacement for Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes.

Where the future of Vettel still seems uncertain, the future of Sainz and Ricciardo is already almost fixed. According to several sources, Ferrari and McLaren will present their new driver today. Sainz will be the successor of Vettel at Ferrari and Ricciardo will fill his place at McLaren. The place that remains is at Renault.

Returning Alonso

Where Renault blows off the tower with their junior programme, it seems to be going for an experienced driver again. Indeed, a driver who was already retired: Fernando Alonso. Between 2003 and 2009 the Spaniard drove six seasons in front of the French race stable and seems to be returning to Formula 1 after two intervening years.

Whether Renault will announce this on Thursday is not yet clear, but it is a certainty that as a fan you can't skip the news today. It could well be that three or maybe even four new drivers will be announced for the 2021 line-up.