Discover the line-up for the 2019 season

The Formula 1 have definitively stopped their engine for the year 2018 after the Abu Dhabi tests earlier this week. All eyes are already turning towards the upcoming campaign, and the starting grid promises to be profoundly reworked compared to what spectators have observed this season.

Only two teams are renewing their driver duo this winter : Mercedes (With Lewis Hamilton et Valtteri Bottas) and Haas (with Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen). The eight other groups are changing their line-up!

There are no less than nine of them changing stands. The biggest promotions concern Charles Leclerc, who arrives at Ferrari after a year at Sauber. Pierre Gasly is not left out with a seat at Red Bull thanks to his performances with Toro Rosso. The Monegasque and the Frenchman replace Kimi Räikkönen and Daniel Ricciardo, who will try to bring in second curtain teams (Sauber and Renault) towards the podium.

Familiar faces in strange places – day one of testing in Abu Dhabi gave a glimpse of the grid in 2019 #F1Testing #F1 pic.twitter.com/Vq3TL6bPDK

- Formula 1 (@ F1) November 27, 2018

We also count three beginners, which all come from the final podium of the Formula 2 : George Russell (Williams), Alexander albon (Toro Rosso) and Lando Norris (McLaren). This is a first since 2010Where Nico Hulkenberg, Vitaly Petrov and Lucas di Grassi took the next step after the GP2 Series.

Rare element, three drivers absent in 2018 will return to F1. After a break of seven years linked to his terrible accident rally, Robert Kubica made a heroic comeback at Williams. Also damaged psychologically by the unequal attitude of Red Bull in his regard, Daniil Kvyat leaves for a tour with Toro Rosso. The Russian was unceremoniously ousted at the end of 2017.

The case of 2 GP2015 Series runner-up Antonio Giovinazzi is interesting. If he took part in two races at the start of the 2017 season with Sauber (replacing Pascal Wehrlein) is also one of the “returners” because the Italian took part in the first two events of the 2017 calendar without benefiting from the status of holder.

Finally, as of November 29, there is only one remaining slot officially to be filled. We're not going to hide it, the position of second Force India driver should in all likelihood go to Lance stroll, his father having bought the team this summer.

F1 2019 grid
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton – Valtteri Bottas
Ferrari : Sebastian Vettel –Charles Leclerc
Red Bull : Max Verstappen - Pierre Gasly
Renault : Daniel Ricciardo – Nico Hülkenberg
Haas: Romain Grosjean - Kevin Magnussen
Racing Point Force India: Sergio Pérez – Lance Stroll
McLaren: Carlos Sainz Jr – Lando Norris
Toro Rosso: Daniil Kvyat – Alexander Albon
Sauber: Kimi Räikkönen – Antonio Giovinazzi