There has been speculation this week that Scuderia Toro Rosso driver Brendon Hartley is in danger of losing his F1 seat?
That’s probably true, but in the scheme of things so are a handful of other drivers.
Arguable Hartley is a solid driver and when his car doesn’t let him down, he will keep it on track and finish. However, his major ‘off’ in practice 3 at the Spanish Grand Prix would not have done him any favours with two key resulting consequences – he had to start the race from the back of the grid and as his car required a complete Honda engine change.
Honda now have a dilemma. It’s Hartley’s third MGU-H (an energy recovery system connected to the turbocharger of the engine and converts heat energy from exhaust gases into electrical energy) and turbo of the season after Honda changed both parts after a problem in the Australian Grand Prix and thus guarantees him a grid drop the next time he changes either component. It is believed that Honda are bringing its first major update in time for the Canadian Grand Prix in June which could mean a new MGU-H unit. So, Hartley’s crash has an added complication for the team.
Hartley’s team mate, Pierre Gasly could be described as the younger and ‘better’ driver. His fourth place in Bahrain was a stunner! He’s only finished three times versus Hartley’s four, but he is a class driver. Hartley needs to qualify and finish ahead of Gasly but the next Grand Prix, Monaco, will be difficult for any driver to put on such a performance. Qualifying and racing to some degree is a lottery around the streets of Monaco where history shows any type of upset is on the cards, particularly if there is rain!
But what of the other drivers on the grid who also are under pressure?
Both Sergey Sirotkin (Williams F1) and Romain Grosjean (Haas F1) are the only two drivers on the grid who have failed to score points so far this season.
Sirotkin brings money to Williams F1 so unless there is a better reason to get rid of him, he is likely to stay.
Grosjean is having a run of bad luck in a car that should be one of the ‘best of the rest’ teams. No points and two crashes in the last two races (in fact he has now gone with no points from the last nine Grand Prix). The second crash in Spain has resulted in a three-place grid penalty for spinning across the track after losing control at Turn 3 and taking out Nico Hulkenburg and Pierre Gasly.
Marcus Ericsson (Sauber Ferrari), like Hartley, has scored only once, finishing ninth in Bahrain. Similar to Hartley, his team mate, Charles Leclerc is faring better having had a surprising result at Azerbaijan finishing sixth and then gaining more points in Spain coming home tenth.
With any of these drivers, if they are under threat of losing their seat, who will replace them. A team doesn’t want to jump from the pan into the fire, so to speak. Those that are waiting in the wings (with enough Superlicence points) often have allegiances to specific teams. Choices can be limited, politics and money come into play and arguably the decision can be in the drivers control. If they perform, they will get to stay.
It is not that straight forward and the more time in the seat for Hartley will give him more time to justify his place on the grid.
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