Pascal Wehrlein is to drive for the Sauber F1 Team for the forthcoming 2017 Formula 1 Season alongside Marcus Ericsson, removing him from contention for joining the Mercedes F1 Team for 2017 following the retirement of Nico Rosberg.
Pascal Wehrlein set to partner Marcus Ericsson at Sauber for 2017
One week after winning the Formula 1 World Drivers Championship and finishing second in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, marking the end of the 2016 Formula 1 Season, Nico Rosberg announced his retirement from the sport. In searching for a replacement for Rosberg at Mercedes, it was clear that Wehrlein and Valtterri Bottas were among the favorites to join the team in 2017.
With Wehrlein joining Sauber for 2017, this effectively paves the way to a move to Mercedes for Bottas, with the Finnish driver already leaving Williams for 2017 despite having already signed a contract with the team for this year. Bottas will be replaced by Felipe Massa at the team, who will come out of a short Formula 1 retirement after announcing his departure from the sport at last season’s Italian Grand Prix.
With Wehrlein being set to join the team for 2017 with the remaining details of the contract still to be confirmed, Felipe Nasr has been forced out of the outfit after joining the team for 2017. Currently there remains two vacant positions on the F1 grid for 2017, with both of the seats being at Manor, with the team not confirming either of their drivers as of yet. Names linked to the outfit include Felipe Nasr, Esteban Gutierrez, and their former 2016 driver, Rio Haryanto.
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