2019 Formula One World Championship (Alt)

This is a fictional account of an alternative version of the 2019 F1 season. For the real 2019 season, see the 2019 Formula One World Championship

The **2019 FIA Formula One World Championship** was the motor racing championship for Formula One cars which marked the 70th running of the Formula One World Championship. It is recognised by the governing body of international motorsport, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. Starting in March and ending in December, the championship was contested over twenty-one Grands Prix. Drivers competed for the title of World Drivers' Champion, and teams for the title of World Constructors' Champion. The 2019 championship also saw the running of the 1000th World Championship race, the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix.

## Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers took part in the 2019 season. Teams competed with tyres supplied by Pirelli.

### Free practice drivers

Across the season, two drivers drove as a test or third driver in free practice sessions. Nicholas Latifi drove for Williams at six Grands Prix, while Naoki Yamamoto drove for Toro Rosso at the Japanese Grand Prix.

### Team changes

**Red Bull: Tag Heuer -> Honda.** Red Bull Racing ended its twelve-year partnership with Renault and switched to Honda engines. In doing so, Red Bull Racing joined sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso in using Honda power after the latter joined the Japanese manufacturer in 2018. Neither team is recognised as Honda's official factory team under the terms of the agreement.

**Force India -> Aston Martin.** Due to financial difficulties, Force India was purchased by Lawrence Stroll and renamed Aston Martin, due to Stroll owning a stake in the company.

### Driver changes

**Daniel Ricciardo: Red Bull -> Renault.** Daniel Ricciardo moved to Renault after five years with Red Bull Racing, replacing Robert Kubica.

**Pierre Gasly: Toro Rosso -> Red Bull.** Ricciardo's drive at Red Bull Racing was taken by Pierre Gasly, who was promoted from Scuderia Toro Rosso, the team with whom he made his first Formula One start in 2017.

**Daniil Kvyat & Alexander Albon -> Toro Rosso.** Daniil Kvyat rejoined Toro Rosso after last racing for the team in 2017. He was partnered with Formula 2 driver Alexander Albon, who replaced Carlos Sainz Jr. Albon subsequently became only the second Thai driver to race in Formula One after Prince Bira.

**Carlos Sainz: Toro Rosso -> McLaren, Lewis Hamilton: McLaren -> sabbatical.** Sainz did not have his deal with Red Bull renewed and subsequently moved to McLaren to replace World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton, who decided to take a sabbatical for 2019. Sainz was partnered with 2017 European Formula 3 champion Lando Norris, replacing Stoffel Vandoorne who left McLaren to race in Formula E with the Mercedes-affiliated HWA Racelab.

**Jules Bianchi: Alfa Romeo -> Ferrari, Kimi Räikkönen: Ferrari -> Sauber.** Jules Bianchi was promoted to Ferrari, replacing Kimi Räikkönen. Räikkönen returned to Sauber, with whom he had started his career in 2001. He replaced Marcus Ericsson, who moved to race in the IndyCar Series in 2019 with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports but remained with Alfa Romeo as a third driver and brand ambassador.

**George Russell -> Williams, Robert Kubica: Renault -> Williams, Valtteri Bottas: Williams -> Alfa Romeo.** Reigning Formula 2 champion George Russell joined Williams replacing Lance Stroll. Robert Kubica also moved to Williams, replacing Valtteri Bottas, who moved to Alfa Romeo.

**Lance Stroll: Williams -> Aston Martin.** Esteban Ocon left Force India and joined Mercedes as a reserve driver. Ocon shared the role of simulator driver with Stoffel Vandoorne. Ocon was replaced at Racing Point by Lance Stroll, who left Williams.

## Calendar

The following twenty-one Grands Prix were run as part of the 2019 World Championship. Each race was run over a minimum number of laps that exceeds a total distance of 305 km (189.5 mi); the only exception to this is the Monaco Grand Prix, for which the distance is 260 km (161.6 mi).

### Calendar changes

The Mexican and United States Grands Prix swapped places on the calendar so that the United States round follows the Mexican Grand Prix.

## Results and standings

### Scoring system

Points were awarded to the top ten classified drivers and the driver who set the fastest lap. The points were awarded for every race, using the following system:

The point for fastest lap was only awarded if the driver was classified in the top ten for the race.