Pierre Gasly
Pierre Gasly

Sky Bet make Pierre Gasly favourite to replace Daniel Ricciardo


Sky Bet have priced up a market on who will be the number two drivers at Red Bull and Ferrari next season after Daniel Ricciardo's shock move to Renault was announced on Friday morning.

Ricciardo's exit opens up a prime vacancy at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen for 2019, with Toro Rosso starlet Pierre Gasly looking to be in pole position according to the odds, as a 2/5 shot.

Fernando Alonso, currently with struggling McLaren, is 7/2 to make the switch, while Carlos Sainz, already contracted to Red Bull but on-loan at Renault for the rest of the season, is 5/1 to resume his partnership with Verstappen from their Toro Rosso days.

Esteban Ocon, who was thought to be the front-runner for a Renault seat until Ricciardo's announcement, is 16/1 to head to Milton Keynes, the same price as Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, with Gasly's current team-mate Brendon Hartley a 33/1 chance.

There has long been speculation as to the identity of Sebastian Vettel's team-mate at the Maranello team for 2019, with Sauber driver Charles Leclerc and current incumbent Raikkonen thought to be going head-to-head for the role.

Leclerc's promising debut season has seen him installed as a 4/6 favourite to join the Scuderia, with veteran Raikkonen 11/8 to stay put for another season.

Former Ferrari driver Alonso is the 10/1 third-favourite to rejoin his old team, with Sainz and Ocon both 25/1.

Verstappen and Hamilton, both currently under lock and key at Red Bull and Mercedes respectively, are each 33/1 to be poached by Ferrari, while Antonio Giovinazzi and Daniil Kvyat, who are already employed by the team as third driver and development driver respectively, are 50/1 and 80/1 to make the step up to the race role.

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