Silly Season state of play with seven seats still available

Consistency and stability is the name of the game for Mercedes, the Silver Arrows have Hamilton signed until the end of 2020 and Bottas on a one-year contract with an option for 2020.

All-in-all a very safe (and boring) call which means the status quo between the drivers in the team should remain the same. Ocon replacing Bottas? Now that would've been ballsy and sheer entertainment... Is that not the name of the game?

Vettel has a contract with the Reds until the end of 2020 and will be joined by Charles Leclerc in an intriguing pairing which for the first time will see the German in red without his veteran wingman as the young Monegasque is not going to the Scuderia to learn!

In a startling break from tradition, the Scuderia is banking on youth, the dynamics between the pairing will be captivating entertainment, some predicting the changing of the guard at Maranello with Vettel all to lose and Leclerc all to win.

Last time a noob was promoted to partner the four times F1 world champion, was when Ricciardo stepped up to Red Bull from Toro Rosso in 2014 and beat the team's golden boy who then departed for Ferrari.

Now four year's later Vettel faces another similar challenge from Leclerc, again a product from his own team's driver development programme. Interesting times lie ahead.

Before passing away early this year, Sergio Marchionne wanted Leclerc to replace Raikkonen. Now, months since his unexpected death his wish has come true.

Verstappen is another driver tied to his team until the end of 2020 and is expected to be the leader of Red Bull as he welcomes Gasly to the sister car. Ironically the 20-year-old Dutchman, a four-time grand prix winner, is a year and eight months younger than the less experienced Frenchman he will partner.

Gasly, always good for a shot-from-the-hip quote, is obviously keen to impress and makes no bones about the fact he wants to be the number one F1 driver of his generation, the problem will be his teammate Verstappen who has similar ideas.

This will be another absorbing contest to follow as Red Bull's new-kid-on-the-block takes on the former new-kid-on-the-block who has since made such a huge impact on the sport.

Behind-the-scenes it's all change at Force India as Lawrence Stroll's Racing Point take control of the team's Silverstone HQ and everything else related to it.

On the driver front, it appears that Sergio Perez has a deal to remain with the Pinks for at least another year while Lance Stroll is sure to be in one of the seats.

Stroll needs a reputable driver by his side to redeem himself and put behind this season which has not been kind to him. For journeyman Perez, the journey continues apparently with his current employer.

It is no secret that Stroll senior is keen work closer with Mercedes, which means - until Perez is officially confirmed - that Silver Arrows backed Ocon is still with a chance.

Perez claims he has a deal for next year, but he failed to say with who. Most assume it will be with Racing Point but, if not, then maybe the Mexican has been playing poker and has us all fooled with a Haas or Williams contract in his back pocket...

Who knows what is really going on at Williams? They turned down a B-Team style partnership with Mercedes to remain independent. They are now probably more worried about putting together a decent package to succeed the dismal FW41 than worrying who their drivers will be.

Sirotkin looks a certainty, he might have even inked a two-year deal before he embarked on his rookie season this year.

His partner could be anyone, as mentioned why not Perez? He comes with money from his posse of loyal Mexican backers and some experience that the team sorely missed.

It's hard to imagine Williams will again put up with two pay drivers, so that sneaks a peek at a seat for Robert Kubica. If Williams are trully independent (of pay drivers too!) then they would give the Pole a break he deserves.

But money is likely to be the big decider which thrusts Ocon and Russell - either or could swing a discount on Mercedes engines - unless, of course, a billionaire Papa pops up with a very big cheque book for his lad to race for the once mightiest team in Formula 1.

By poaching Ricciardo, from Red Bull, Renault have signalled their intent by landing a race-winner to spearhead their team for the next two years. They mean business, with the Australian on board alongside Nico Hulkenberg they have a very solid pairing.

Ricciardo's speed and sublime race craft are well-known traits of his, how Hulkenberg measures up will be telling as the German, whose talent is universally respected, remains the biggest underachiever of this era.

All signs are that Toro Rosso will confirm the return of their prodigal son Kvyat, the Russian getting his umpteenth chance with the energy drinks outfit. Some may remember how long they hung on to him when his wayward form was an accident waiting for a place to happen, and often happening too.

On the other hand, Hartley has done nothing to convince that he has the right stuff for Formula 1 despite his impressive sportscar career with Porsche.

He has failed to adapt to the top flight and has been comprehensively outshone by Gasly. Because he is a nice guy he gets the sympathy vote but one wonders if Helmut Marko and company have run out of patience.

Giovinazzi was on Marko's list but that went south when the Italian was confirmed by Sauber, which leaves Kubica on the list as well as the homeless Mercedes juniors.

Reports are that Magnussen will remain with the team, while Grosjean's future is a little uncertain but may also get a reprieve should he stay out of trouble in the final six races - a tall order for the temperamental Frenchman - time will tell.

Both drivers, despite their experience, are inconsistent and incident-prone, the Frenchman more so than the Dane. It would be unambitious for Haas to hang on to the two journeymen, as would be axing Grosjean and welcoming Perez.

A gamble on Wehrlein, now that he is freed of Mercedes, or even Ocon would be a more interesting (and entertaining!) call.

McLaren will field one of the least experienced driver line-up in their history with Carlos Sainz replacing Fernando Alonso and teenager Norris replacing Stoffel Vandoorne.

How the mighty have fallen applies aptly to the state of McLaren, that Sainz and Norris will dig them out of the deep hole they are in is a steep ask. A journey of discovery, for the pair, springs to mind.

The coup d'saison must go to Sauber for securing the services of highly marketable and endlessly popular Kimi Raikkonen for two years while confirming Ferrari backed (accident prone) Antonio Giovinazzi to replace Marcus Ericsson.

Big moves by the Swiss outfit showing ambition that has been absent for quite some time at Hinwill.

Another great sideshow lies in store as Raikkonen drops into the wrong end of the midfield, with the young rookie snapping at the heels of the taciturn 2007 F1 World Champion.