Vettel to replace Alonso at Ferrari
Discussion
JonRB said:
Agent Orange said:
"Alonso was therefore left with the McLaren option. One year deal, suggested Fernando. Multi-year or no deal responded Ron Dennis."
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1/why-ferrari-h...
Makes for very interesting reading. It certainly looks like Alonso rather shot himself in the foot there. Repeatedly. And with Flav passing him extra magazines. http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1/why-ferrari-h...
So you got fred who's going to be highly resentful of a car thats unlikely to be anything other than s
t, managed by flabio who's someone who enjoys power play for it's own end and will be looking to re-assert himself, plus I don't know how close they are but boullier just doesn't seem like a mclaren person... this has the potential to split mclaren right down the middle
Can't believe PH called it right.suffolk009 said:
From Twitter:
Andrew Benson ?@andrewbensonf1 · 4m4 minutes ago
McLaren board meeting has now concluded, and no decision has been taken with regard to the 2015 driver line-up, a spokesman said
What are the odds of getting to the start of winter testing and this being the same? It's got to be worth a tenner Andrew Benson ?@andrewbensonf1 · 4m4 minutes ago
McLaren board meeting has now concluded, and no decision has been taken with regard to the 2015 driver line-up, a spokesman said
MartG said:
JonRB said:
It's pretty disgusting really. It's like pursuing another girl and not having the decency to dump your current girlfriend just in case the girl you're pursuing turns you down, so you have the fall-back option of staying with her.
Well put 
Starting to remember why I wasn't keen on the red and white cars when I was younger...
KM is good, but not that good. JB is a much better bet, and will not take any s
t from the other side of the garage, backing them up when they are right and telling them to wind their neck in when they are wrong. All in all if they drop button I see little reason to continue to support them. In fact I would almost double dare Button to start turning up at the MTC in a 918
JonRB said:
It's pretty disgusting really. It's like pursuing another girl and not having the decency to dump your current girlfriend just in case the girl you're pursuing turns you down, so you have the fall-back option of staying with her.
Weak analogy - there are fixed-term and mutually agreed contracts in place. Then, remember that JB has infidelity in his past on that little issue.It's ugly to outsiders, but this is how F1 works. I've said it before and I'll say it again: JB is in this position because he and/or his management failed to talk to other teams. Why shouldn't McLaren stretch things out to its own advantage?
From James Allen's website (hope he doesn't mind, it's very good, have a look)
Posted By: James Allen | 04 Dec 2014 | 6:11 pm GMT | 13 comments
The wait goes on. A board meeting at McLaren headquarters in Woking today, which was slated to be decisive in the choice of drivers for 2015, has not yielded a decision.
For Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen the wait goes on.
“Today’s board meeting has now concluded and no decision has been taken with regard to our 2015 driver line up,” said a McLaren spokesman.
There is quite a bit going on behind the scenes between the McLaren shareholders at the moment with Ron Dennis seeking to take a controlling interesting the team but requiring fresh outside funding to achieve that. The deadline for this funding has been moved into January.
Dennis’ fellow shareholders, Bahrain’s Mumtalakat and Dennis’ long time partner Mansoor Ojjeh are clearly not aligned on the next steps.
Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen
There is speculation that Dennis is keen to retain Kevin Magnussen to partner the incoming team leader Fernando Alonso, while others are keen to retain Jenson Button’s experience and marketing profile. Alonso has intimated that he would prefer 34 year old Button, for his experience and technical knowledge which would help to bed in the new technology package more quickly next season. As a world champion Button would, however, be more expensive than Magnussen.
The split is perhaps symptomatic of more widespread discord between the shareholders and this is just one particular battleground. It is slightly surprising that no decision has been reached; pre-meeting the suggestion was that the decision would be made today, even if it might not be communicated in the next few days.
This is becoming very frustrating for the team, which is keen to move on from 2014 and get into full preparation mode for 2015 and the new dawn with Honda.
However the fact that no decision has been taken, indicates that the discussion goes on.
Posted By: James Allen | 04 Dec 2014 | 6:11 pm GMT | 13 comments
The wait goes on. A board meeting at McLaren headquarters in Woking today, which was slated to be decisive in the choice of drivers for 2015, has not yielded a decision.
For Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen the wait goes on.
“Today’s board meeting has now concluded and no decision has been taken with regard to our 2015 driver line up,” said a McLaren spokesman.
There is quite a bit going on behind the scenes between the McLaren shareholders at the moment with Ron Dennis seeking to take a controlling interesting the team but requiring fresh outside funding to achieve that. The deadline for this funding has been moved into January.
Dennis’ fellow shareholders, Bahrain’s Mumtalakat and Dennis’ long time partner Mansoor Ojjeh are clearly not aligned on the next steps.
Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen
There is speculation that Dennis is keen to retain Kevin Magnussen to partner the incoming team leader Fernando Alonso, while others are keen to retain Jenson Button’s experience and marketing profile. Alonso has intimated that he would prefer 34 year old Button, for his experience and technical knowledge which would help to bed in the new technology package more quickly next season. As a world champion Button would, however, be more expensive than Magnussen.
The split is perhaps symptomatic of more widespread discord between the shareholders and this is just one particular battleground. It is slightly surprising that no decision has been reached; pre-meeting the suggestion was that the decision would be made today, even if it might not be communicated in the next few days.
This is becoming very frustrating for the team, which is keen to move on from 2014 and get into full preparation mode for 2015 and the new dawn with Honda.
However the fact that no decision has been taken, indicates that the discussion goes on.
EskimoArapaho said:
Weak analogy - there are fixed-term and mutually agreed contracts in place. Then, remember that JB has infidelity in his past on that little issue.
It's ugly to outsiders, but this is how F1 works. I've said it before and I'll say it again: JB is in this position because he and/or his management failed to talk to other teams. Why shouldn't McLaren stretch things out to its own advantage?
I agree it's a weak analogy. But the point was that it does seem to be stringing people along (not least the fans) and trying to have your cake and eat it. It's ugly to outsiders, but this is how F1 works. I've said it before and I'll say it again: JB is in this position because he and/or his management failed to talk to other teams. Why shouldn't McLaren stretch things out to its own advantage?
suffolk009 said:
There is speculation that Dennis is keen to retain Kevin Magnussen to partner the incoming team leader Fernando Alonso, while others are keen to retain Jenson Button’s experience and marketing profile. Alonso has intimated that he would prefer 34 year old Button, for his experience and technical knowledge which would help to bed in the new technology package more quickly next season. As a world champion Button would, however, be more expensive than Magnussen.
Ron is between a rock and a hard place really. They've spent a lot of time and money grooming & developing K-Mag, just like they did with Lewis, and if they let him go now then they don't see much benefit from it. But on the other hand, as Alonso is alleged to be saying, Jenson would definitely be the better driver for bedding in the new McHonda package. No wonder they can't make their minds up. In an ideal world they'd relegate K-Mag to the test driver role in order to retain him, but he's unlikely to go for that.
EskimoArapaho said:
JonRB said:
It's pretty disgusting really. It's like pursuing another girl and not having the decency to dump your current girlfriend just in case the girl you're pursuing turns you down, so you have the fall-back option of staying with her.
Weak analogy - there are fixed-term and mutually agreed contracts in place. Then, remember that JB has infidelity in his past on that little issue.It's ugly to outsiders, but this is how F1 works. I've said it before and I'll say it again: JB is in this position because he and/or his management failed to talk to other teams. Why shouldn't McLaren stretch things out to its own advantage?
JonRB said:
Ron is between a rock and a hard place really. They've spent a lot of time and money grooming & developing K-Mag, just like they did with Lewis, and if they let him go now then they don't see much benefit from it.
Even if they keep him, how much benefit will they see? You compared him to Lewis, but KM has hardly set the world alight, or even got close to his WDC teammate in the way Lewis did in his first season. KM has shown very little to suggest that he has the potential to be another Hamilton. I'm certain this is part of the issue they are having with their decision.Nice balanced piece from Joe Saward. In summary he suggests that the issue is who will own McLaren in six weeks time. Ron is apparently trying to raise money to gain a controlling share, if he does then it will be his decision, if he doesn't get control then it will not be his decision.
JB and KM are after all employees of McLaren, they have contracts and those contracts are up for renewal.
JB and KM are after all employees of McLaren, they have contracts and those contracts are up for renewal.
suffolk009 said:
Nice balanced piece from Joe Saward. In summary he suggests that the issue is who will own McLaren in six weeks time. Ron is apparently trying to raise money to gain a controlling share, if he does then it will be his decision, if he doesn't get control then it will not be his decision.
JB and KM are after all employees of McLaren, they have contracts and those contracts are up for renewal.
I wouldn't call it balanced. Using his position and contacts to have a pop at fans who don't know any better. Bit of a sJB and KM are after all employees of McLaren, they have contracts and those contracts are up for renewal.
tty article to be honest.RenOHH said:
I wouldn't call it balanced. Using his position and contacts to have a pop at fans who don't know any better. Bit of a stty article to be honest.
Sorry, I meant balanced as in the other side of the scale. It seems everyone (including me to some extent)has come down on the side of the drivers.tty article to be honest.I enjoyed reading a different viewpoint.
None of us outside the decision makers at McLaren know what is going on, or the reasons for the apparently tardy announcement.
RenOHH said:
suffolk009 said:
Nice balanced piece from Joe Saward. In summary he suggests that the issue is who will own McLaren in six weeks time. Ron is apparently trying to raise money to gain a controlling share, if he does then it will be his decision, if he doesn't get control then it will not be his decision.
JB and KM are after all employees of McLaren, they have contracts and those contracts are up for renewal.
I wouldn't call it balanced. Using his position and contacts to have a pop at fans who don't know any better. Bit of a sJB and KM are after all employees of McLaren, they have contracts and those contracts are up for renewal.
tty article to be honest.Lincsblokey said:
No surprise really, Saward has always thought of himself above everyone else.
Yes. I regularly read his blog and enjoy the content. But I do find his style rather smug. I think he is his biggest fan.Don't know the chap though. He's probably a splendid fellow so I am not making some ad hominem. He does come across that way, though.
toppstuff said:
Yes. I regularly read his blog and enjoy the content. But I do find his style rather smug. I think he is his biggest fan.
Don't know the chap though. He's probably a splendid fellow so I am not making some ad hominem. He does come across that way, though.
I think he is unusual. He knows the sport intimately. As I understand it, he doesn't have to work, which puts him in the enviably position of being completely independent and not needing to fill column inches or be anyones "pet mouthpiece" which many journalists are guilty of. Don't know the chap though. He's probably a splendid fellow so I am not making some ad hominem. He does come across that way, though.
He comes across as robust, frustrated with the sport governance and annoyed that the fans don't get a better show, in my view. I really want to go to one of his evening events that he runs prior to selected GPs.
Listen to "Aside with Joe" podcast if you get a chance. He certainly has a dry sense of humour.
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