Official 2016 Driver's Silly Season Thread; who'll be where?

Official 2016 Driver's Silly Season Thread; who'll be where?

Author
Discussion

suffolk009

Original Poster:

5,344 posts

164 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
James Allison has left Ferrari, effective immediately. Wonder who'll be lucky enough to hire him. My bet is he'll go back to Renault.

Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
suffolk009 said:
James Allison has left Ferrari, effective immediately. Wonder who'll be lucky enough to hire him. My bet is he'll go back to Renault.
Haas or Renault?

housen

2,366 posts

191 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Vaud said:
suffolk009 said:
James Allison has left Ferrari, effective immediately. Wonder who'll be lucky enough to hire him. My bet is he'll go back to Renault.
Haas or Renault?
signed a contract till 2018 last year with Ferrari

bliss ..free money and im sure another job lined up anyway

cgt2

7,093 posts

187 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
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housen said:
bliss ..free money and im sure another job lined up anyway
Hardly. He has done this for family reasons, I doubt he would have left had his wife not passed away recently. I have met James a couple of times and he really is a lovely bloke.

I'm sure it must have been a terrible few months for him and credit to Ferrari for allowing him to prioritise his family.

housen

2,366 posts

191 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
cgt2 said:
housen said:
bliss ..free money and im sure another job lined up anyway
Hardly. He has done this for family reasons, I doubt he would have left had his wife not passed away recently. I have met James a couple of times and he really is a lovely bloke.

I'm sure it must have been a terrible few months for him and credit to Ferrari for allowing him to prioritise his family.
sorry didn't know this just scanned auto sport literal story

Eric Mc

121,788 posts

264 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2016
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Williams wants Button - just been announced on Radio 5.

housen

2,366 posts

191 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2016
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Eric Mc said:
Williams wants Button - just been announced on Radio 5.
that's cool


Dr Z

3,396 posts

170 months

Wednesday 10th August 2016
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Just read that Ocon is coming in to Manor in place of Haryanto for the rest of the season and presumably for the next one too? Was it Merc or Renault that placed him there?

DuncB7

353 posts

97 months

Wednesday 10th August 2016
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Interesting. Clearly Rio was unable to get the funds from his sponsors.

Esteban is reserve for Renault if my memory serves me correctly but also drives touring cars for Mercedes-Benz. Sounds to me like he's on the same path as Pascal. It all seems to me like Mercedes are backing his seat at Manor.

Redlake27

2,255 posts

243 months

Wednesday 10th August 2016
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Remember Merc and Renault have a few shared interests.

Merc use Renault engines in many of their 4 cylinder models and also in commercial vehicles.
Merc have a shareholding in Aston Martin , who have a partnership with Red Bull-Renault.


Probably explains why they are happy to evaluate/benchmark Werhlein v Ocon together - and didn't want to give Vandoorne a chance as he is a Honda guy.


Dr Z

3,396 posts

170 months

Wednesday 10th August 2016
quotequote all
I see, you must be pretty good for two works outfits interested in evaluating you! Good luck to Ocon...I remember reading that Merc were very impressed with him at the recent test.

suffolk009

Original Poster:

5,344 posts

164 months

Thursday 1st September 2016
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Massa has just announced his retirement, after 15 years in F1.

I wonder who will be in his seat next year?

VolvoT5

4,155 posts

173 months

Thursday 1st September 2016
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suffolk009 said:
Massa has just announced his retirement, after 15 years in F1.

I wonder who will be in his seat next year?
Well Claire Williams was talking about being open to drivers 'with a budget', so my guess is the highest bidder will replace him. Nasr has money doesn't he? Stroll? Perez obviously has financial backing but that would be a bit of a sideways (or even backwards) step for him.

I know a lot of people would like to see Button go to Williams but I think that would be a pretty dull choice and very much a sideways step for Williams.

I have to say I'm not surprised Massa has gone, now seems like the right time from both ends. From Williams perspective I don't think Massa has been performing quite up to the standard they would hope and from Massa's perspective why would you want to cruise around fighting for low points finishes at this stage in your career? - Williams appear to be a bit lost at the moment and the podium potential of 2014/15 is long gone.

Crafty_

13,248 posts

199 months

Thursday 1st September 2016
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Allegedly Bottas is to get a 2 year contract and there was a suggestion they were talking to Nasr.

Edit: Williams looking at Nasr, Perez and possibly Lance Stroll https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/09/analysis-wh...

Edit2: Perez has announced he's signed for Force India. So, Stroll or Nasr for Williams ?

Jordan seems to think Palmer might be in at Haas, that makes no sense at all frankly.


Edited by Crafty_ on Saturday 3rd September 12:49


Edited by Crafty_ on Saturday 3rd September 12:50

VolvoT5

4,155 posts

173 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
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There are some crazy rumours going around on social media now that maybe Raikkonen isn't 100% confirmed with Ferrari as there may be performance clauses he has yet to meet... also that Arrivabene (Kimi's biggest defender within the team) is possibly not that secure either.


Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
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VolvoT5 said:
There are some crazy rumours going around on social media now that maybe Raikkonen isn't 100% confirmed with Ferrari as there may be performance clauses he has yet to meet... also that Arrivabene (Kimi's biggest defender within the team) is possibly not that secure either.
5 points behind Vettel. Tough to see what more he could have done? But then again, they have far more data than us to make a performance judgement.

housen

2,366 posts

191 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
quotequote all
Vaud said:
VolvoT5 said:
There are some crazy rumours going around on social media now that maybe Raikkonen isn't 100% confirmed with Ferrari as there may be performance clauses he has yet to meet... also that Arrivabene (Kimi's biggest defender within the team) is possibly not that secure either.
5 points behind Vettel. Tough to see what more he could have done? But then again, they have far more data than us to make a performance judgement.
if true and he leaves

who goes in ?

perez ?

VolvoT5

4,155 posts

173 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
quotequote all
Vaud said:
5 points behind Vettel. Tough to see what more he could have done? But then again, they have far more data than us to make a performance judgement.
Yes, well it is probably bullst as the media seem to love to writing stories about Kimi (and Jenson for that matter) losing their seat. Certainly for most of 2016 he has looked within a tenth or so of Vettel.... so if that isn't considered acceptable performance then Vettel ought to be watching his back as well.

But it is a little odd that Perez and Bottas haven't confirmed yet?

thainy77

3,347 posts

197 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
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Perez wants his contract sorted by Japan but apparently the stumbling block is he only wants a 12 month contract and is holding out for Ferrari when Kimi leaves.

hairyben

8,516 posts

182 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
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VolvoT5 said:
Vaud said:
5 points behind Vettel. Tough to see what more he could have done? But then again, they have far more data than us to make a performance judgement.
Yes, well it is probably bullst as the media seem to love to writing stories about Kimi (and Jenson for that matter) losing their seat. Certainly for most of 2016 he has looked within a tenth or so of Vettel.... so if that isn't considered acceptable performance then Vettel ought to be watching his back as well.

But it is a little odd that Perez and Bottas haven't confirmed yet?
Tbf kimis had a rosberg-esque run of luck compared to seb hasn't he?

Kimis the least of fez problems right now though, cant see the benefit of them making him the focus of a tanty at this point in the season, but hey because ferrari.