Who will replace Nico

Who will replace Nico

Poll: Who will replace Nico

Total Members Polled: 510

Alonso: 11%
Button: 9%
Bottas: 15%
Ocon: 1%
Perez: 1%
Sainz : 5%
Mad Max: 8%
Wehrlein: 40%
Vettel: 5%
Somebody else: 6%
Author
Discussion

aeropilot

34,302 posts

226 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
rdjohn said:
ELUSIVEJIM said:
I am sure Ron put in place no performance related release clause when Alonso signed with them. It was mentioned in a press release.

Perhaps I am wrong but Alonso's desire to win another Championship would be greater than staying faithful with McLaren.

McLaren have shown Ron no loyalty for his service to McLaren so perhaps with Ron gone Alonso contract could be broken.

I am sure the contact is being read back to front by a team of liars sorry lawyers biggrin
I am sure Honda, who pay a huge chunk of his salary, will be deliriously happy with if he was allowed to move-on.

The choice is Bottas, or Wehrlein, I still think it will end up being the latter on a 1-year contract, leaving the way open in 2018 when the choice of available drivers is much greater.
Exactly, IMHO, no way will Honda allow him to move a year earlier, if there's no performance related clause he can trigger. Honda are not going to accept losing a double WDC driver paring to be replaced by a double rookie pairing.

tommunster10

1,128 posts

90 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
LDN said:
ash73 said:
tyranical said:
I don't get this raving about Alonso I really don't - We have already seen what a rookie Lewis can do against an experienced 2 time world champion Alonso - I know we'll get the whole Lewis had the team on his side etc, but at the end of the day they had the same car set up how they wanted it
Alonso didn't share that opinion after Q3 in China iirc, anyhow it's history now.
The numbers don't lie. Alonso couldn't beat rookie Hamilton. It proves what a sensation Hamilton was.
But then we'd have to rate Nico above Alonso though if you actually applied logic considering stats over last 3 seasons. And where does Jenson fit into that?
Truth is closer to the fact that any driver in F1 right now all in exactly the same car would all be pretty close in times over qually laps, the talk of the greatest and the fastest can just simply be due to making sure your in the right package at the right time. I mean Palmer was mixing it with Button and Alonso this season at times FFS.

I wouldn't be surprised if Steve Jones has chucked his hat into the ring.



Leroy902

1,539 posts

102 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
tommunster10 said:
LDN said:
ash73 said:
tyranical said:
I don't get this raving about Alonso I really don't - We have already seen what a rookie Lewis can do against an experienced 2 time world champion Alonso - I know we'll get the whole Lewis had the team on his side etc, but at the end of the day they had the same car set up how they wanted it
Alonso didn't share that opinion after Q3 in China iirc, anyhow it's history now.
The numbers don't lie. Alonso couldn't beat rookie Hamilton. It proves what a sensation Hamilton was.
But then we'd have to rate Nico above Alonso though if you actually applied logic considering stats over last 3 seasons. And where does Jenson fit into that?
Truth is closer to the fact that any driver in F1 right now all in exactly the same car would all be pretty close in times over qually laps, the talk of the greatest and the fastest can just simply be due to making sure your in the right package at the right time. I mean Palmer was mixing it with Button and Alonso this season at times FFS.

I wouldn't be surprised if Steve Jones has chucked his hat into the ring.
You keep saying the same st ffs. We all know what the 'truth is'... The car plays plays a huge part in how successful a driver throughout his career, BUT it's always been that way, why must you keep going on about the same st in every post?
I gave you the benefit of the doubt, but I'm starting to believe you really are as thick as others on this forum think you are.

Nigel_O

2,859 posts

218 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Pure speculation - I wonder if Lewis would prefer a challenging team-mate. I can't imagine that a string of easy victories would be a particularly satisfying way to win WDC #4.

I get the impression that he'd rather have a series of epic on-track battles and actually enjoy driving hard, rather than cruising round 21 circuits to an easy title.

I wonder what would happen if Lewis was given two simple choices:-

1) WDC #4
2) actually racing for a whole year

Europa1

10,923 posts

187 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Alicatt1 said:
Cold said:
Looks like they've made their choice, possibly due to some pressure from Toto.


I thought the F1 cars were single seaters

wink
Maybe Isofix mountings are standard on anything with a Mercedes badge...

HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Leroy902 said:
You keep saying the same st ffs. We all know what the 'truth is'... The car plays plays a huge part in how successful a driver throughout his career, BUT it's always been that way, why must you keep going on about the same st in every post?
I gave you the benefit of the doubt, but I'm starting to believe you really are as thick as others on this forum think you are.
Just ignore him.

cjm

516 posts

267 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
tyranical said:
Merc cannot afford to take a gamble on someone like Wehrlein next season IMO, it is widely expected that Red Bull will be right on the pace if not ahead as we move back into an aero dominated era and who knows who else might come good, Mercedes need two reliable drivers to take the fight to Red Bull not a relatively unknown performer like Wehrlein whose credentials do not match those you'd expect from a driver at a top team.

I don't get this raving about Alonso I really don't - We have already seen what a rookie Lewis can do against an experienced 2 time world champion Alonso -
So a rookie isn't good enough, but you then highlight a rookie showing up a world champion? Lewis had a Merc(McLaren) contract when he came in to F1, and so does Wehrlein.

Edited by cjm on Wednesday 7th December 11:40

tommunster10

1,128 posts

90 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
Leroy902 said:
You keep saying the same st ffs. We all know what the 'truth is'... The car plays plays a huge part in how successful a driver throughout his career, BUT it's always been that way, why must you keep going on about the same st in every post?
I gave you the benefit of the doubt, but I'm starting to believe you really are as thick as others on this forum think you are.
Just ignore him.
Considering how you seem to know its about the car, it doesn't half wind people up when you point it out...
My point is whoever they chose they will have an immediate jump up to the pointy end. If they decided to get Pastor (they won't) he has proved he can win in the best package at the time so he could be at the front, OK he may crash but then so did Lewis and Nico a few times into each other!
There's no reason that Pascal can't be rolling around in 2nd waiting for his chance keeping out of Lewis's way to title No 4... BUT i suppose it depends on how confident Merc are to still being stupidly dominant.
It's surely worth pointing out the massive advantage Merc have to the point of irrelevance who they chose unless its say Alonso as that will get the fans all moist, but Alonso has spent last season struggling to get into top 10 and battling with Palmer....

Personally they need to find a 'Max', no point getting Button or Alonso in..


Edited by tommunster10 on Wednesday 7th December 11:55

SmoothCriminal

5,047 posts

198 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Vettel would never go to Merc whilst Lewis was there he left red bull when Ricciardo got the better of him and with no number one status he wouldn't dare go.

housen

2,366 posts

191 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
lauda is p1ssed off with nico

being reported

MartynVRS

1,145 posts

209 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
housen said:
lauda is p1ssed off with nico

being reported
I saw that and I don't see why. It's not exactly short notice when they have a few months to go until the next season starts. He could have left his retirement decision much later and really left them in it.

And ignore Benson on BBC. It's all gossip, even that Rossi piece. If any of us were asked would be interested we'd say yes.

tommunster10

1,128 posts

90 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
SmoothCriminal said:
Vettel would never go to Merc whilst Lewis was there he left red bull when Ricciardo got the better of him and with no number one status he wouldn't dare go.
He'd decided to go to Ferrari before Dan i thought?
I doubt he'd be scared to go to Merc as he'd be guaranteed wins again, look what Nico managed in the Merc for example, so not sure why or how he'd be scared of Lewis? Unless Nico is much better driver than Vettel?

I doubt anyone is scared of Merc, how could you be scared of the chance to be WDC like Nico?

Reason he's not leaving Ferrari is contract and also its Ferrari, regardless of anything its the by far coolest most sexy and best brand on the grid in F1 terms... Lewis will i'd wager end up at Ferrari at some point for example because, you just have to given any sniff of a chance drive for Ferrari F1...

cjm

516 posts

267 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
I'm not sure if it has been suggested before? Do you think Merc would rather Nico hadn't won the championship and continued racing and chasing Lewis?

Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
tommunster10 said:
He'd decided to go to Ferrari before Dan i thought?
I think so, it was early in that season before Daniel had become a solid threat.

JNW1

7,711 posts

193 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Vaud said:
tommunster10 said:
He'd decided to go to Ferrari before Dan i thought?
I think so, it was early in that season before Daniel had become a solid threat.
Could be wrong but I thought Vettel announced he was leaving quite late in the season; pretty sure it was after the mid-season break and may even have been as late as Suzuka? However, I'm not convinced he moved due to fears about having Ricciardo as a team-mate; I think it was more a combination of the lure of driving for Ferrari plus a bit of frustration at Red Bull going off the boil after several years of domination.

VolvoT5

4,155 posts

173 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
JNW1 said:
Could be wrong but I thought Vettel announced he was leaving quite late in the season; pretty sure it was after the mid-season break and may even have been as late as Suzuka? However, I'm not convinced he moved due to fears about having Ricciardo as a team-mate; I think it was more a combination of the lure of driving for Ferrari plus a bit of frustration at Red Bull going off the boil after several years of domination.
Well a deal would have been done a long time before he announced it - IIRC there were certain performance (or rather non performance) clauses in his contract that Red Bull had to fail to meet before he was a free agent.

Ricciardo was strong that season but I think it is a bit over hyped to suggest he pushed Vettel out of the team. As I remember it Vettel struggled with a load of reliability issues and was generally well out of sorts all year. He simply never got to grips quickly enough to the new regs and tyres and then he seemed to mentally check out towards the end of the season.

joema

2,644 posts

178 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
I think the lure of 50m euro (?) was also a factor.

Would Merc really pay him that? I doubt it if they're not even paying Lewis half that. Plus they have the car.

If Vettel did go this year it would be with a substantial pay cut. So he may just see his fez contract run out rather than lose that money.

And in equal machinery Lewis is still the better racer. Vettel is very similar to Nico. Fast (possibly a bit faster over a single lap) but not the best racer. Could see plenty of animosity with that driver pairing

skeggysteve

5,724 posts

216 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Autosport tweeted this advert earlier, apparently it going to be in tomorrows edition, if it's true shows that Merc have a good sense of humour!


Greeny

1,421 posts

258 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
Pretty sure Bottas is in.

JNW1

7,711 posts

193 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
quotequote all
VolvoT5 said:
JNW1 said:
Could be wrong but I thought Vettel announced he was leaving quite late in the season; pretty sure it was after the mid-season break and may even have been as late as Suzuka? However, I'm not convinced he moved due to fears about having Ricciardo as a team-mate; I think it was more a combination of the lure of driving for Ferrari plus a bit of frustration at Red Bull going off the boil after several years of domination.
Well a deal would have been done a long time before he announced it - IIRC there were certain performance (or rather non performance) clauses in his contract that Red Bull had to fail to meet before he was a free agent.

Ricciardo was strong that season but I think it is a bit over hyped to suggest he pushed Vettel out of the team. As I remember it Vettel struggled with a load of reliability issues and was generally well out of sorts all year. He simply never got to grips quickly enough to the new regs and tyres and then he seemed to mentally check out towards the end of the season.
Yes, a quick look on Google confirms he announced the decision to leave Red Bull at Suzuka in early October; the performance clause related to his position in the driver's championship at the end of September. I'm sure the deal with Ferrari would have been agreed in principle a few weeks before it was announced but I'm not so sure it would have been done early in the season and I certainly don't think Vettel left Red Bull because he was somehow scared of having Ricciardo as a team-mate!