The Official F1 2024 silly season *contains speculation*
Discussion
Callum43 said:
Having lost my appetite for F1 last year and with this year offering no reinvigoration, a move by Lewis to Ferrari for 2024 would help tremendously in bringing me back into the fold . And , I suspect , many others . I hope it’s more than just media speculation.
I don't believe he will go,If he did go i don't think he would win a title.,,, but....
I want to happen would be amazing to get a title with a 3rd team.
Bigger chance of Max saying bugger it im done with 3 titles see ya f1 and Lewis going to Redbull.
Petrus1983 said:
I feel Lewis will be enticed by Ferrari - beyond the money it's a legendary team and does offer him a real chance of the elusive 8th WDC. I doubt even Toto would disagree with him.
Do they though?I see nothing more enticing performance-wise at Ferrari than I do at Mercedes.
I see it as Mercedes have an iffy car with a good infrastructure behind it.
Ferrari have a fast car in qualifying but relative chaos in the team behind it.
At the end of the day, it's only Red Bull winning. Hamilton has a choice at present of losing with Mercedes or losing with Ferrari. May aswell stay put.
thegreenhell said:
Still Mulling said:
thegreenhell said:
...as far as I know they don't have anybody else lined up to fill the seat when that happens.
A certain Mr G. Russell may have something to say about that, no?thegreenhell said:
Still Mulling said:
thegreenhell said:
...as far as I know they don't have anybody else lined up to fill the seat when that happens.
A certain Mr G. Russell may have something to say about that, no?Muzzer79 said:
At the end of the day, it's only Red Bull winning. Hamilton has a choice at present of losing with Mercedes or losing with Ferrari. May aswell stay put.
Totally agree, I find it very unlikely that Hamilton is ever going to win a drivers championship again. The rules are due to change for the 2026 season and I suspect Red bull and Max are going to win the 23, 24 and 25 seasons comfortably.Lewis will be 41 by the time the new regulations come in and there is no guarantee that Mercedes won't make a complete mess of it like 2022.
I think the only choice he has is to retire in the next couple of years, or hold out in the hope that Mercedes do indeed do the business for 2026. Alonso is doing brilliantly in the twilight of his career, but is Hamilton the sort of driver who is happy to pick up the odd podium?
I have a feeling this might be a very boring silly season this year with the drivers in the majority of the teams staying put. The only potential interesting move is if Lando Norris somehow gets out of his McLaren contract and gets Carlos Sainz's drive at Ferrari. If this happens then I can see Sainz going back to McLaren as they need an experienced driver to partner Piastri.
I think DeVries will not get renewed and he is at risk of being replaced before the season is even over with Ricciardo. Other than that, Zhou Guanyu and Logan Sargeant are both at risk with Théo Pourchaire being most likely to replace Zhou Guanyu.
Lando is a funny one
Hugely fast, obviously talented. Seems to have worked his way into a strong position in a team that's floundering.
Can I see him at Ferrari? Maybe. I'm just not sure he's their sort of driver. I'm also not convinced that Ferrari would exit Sainz for an unproven entity.
Sainz was unproven himself before he went there, but why replace apples with apples?
I would have initially proposed Lando would go to Red Bull, to replace Checo. But again, is he their sort of driver and is he going to get in Max's way?
I actually think he's more of a Mercedes-sort of driver, partnering George when that time comes.
Hugely fast, obviously talented. Seems to have worked his way into a strong position in a team that's floundering.
Can I see him at Ferrari? Maybe. I'm just not sure he's their sort of driver. I'm also not convinced that Ferrari would exit Sainz for an unproven entity.
Sainz was unproven himself before he went there, but why replace apples with apples?
I would have initially proposed Lando would go to Red Bull, to replace Checo. But again, is he their sort of driver and is he going to get in Max's way?
I actually think he's more of a Mercedes-sort of driver, partnering George when that time comes.
Muzzer79 said:
thegreenhell said:
Still Mulling said:
thegreenhell said:
...as far as I know they don't have anybody else lined up to fill the seat when that happens.
A certain Mr G. Russell may have something to say about that, no?Not going to happen though because Hamilton isn't daft. He'll finish his career at Merc.
Leithen said:
Muzzer79 said:
thegreenhell said:
Still Mulling said:
thegreenhell said:
...as far as I know they don't have anybody else lined up to fill the seat when that happens.
A certain Mr G. Russell may have something to say about that, no?The Merc board don't want a warm happy glow, they want to look at trophies in reception on the way to their offices.
If they do anything with Mick, it'll be to stick him into a Mercedes-supplied team. Most likely Williams.
Leithen said:
Not going to happen though because Hamilton isn't daft. He'll finish his career at Merc.
Agreed.thegreenhell said:
Still Mulling said:
thegreenhell said:
...as far as I know they don't have anybody else lined up to fill the seat when that happens.
A certain Mr G. Russell may have something to say about that, no?
I had interpreted it as a team-leader/WDC void. The Lewis and Merc (and Toto and Lauda) story has such depth and success that all parties can lunch off it forever more regardless of the more recent struggles on track. He's not going anywhere.
The team is also his best bet, because if any team can eventually out develop RB and also be a good enough team to make the car count (sorry, Ferrari..) it's Mercedes. And he's easily one of the finest drivers ever as an all rounder and focused individual, so they obviously want him and George. his only other option would be to go to RB but that team is basically the anti-christ to everything he adores about Mercedes and Toto's management so... just no.
Other than for reasons of drumming up s
t chat, this stuff shouldn't be hard to comprehend.
The team is also his best bet, because if any team can eventually out develop RB and also be a good enough team to make the car count (sorry, Ferrari..) it's Mercedes. And he's easily one of the finest drivers ever as an all rounder and focused individual, so they obviously want him and George. his only other option would be to go to RB but that team is basically the anti-christ to everything he adores about Mercedes and Toto's management so... just no.
Other than for reasons of drumming up s
t chat, this stuff shouldn't be hard to comprehend.Muzzer79 said:
Lando is a funny one
Hugely fast, obviously talented. Seems to have worked his way into a strong position in a team that's floundering.
Can I see him at Ferrari? Maybe. I'm just not sure he's their sort of driver. I'm also not convinced that Ferrari would exit Sainz for an unproven entity.
Sainz was unproven himself before he went there, but why replace apples with apples?
I would have initially proposed Lando would go to Red Bull, to replace Checo. But again, is he their sort of driver and is he going to get in Max's way?
I actually think he's more of a Mercedes-sort of driver, partnering George when that time comes.
Yes I agree. Him and lance are the two drivers most displaced in a car based on their abilities. Lando should be in the Aston and Lance in the mclaren based on their skills and the car performance.Hugely fast, obviously talented. Seems to have worked his way into a strong position in a team that's floundering.
Can I see him at Ferrari? Maybe. I'm just not sure he's their sort of driver. I'm also not convinced that Ferrari would exit Sainz for an unproven entity.
Sainz was unproven himself before he went there, but why replace apples with apples?
I would have initially proposed Lando would go to Red Bull, to replace Checo. But again, is he their sort of driver and is he going to get in Max's way?
I actually think he's more of a Mercedes-sort of driver, partnering George when that time comes.
Let’s face it it’s a max and red bull show for the next few years so Hamilton to Ferrari would at least cause some interest.
I still maintain Hamilton won’t want to go, but…
His dream team has all but been broken up, Bottas gone, Vowles gone, Cullen gone, Lauda gone and those are just the famous ones.
Mercedes have prove their inability to compete under the new regs two years in a row.
I suspect the decision will come down to what his options are going to be post F1 and his freedom. He’s talked up being a Mercedes brand ambassador after he’s finished but would that really give him the cash and kudos he needs-being Lewis Hamilton must cost a shed load of money per annum.
Mercedes currently allow him pretty much carte blanche to pick and choose his commitments to PR for the team-would Ferrari really not want their pound of flesh?
All of that is mute if they can persuade him they can build him a championship winning car-he’s still a champion and they’d all sell their grannies to get in a car that could fight at the front.
I still maintain Hamilton won’t want to go, but…
His dream team has all but been broken up, Bottas gone, Vowles gone, Cullen gone, Lauda gone and those are just the famous ones.
Mercedes have prove their inability to compete under the new regs two years in a row.
I suspect the decision will come down to what his options are going to be post F1 and his freedom. He’s talked up being a Mercedes brand ambassador after he’s finished but would that really give him the cash and kudos he needs-being Lewis Hamilton must cost a shed load of money per annum.
Mercedes currently allow him pretty much carte blanche to pick and choose his commitments to PR for the team-would Ferrari really not want their pound of flesh?
All of that is mute if they can persuade him they can build him a championship winning car-he’s still a champion and they’d all sell their grannies to get in a car that could fight at the front.
I personally think LH will stick with Mercedes, too much time winning with either Mercedes engine supplied teams or the works to suddenly jump ship to the, from the outside, chaos of Ferrari.
Lewis will know the direction the car development is taking, we don’t know what Mercedes is promising, they could be moving the driving position back for next year if that is his preference, plus the story of AD2021, the subsequent fall, then rising back up to the 8th (awarded) Championship would be a great way to sign off before becoming a brand ambassador.
Lewis will know the direction the car development is taking, we don’t know what Mercedes is promising, they could be moving the driving position back for next year if that is his preference, plus the story of AD2021, the subsequent fall, then rising back up to the 8th (awarded) Championship would be a great way to sign off before becoming a brand ambassador.
TheDeuce said:
The Lewis and Merc (and Toto and Lauda) story has such depth and success that all parties can lunch off it forever more regardless of the more recent struggles on track.
Despite my waffle above, this is an important point and what better finish to it all would be returning the team to winning ways. The counter rumour going round is he'll sign a 1+1 year deal at Mercedes but that doesn't exactly sound like confidence does it?Leclerc is contracted until the end of 2024 though so if the Ferrari mire continues, expect him to be the instigator of that silly season and with Norris out of contract end of 2025 (what a duff contract that was to sign!) things could all change again.
Pflanzgarten said:
Mercedes have prove(n) their inability to compete under the new regs two years in a row.
MB have only been unable to hit the stellar performance levels set by Red Bull. No team has got close, but MB are running in P2 or thereabouts in the top tier "inability to compete" stakes.TheDeuce said:
The Lewis and Merc (and Toto and Lauda) story has such depth and success that all parties can lunch off it forever more regardless of the more recent struggles on track. He's not going anywhere.
The team is also his best bet, because if any team can eventually out develop RB and also be a good enough team to make the car count (sorry, Ferrari..) it's Mercedes. And he's easily one of the finest drivers ever as an all rounder and focused individual, so they obviously want him and George. his only other option would be to go to RB but that team is basically the anti-christ to everything he adores about Mercedes and Toto's management so... just no.
Other than for reasons of drumming up st chat, this stuff shouldn't be hard to comprehend.
This, pretty much, follows my thoughts on the subject.The team is also his best bet, because if any team can eventually out develop RB and also be a good enough team to make the car count (sorry, Ferrari..) it's Mercedes. And he's easily one of the finest drivers ever as an all rounder and focused individual, so they obviously want him and George. his only other option would be to go to RB but that team is basically the anti-christ to everything he adores about Mercedes and Toto's management so... just no.
Other than for reasons of drumming up s
t chat, this stuff shouldn't be hard to comprehend.Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff