The Official F1 2019 silly season *contains speculation*

[FourWheelDrift]

I'm there tomorrow.

[Nampahc Niloc]

FourWheelDrift said:

I'm there tomorrow.

Just got back. They had to lower it slightly.

[DanielSan]

Nampahc Niloc said:

Just got back. They had to lower it slightly.

They haven’t rang me.

[rubystone]

Vaud said:

I guess Ocon to Williams with engine discount and funding is possible; Merc will really want to keep him current.

This surely has to be the only option available to him. If Frank Williams is well enough to be advising on negotiations, this may well be why we’ve heard nothing yet. He was always a tough negotiator and he’d know he holds all the remaining aces. In the end Wolff will have to sweeten the deal. He could then swap Bottas and Ocon for 2020.

[rubystone]

DanielSan said:

Stroll Sr will make money from it, there’ll be a brand on that car next season that he wants to build the profile of, he’s managed to do it pretty well so far it’s hard to believe he doesn’t already have something in mind to put on ‘his’ cars

I thought he’d essentially retired from that business. What is true is that his team of investors includes several who were part of the Michael Kors and Hilfiger journeys.

[DanielSan]

rubystone said:

I thought he’d essentially retired from that business. What is true is that his team of investors includes several who were part of the Michael Kors and Hilfiger journeys.

Do people like him ever really retire? He may have taken a step back for a while but now he has a new challenge it’ll be back to working full time and making his/their new F1 team pay the bills

[bobbo89]

DanielSan said:

Do people like him ever really retire? He may have taken a step back for a while but now he has a new challenge it’ll be back to working full time and making his/their new F1 team pay the bills

I imagine they don't, an opportunity to build a business and make profit is like a red rag to a bull for a guy like Stroll. Be interesting to see what brands get slapped on the side of an F1 car as F1 fans aren't the type to absolutely have to have that particular handbag!

Anyway, what happened to the Ferrari announcement yesterday? I'm sure I'd read somewhere they were going to confirm their 2019 line up!

[LaurasOtherHalf]

bobbo89 said:

DanielSan said:

Do people like him ever really retire? He may have taken a step back for a while but now he has a new challenge it’ll be back to working full time and making his/their new F1 team pay the bills

I imagine they don't, an opportunity to build a business and make profit is like a red rag to a bull for a guy like Stroll. Be interesting to see what brands get slapped on the side of an F1 car as F1 fans aren't the type to absolutely have to have that particular handbag!

I'm not so sure? My wife has a multitude of jazzy handbags that were all bought by me. I mean, I know what she likes but in desperate times (3 days before christmas or birthdays) I know what to buy!

[Vaud]

bobbo89 said:

I imagine they don't, an opportunity to build a business and make profit is like a red rag to a bull for a guy like Stroll. Be interesting to see what brands get slapped on the side of an F1 car as F1 fans aren't the type to absolutely have to have that particular handbag!

Anyway, what happened to the Ferrari announcement yesterday? I'm sure I'd read somewhere they were going to confirm their 2019 line up!

The article that I read said there was to be a meeting at Ferrari, rather than an announcement.

[bobbo89]

Vaud said:

The article that I read said there was to be a meeting at Ferrari, rather than an announcement.

Ah, propably an unreliable news source making up a bit of clickbait for Twitter that I saw then.

[thegreenhell]

Another door closes for Ocon, as Red Bull say no to Mercedes-backed drivers

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/toro-rosso-ocon...

[Norfolkit]

thegreenhell said:

Another door closes for Ocon, as Red Bull say no to Mercedes-backed drivers

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/toro-rosso-ocon...

It doesn't say "door closed" though does it,
To me "Ocon would not be considered by Red Bull for a Toro Rosso seat while he is contracted to a main rival" is Horner inviting Toto to free up Ocon from his Merc contract.

[DanielSan]

Norfolkit said:

It doesn't say "door closed" though does it,
To me "Ocon would not be considered by Red Bull for a Toro Rosso seat while he is contracted to a main rival" is Horner inviting Toto to free up Ocon from his Merc contract.

I wonder if Toto will release him from his contract if it means getting a drive? The other option of course would be out their money where their mouth is and ditch Bottas to put him in the Mercedes instead. But that won’t happen now they have a number 2 driver whose happy to roll over.

[Vaud]

DanielSan said:

I wonder if Toto will release him from his contract if it means getting a drive? The other option of course would be out their money where their mouth is and ditch Bottas to put him in the Mercedes instead. But that won’t happen now they have a number 2 driver whose happy to roll over.

Plus the cost of compensating Bottas. I think they want Ocon, but not for another year or two.

[Sam993]

Ocon won't be the first and be won't be the last, e.g. Wehrlein is allegedly really good and he's a Merc boy but there's no seat for him in F1.

[Vocal Minority]

Norfolkit said:

thegreenhell said:

Another door closes for Ocon, as Red Bull say no to Mercedes-backed drivers

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/toro-rosso-ocon...

It doesn't say "door closed" though does it,
To me "Ocon would not be considered by Red Bull for a Toro Rosso seat while he is contracted to a main rival" is Horner inviting Toto to free up Ocon from his Merc contract.

So if he was released from his Mercedes contract.....he wouldn't be a Mercedes backed driver any more, would he?

[FourWheelDrift]

Toto would still be his personal manager.

[Norfolkit]

Sam993 said:

Ocon won't be the first and be won't be the last, e.g. Wehrlein is allegedly really good and he's a Merc boy but there's no seat for him in F1.

Really can't see Wehrlein coming back, he must be behind Ocon and Russell in the pecking order, being a distant 8th in DTM is hardly helping his cause either.

[MartG]

Norfolkit said:

Sam993 said:

Ocon won't be the first and be won't be the last, e.g. Wehrlein is allegedly really good and he's a Merc boy but there's no seat for him in F1.

Really can't see Wehrlein coming back, he must be behind Ocon and Russell in the pecking order, being a distant 8th in DTM is hardly helping his cause either.

Not to mention one or two instances of ignoring advice/orders from the pitwall

[Norfolkit]

Vocal Minority said:

Norfolkit said:

thegreenhell said:

Another door closes for Ocon, as Red Bull say no to Mercedes-backed drivers

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/toro-rosso-ocon...

It doesn't say "door closed" though does it,
To me "Ocon would not be considered by Red Bull for a Toro Rosso seat while he is contracted to a main rival" is Horner inviting Toto to free up Ocon from his Merc contract.

So if he was released from his Mercedes contract.....he wouldn't be a Mercedes backed driver any more, would he?

Presumably he'd be a free agent if Merc released him and I would think he'd jump at the chance of a TR drive, better that than Williams or no drive at all.