Wolff on one driver leaving Mercedes...

Wolff on one driver leaving Mercedes...

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Prancing Hippo

Original Poster:

229 posts

149 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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Toto has made comments twice stating that if Hamilton and Rosberg become even more of a divisive force within Mercedes, one would have to leave. So, assuming that 2016 does get out of hand, who would be shown the door and who would replace said driver? i doubt they would show the door to the driver causing the problems necessarily, rather they would keep the best driver. Based on that my view would be Rosberg would be shown the door despite being a 'German' in a 'German' team. As to who would replace him - maybe Pascal Wehrlein? thoughts anyone?

BoRED S2upid

19,713 posts

241 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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Hamilton leaving to replace Kimi at Ferrari. German team getting rid of a Getman driver with the clout Rosberg has? I can't see it. I see Rosberg as the yes man in that team and Hamilton the one more likely to disobey orders.

kambites

67,587 posts

222 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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I suspect it'll depend on both how much of a gap there is between the drivers in terms of performance and/or points; how far ahead of the next team Mercedes are; and the exact penalty clauses for the team terminating each of the contracts early.

Prancing Hippo

Original Poster:

229 posts

149 months

Friday 18th December 2015
quotequote all
BoRED S2upid said:
Hamilton leaving to replace Kimi at Ferrari. German team getting rid of a Getman driver with the clout Rosberg has? I can't see it. I see Rosberg as the yes man in that team and Hamilton the one more likely to disobey orders.
Does Rosberg have clout? Had not really felt that he does. Would have thought Hamilton winning 2 WC's with the team would give him the upper hand - all about marketing for Mercedes after all.

jodypress

1,929 posts

275 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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I don't think Rosberg has any clout at all. Hamilton is a marketing wet dream for Mercedes. The amount of "column inches" over his haircut, music etc is imeense compared to anything Rosberg might do off track.
Throw in that most Germans can't stand him either and it's a bit of a no brainer tbh.

BoRED S2upid

19,713 posts

241 months

Friday 18th December 2015
quotequote all
Prancing Hippo said:
BoRED S2upid said:
Hamilton leaving to replace Kimi at Ferrari. German team getting rid of a Getman driver with the clout Rosberg has? I can't see it. I see Rosberg as the yes man in that team and Hamilton the one more likely to disobey orders.
Does Rosberg have clout? Had not really felt that he does. Would have thought Hamilton winning 2 WC's with the team would give him the upper hand - all about marketing for Mercedes after all.
Just the way I see it really Rosberg senior has a longer term relationship with Mercedes and I'm sure still has friends in F1. Rosberg was at Merc before Hamilton and as I said I see Hamilton disobeying team orders before Rosberg does. They will need a reason to get rid of one of them I see them telling Hamilton to stay in second once too often and him telling them to Foff and race Rosberg to the finish line and win a race that Merc wanted Rpaberg to win, we saw it towards the end of last season.

Time will tell.

t400ble

1,804 posts

122 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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Merc have backed Lewis, with McC's help since he was a kid

Lincsblokey

3,175 posts

156 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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One driver is a triple world champion, with a recently signed multi year contract, a marketing dream, and when focused (which, when he needs to be, he is) practically untouchable.

The other is a petulant mardarse who's contract runs out at the end of 2016 and has seen someone come into 'his' team and demolish him, prompting him to moan more than a moany thing, and worse still he isnt popular, even in his 'home' country!

Now, who's going.... doesnt take a brain surgeon!

RobinSherwood

336 posts

216 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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kambites said:
and the exact penalty clauses for the team terminating each of the contracts early.
Rosberg is out of contract at the end of 2016 and Hamilton has recently signed a mega money multi year deal - so from that aspect it is a no brainer who would be shown the door.

LDM

372 posts

128 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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With almost any F1 driver line-up this year Mercedes would have still got the drivers and constructors championships.

I still can't help but feel that Mercedes would like to do the "complete" German thing ie German team/engine/driver.

Would they risk the championships to do it probably not but if there is little risk?

Also Rosberg did seem to find (or be given?) something a little extra at the end of the season.

Prancing Hippo

Original Poster:

229 posts

149 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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OK, so if it is Rosberg that would be pushed out, who are Mercedes likely to replace him with?

Derek Smith

45,689 posts

249 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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he Mercedes set-up is a bit different to other factory teams. They have a board to satisfy and the unions have a presence.

From what I read at the time, Schumacher was brought onboard to placate the unions. I got the impression that Rosberg was not viewed as German 'enough' for them.

What Wolff is saying, whatever he says, is political, said for a reason.

Mt feeling, which is supported by no evidence whatsoever, is that they are a little concerned about 2016, the feeling being that their dominance is under threat. They might be considering following the methods others have used before them and having a one-driver team. The spat between the two drivers might have cost them the championship had Ferrari come good a few races earlier.

The options are to dump one of the drivers. They won't want to lose LH to another team, and they need some Germanish driver. There could well have been a lack of unqualified acceptance of this suggestion.

This might - might - be a warning to Rosberg to accept second fiddle, and to follow instructions.

Just speculation of course, but Wolff has said this for a reason.




NM62

952 posts

151 months

Friday 18th December 2015
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Prancing Hippo said:
OK, so if it is Rosberg that would be pushed out, who are Mercedes likely to replace him with?
Pascal Wehrlein?

RobinSherwood

336 posts

216 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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According to this article Mercedes may make Rosberg wait for a new deal which does imply that he will be the one shown the door if a change of driver line up is thought necessary.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122297

Wombat3

12,195 posts

207 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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...and all complicated by the fact that Rosberg has started driving really rather well at the end of the season!

deadslow

8,009 posts

224 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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Rosberg doesn't cheat first. He's not the guy giving them the headaches.

Wombat3

12,195 posts

207 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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deadslow said:
Rosberg doesn't cheat first. He's not the guy giving them the headaches.
Really? So (for example) when he parked his car during qualifying at Monaco last year, that was an accident was it?

37chevy

3,280 posts

157 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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deadslow said:
Rosberg doesn't cheat first. He's not the guy giving them the headaches.
AND the fact Rosberg turned his engine up at Hungary last year leading to all the inter team problems, and running into Hamilton on purpose at spa....

...but yeh Lewis is clearly the devil and Nico is an absolute angel......what ever!

deadslow

8,009 posts

224 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
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37chevy said:
deadslow said:
Rosberg doesn't cheat first. He's not the guy giving them the headaches.
AND the fact Rosberg turned his engine up at Hungary last year leading to all the inter team problems, and running into Hamilton on purpose at spa....

...but yeh Lewis is clearly the devil and Nico is an absolute angel......what ever!
don't think that was the first time an engine was turned up against explicit team instructions. Just the first time someone ran whining to the press about it hehe

37chevy

3,280 posts

157 months

Saturday 19th December 2015
quotequote all
deadslow said:
don't think that was the first time an engine was turned up against explicit team instructions. Just the first time someone ran whining to the press about it hehe
So when we're the times before then!? Any proof?!

It was a widely held belief in the press and with reporters such as coulthard etc that Nico threw the first punch by turning his engine up at Hungary because he knew that he couldn't beat Hamilton on track at the time....not exactly cheeting but going against team protocol and rules.....something he's winged about himself....

In terms of Lewis winging to the press, yeh I think I'd be pissed off if my teammate had broken the rules and cost me points...again Nico complains when Hamilton overtakes him...neither driver likes being beaten but if there's a history of bad behaviour at Mercedes you need to look at Nico as well as Lewis...he's no angel!!!