Official 2016 Driver's Silly Season Thread; who'll be where?
Discussion
thegreenhell said:
I'm not sure where this idea of Mercedes being so partisan came from, but I've never seen a credible source for it. I'm sure they just want the best drivers available, regardless of nationality, to best show off their German engineering excellence.
In which case by definition why are they even entertaining keeping rosberg? Hamiltons beaten him consistently so they should have someone else known to be quick, it's not like there isn't a queue? Even button kept him honest measurably better. The partisan things never been proven as such but it's an assumption few care to challenge IME.That said I think rosbergs knows he's got one more year left at merc if he signs that one-ner so not surprising he's trying desperately to get a multi year deal I guess.
thegreenhell said:
More likely to see Hamilton at Ferrari than Vettel at Mercedes, I think. I'm sure Hamilton has said in the past that he'd like to drive for the Italians before he retires. When's his contract up anyway? Maybe if he wins one or two more titles with Mercedes then he could defect at the end of term to see out his career in red?
Not so sure fez want hamilton but hey we're well into the 21st century you never know. I don't recall Hamilton speaking of driving for them - mclaren was always his dream and inspiration - any idea of source?cgt2 said:
No reference to a new Ricciardo deal anywhere credible, can anyone find a link?
Horner said at the weekend that his contract doesn't end this year:https://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/la...
Q: Press speculation has suggested Daniel’s contract could come to an end this season, prompting more rumours of a potential Ferrari move…
CH: …wrong, it does not come to an end this season.
Q: But there is a lot of talk…
CH: …but do all those who talk know his contract? No.
Q: Does that mean you will race with the same driver line-up in 2017?
CH: Yes. But not just 2017!
I suspect Merc don't want NR for another two years. Sky reporting that NR wanted 3, Merc 1, and they speculated that they had all probably settled on two.
If a two yr deal has not being confirmed by Merc, perhaps it's been leaked by NR's negotiating team (Gerhard Berger and Rosberg Snt.!) to try to force Merc's hand.
If I were Merc I'd tell him one yr or pack your backs. It might be a little soon to promote Wherlein - he's not lit up the back end of the grid so far.
If a two yr deal has not being confirmed by Merc, perhaps it's been leaked by NR's negotiating team (Gerhard Berger and Rosberg Snt.!) to try to force Merc's hand.
If I were Merc I'd tell him one yr or pack your backs. It might be a little soon to promote Wherlein - he's not lit up the back end of the grid so far.
http://www.crash.net/f1/news/231497/1/williams-hin...
Williams is probably about the best offer button can get I'd have thought; even if mclaren got good all of a sudden they don't actually seem that keen on him, certainly alonsos quite obviously their cherished "experienced" driver.
Williams is probably about the best offer button can get I'd have thought; even if mclaren got good all of a sudden they don't actually seem that keen on him, certainly alonsos quite obviously their cherished "experienced" driver.
Button at Williams is certainly possible. He's well liked and is catnip to sponsors.
McLaren won't want to have Alonso and Button retire/both out of contract at the end of 2017. Can't see how Stoffel won't be there next year.
I'm not sure that Massa has another season in F1 ahead of him.
McLaren won't want to have Alonso and Button retire/both out of contract at the end of 2017. Can't see how Stoffel won't be there next year.
I'm not sure that Massa has another season in F1 ahead of him.
Don't really quite get the Williams situation... They have Bottas who they seem to rate as the best thing since sliced bread and yet Massa is only a fraction slower (and sometimes faster) but they don't seem happy with him at all. Same could be said about the Alonso/Button situation really. I think these decisions are often made more on emotion than cold hard logic.
suffolk009 said:
Last time Perez had a decent run for a couple of races McLaren snapped him up on impulse. Then they realised their mistake.
^This. Prost is quoted as pointing out something similar in a recent interview:“One thing you also have to take into consideration is the pressure at Ferrari. Sometimes you can see some very good drivers in an average team and, when they go to a top team, they do not perform the same because it is a little bit different."
Plus the rumours I see are suggesting Sainz is going to be confirmed at Toro Rosso and Raikkonen is within touching distance of a contract extension. Certainly if Ferrari are going to run a no.1 / no.2 set-up there is little point in them hiring another driver and if they are going to allow two top drivers to fight it out they would actually need to hire a top level driver like Ricciardo or Rosberg..... not Perez.
In the long run Sainz might be better off at Renault but it really depends on how much money Renault are going to pour into the team to be successful and on the chance of a Red Bull seat being up for grabs in 2018.
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