The Official 2018 F1 Silly Season *Contains Speculation*
Discussion
Despite last weekend's tantrums, I don't think Ferrari will be dropping Vettel any time soon. Aside from which where would he go to?
As for Fernando, I think he will stay at McLaren, who I am sure will have a better engine by the back half of this season. Whether it is one of Honda's units of course remains to be seen.
As for Fernando, I think he will stay at McLaren, who I am sure will have a better engine by the back half of this season. Whether it is one of Honda's units of course remains to be seen.
Vaud said:
I'm just going to through this thought into the mix.
Alonso to Ferrari.
Seb to sabbatical / retirement.
Kimi for continuation for one year.
No evidence, just a guess.
Pretty random and I may eat my words....Alonso to Ferrari.
Seb to sabbatical / retirement.
Kimi for continuation for one year.
No evidence, just a guess.
Alonso to Ferrari?
I said he'd never go back to McLaren and look what happened there. Could happen but I doubt it somehow
Seb sabbatical
Why? He'll continue, 99% at Ferrari. 1% at Mercedes
Kimi will leave this year I think.
I can and would like to see Sainz at Ferrari.
ash73 said:
Crafty_ said:
I wonder if Renault can tempt Sainz.
They seem to be courting a few big names and I don't really understand it. Are people in the know expecting them to move up the grid next year?Big(ish) investment
Rebuilding technical staff
Former champions not that long ago
Could be a good team to get a foot in to at this point, ready for a winning seat
If you'd have told Jenson Button in 2001 that his current team would be champions 4 years later, there would be scratched heads
Likewise Hamilton when he moved to Mercedes - plenty thought that was nuts.
Anyone any thought's on Grosjean? He's not very happy at Haas ATM with seemingly constant brake issues and I also think he's at a point in his career now where he really needs to be getting into a top/works team.
Would Renault be interested in having an experienced French driver? (Palmer surely can't continue!)
The Ferrari connection is there, might he take Raikkonen's seat?
I reckon the Merc seats are safe so he wont be going there...
Might he take Massa's seat and becomes Stroll's new 27+ mentor?
Whatever happens, I just cant see him at Haas next year.
Would Renault be interested in having an experienced French driver? (Palmer surely can't continue!)
The Ferrari connection is there, might he take Raikkonen's seat?
I reckon the Merc seats are safe so he wont be going there...
Might he take Massa's seat and becomes Stroll's new 27+ mentor?
Whatever happens, I just cant see him at Haas next year.
I agree I can't see SG at Haas next year he's just so unhappy & that must be having an effect on the team too.
I still think CS to Ferrari with SV
SG will go back to Renault
FA will stay at Mclaren with the Alfa engine
PW will leave Sauber & maybe F1
Leclerc to Haas might be one to watch
Redbull Mercedes Force One will stay the same.
I still think CS to Ferrari with SV
SG will go back to Renault
FA will stay at Mclaren with the Alfa engine
PW will leave Sauber & maybe F1
Leclerc to Haas might be one to watch
Redbull Mercedes Force One will stay the same.
lee_fr200 said:
This would be their first time in like 20yrs without a wdc driver so I think if Kimi leaves Ferrari they would try and get him back but mclaren need to ditch vandoorne and go for sainz or someone like verstappen
McLaren didn't have a World Champion driver from 2002 to 2006 when Kimi, DC and JPM were the drivers.So only 11 years ago.
For all their name, brand and history McLaren haven't been able to build a Championship contending car since 2005 which is the year Adrian Newey left.
They haven't won the Constructors championship since 1998 which is 19 years ago!
I don't think many top level drivers want to actually go and drive for them as they are just like Williams now which is solid points scorers but not Championship challengers.
Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull are the top teams at the moment. McLaren are no way near.
I suppose the difference between Mclaren and Williams is the works engine connection. It may be a rubbish works engine at the moment but should Honda somehow find the magic button which gives them the best engine (admittedly that's probably quite unlikely) Mclaren will be contenders; Williams running a customer Merc engine are always going to struggle to beat Mercedes themselves.
I think the team which the young drivers will be looking at most closely at the moment is Renault. They may be well down the rankings this year but with the amount of money being pumped into that team at the moment they've got to be worth a gamble for a young driver who can't get a Mercedes, Ferrari seat or Redbull seat.
I think the team which the young drivers will be looking at most closely at the moment is Renault. They may be well down the rankings this year but with the amount of money being pumped into that team at the moment they've got to be worth a gamble for a young driver who can't get a Mercedes, Ferrari seat or Redbull seat.
ZX10R NIN said:
I agree I can't see SG at Haas next year he's just so unhappy & that must be having an effect on the team too.
I still think CS to Ferrari with SV
SG will go back to Renault
FA will stay at Mclaren with the Alfa engine
PW will leave Sauber & maybe F1
Leclerc to Haas might be one to watch
Redbull Mercedes Force One will stay the same.
Where does this Alfa engine speculation come from? Don't forget Wehrlein is a Mercedes young driver. Sainz is very likely to be on the move but it could be a promotion to the senior team. Leclerc is a Ferrari Young Driver and is well respected by them, but Giovanizzi doesn't pay for his position in that team and thus is ahead in the queue.I still think CS to Ferrari with SV
SG will go back to Renault
FA will stay at Mclaren with the Alfa engine
PW will leave Sauber & maybe F1
Leclerc to Haas might be one to watch
Redbull Mercedes Force One will stay the same.
rubystone said:
Where does this Alfa engine speculation come from?
http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/10921435/mc...rubystone said:
Where does this Alfa engine speculation come from? Don't forget Wehrlein is a Mercedes young driver. Sainz is very likely to be on the move but it could be a promotion to the senior team. Leclerc is a Ferrari Young Driver and is well respected by them, but Giovanizzi doesn't pay for his position in that team and thus is ahead in the queue.
The senior team is locked out as far as CS going there, LeClerc will need experience & going to somewhere like Sauber is a good call or he'll end up as a reserve driver with Gio taking the Sauber drive as PW ends up at Williams.The Alfa engine works in the sense that Mclaren have more chance of beating Ferrari with their engine than they do of beating Mercedes with their engine, plus if they do beat Ferrari then it's not as embarrassing for Ferrari as they got beat by their sister company.
Mclaren get to keep FA & we get to see a fierce fight for the title assuming Mclaren can make a good chassis.
Allegedly Martini require a driver over 25 to do their PR work. As stroll is barely out of nappies that means its the other seat.
Massa has said he wants to race again IIRC. Maybe he's the backup plan ?
Grosjean is an interesting one - when at Lotus (now Renault) the engineers rated him, saying he was as fast or faster than Kimi. Who was winning the odd race at the time. He wants to race a red car and the move to Haas was the main reason (to put him in line).
If Kimi does leave (by no means assured) and he doesn't get the seat he may decide that its time to look elsewhere and Williams might just work.
I don't see him returning to Renault - they have their experienced guy in Hulkenberg, they'll take a young driver. I think Maybe Perez or as said, Sainz.
Alonso will stay at McLaren and they will stay with Honda. Ferrari aren't going to give them an engine, no matter what badge is on it and I reckon Merc are having second thoughts. Besides, I think Honda are starting to solve their issues with external help that they are keeping quiet about (Illien apparently helping them for one).
I will be surprised if LeClerc isn't in F1 soon - if its going to be next year I would suggest we'll see him in FP sessions this year.
The big loser out of all this is Pierre Gasly, who isn't going to get an F1 seat unless they dump Kvyat, which from Tost's recent comments sounds unlikely. All depends on Marko.
If Williams can get Martini to open up to a slightly younger driver they could target Wehrlein, Kvyat, Magnussen.
Massa has said he wants to race again IIRC. Maybe he's the backup plan ?
Grosjean is an interesting one - when at Lotus (now Renault) the engineers rated him, saying he was as fast or faster than Kimi. Who was winning the odd race at the time. He wants to race a red car and the move to Haas was the main reason (to put him in line).
If Kimi does leave (by no means assured) and he doesn't get the seat he may decide that its time to look elsewhere and Williams might just work.
I don't see him returning to Renault - they have their experienced guy in Hulkenberg, they'll take a young driver. I think Maybe Perez or as said, Sainz.
Alonso will stay at McLaren and they will stay with Honda. Ferrari aren't going to give them an engine, no matter what badge is on it and I reckon Merc are having second thoughts. Besides, I think Honda are starting to solve their issues with external help that they are keeping quiet about (Illien apparently helping them for one).
I will be surprised if LeClerc isn't in F1 soon - if its going to be next year I would suggest we'll see him in FP sessions this year.
The big loser out of all this is Pierre Gasly, who isn't going to get an F1 seat unless they dump Kvyat, which from Tost's recent comments sounds unlikely. All depends on Marko.
If Williams can get Martini to open up to a slightly younger driver they could target Wehrlein, Kvyat, Magnussen.
Verstappen seems pretty unhappy at RB this year, and Jos seems to be taking every opportunity to have a pop at the team. Possibly they're trying to position themselves for an early exit. Now that the team has allegedly met its performance targets that would mean they would have to buy out the contract to leave, so who would be willing to pay for Max's services and be prepared to put up with Jos in the background taking a shot whenever things didn't go his boy's way? Ferrari? For all his driving talent his options seem quite limited.
If he did leave that would bump Sainz and Gasly up the RB ladder.
If he did leave that would bump Sainz and Gasly up the RB ladder.
Max is locked down under his contract. Over the past couple of days Jos has had a go at the media for suggesting that the Verstappen crew are unhappy at RBR, apparently they are quite happy there. Must be why Max did a runner after his car packed up and got a 25k fine for skipping media duties 
Seriously, I can't see Max getting out anytime soon nor can I see Ferrari going for him while Vettel is there.
Seriously, I can't see Max getting out anytime soon nor can I see Ferrari going for him while Vettel is there.
Keeping all the news in one place - Sainz says he wants an RBR seat, staying at STR appears not really to be an option: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130581
I have read some speculation that Renault may offer Sainz a multi year deal, and get him on board after Silverstone to replace Palmer. Sainz is frustrated and RB is closed off to him. Renault need to finish fifth in the Constructor's to satisfy the board, they need points ASAP. RB have Gasly chomping at the bit so could slot in next to Kyvat. It kind of makes sense....but I'd love to see Sainz at Ferrari though. It seems safe to assume that Vettel will re-sign with Ferrari, but you never know, he may still end up at Mercedes or just think f
k it, and retire.
k it, and retire. On Sky Sports.... comments on Max and Carlos
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner on that opening session:
"A very good session for Max. This is a very power-sensitive circuit in sectors one and three so hopefully we're not flattering to deceive at the moment.
"His attitude is pretty good. He knows the last two DNFs were out of out control. He's driving at an unbelievable level and just has no luck.
"Winning a race doesn't make any difference to their contract. Out plans for next year is that our cars will have the same numbers on them next year. Both drivers will be with us 100 per cent.
"We've taken the option on Carlos Sainz and he will be in a Toro Rosso next year. It makes no sense loaning him out. I don't know where he thinks he'll be [after Sainz said he doesn't see himself at Toro Rosso next year].
"It's a bit disingenuous saying stuff like that. Without Red Bull he wouldn't be in Formula 1."
Seems Carlos has upset the boss with his comments!
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner on that opening session:
"A very good session for Max. This is a very power-sensitive circuit in sectors one and three so hopefully we're not flattering to deceive at the moment.
"His attitude is pretty good. He knows the last two DNFs were out of out control. He's driving at an unbelievable level and just has no luck.
"Winning a race doesn't make any difference to their contract. Out plans for next year is that our cars will have the same numbers on them next year. Both drivers will be with us 100 per cent.
"We've taken the option on Carlos Sainz and he will be in a Toro Rosso next year. It makes no sense loaning him out. I don't know where he thinks he'll be [after Sainz said he doesn't see himself at Toro Rosso next year].
"It's a bit disingenuous saying stuff like that. Without Red Bull he wouldn't be in Formula 1."
Seems Carlos has upset the boss with his comments!
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