The Official F1 2019 silly season *contains speculation*

[FourWheelDrift]

Sainz could bring the big Spanish motorsports (in bike racing) names of Estrella Gallicia and Mapfre plus the Spanish football league La Liga to McLaren. They would pay for the space on the car. They are currently small logos on the Renault but they might expand, Estrella Gallicia will probably be out of MotoGP with Marc VDS leaving, they could look for a new way to go.

[tigerkoi]

Vaud said:

I think they will survive because providing they can turn and race they will be allowed to. Sadly they may look like Manor until then.

It's about survival to 2021.

Fair enough, I can buy that. But it’s a risk in itself, waiting/hoping for a change in rules like it’s another round of five-card draw.

With no Martini, and if Stroll does go and takes his money with them, then they’re in a quandary. Personally I think what Stroll senior did was smart - throw money at Williams as a customer rather than a shareholder (notwithstanding the Williams family accepting dilution of their stake), as it gave him power to click his fingers more. But if the hole in the coffers is large enough to need Claire to find another billionaire with a son with racing ambitions, I suspect that any future investor will want more. They’d want a stake, because they would want control. And then it’ll likely be an impasse or Williams decide to let a cat into the family henhouse.

[FourWheelDrift]

There is of course the spectre of another rich Canadian, Nicolas Latifi, his rich daddy has invested into the McLaren Group, his son is the Force India reserve driver. That could be an issue if Stroll wants to go to FI. So on one hand you have rich daddy Stroll, on the other hand rich daddy Latifi, but which one's better, there's only one way to find out...

[HustleRussell]

People appear to have given up on Williams but I wouldn’t bet on next years car being as bad as this years. It’s not out of the question that Sauber (sans Leclerc) and Toro Rosso Honda could be within reach... and which way are Force India going?

[tigerkoi]

FourWheelDrift said:

There is of course the spectre of another rich Canadian, Nicolas Latifi, his rich daddy has invested into the McLaren Group, his son is the Force India reserve driver. That could be an issue if Stroll wants to go to FI. So on one hand you have rich daddy Stroll, on the other hand rich daddy Latifi, but which one's better, there's only one way to find out...

You’re right, and I wasn’t aware that his son was at FI. However, Sofina Foods whilst a largish business (makes phantom label processed meats for supermarket distribution in CA and the US), doesn’t put Latifi in the same ballpark as Stroll wealth-wise. When I heard of the £200m into McLaren, due to what that possibly represents as a % of his worth, I thought it was a really big call at the time. Then again, you wouldn’t invest in McLaren for the F1 team, but the likelihoood that they’ll sell more road cars.

But if his kid is also at FI and there’s no restrictive covenants on him having other F1 interests, then I guess it’s all pressure on Stroll to make his mind up and stick with Williams or jump to FI before it’s not an option! Hmmmm....

Edited by tigerkoi on Thursday 19th July 23:15

[anonymous-user]

The news I want to hear is Williams sacking Stroll and he lands without a drive for 2019.

[thegreenhell]

tigerkoi said:

FourWheelDrift said:

There is of course the spectre of another rich Canadian, Nicolas Latifi, his rich daddy has invested into the McLaren Group, his son is the Force India reserve driver. That could be an issue if Stroll wants to go to FI. So on one hand you have rich daddy Stroll, on the other hand rich daddy Latifi, but which one's better, there's only one way to find out...

You’re right, and I wasn’t aware that his son was at FI. However, Sofina Foods whilst a largish business (makes phantom label processed meats for supermarket distribution in CA and the US), doesn’t put Latifi in the same ballpark as Stroll wealth-wise. When I heard of the £200m into McLaren, due to what that possibly represents as a % of his worth, I thought it was a really big call at the time. Then again, you wouldn’t invest in McLaren for the F1 team, but the likelihoood that they’ll sell more road cars.

But if his kid is also at FI and there’s no restrictive covenants on him having other F1 interests, then I guess it’s all pressure on Stroll to make his mind up and stick with Williams or jump to FI before it’s not an option! Hmmmm....

Edited by tigerkoi on Thursday 19th July 23:15

The Latifis are reportedly an order of magnitude wealthier than the Strolls, if it came to a bidding war to get the son an F1 seat or even buy a whole team. The Latifis not only have Micheal's Sofina company wealth, but also his wife's share of the Saputo family wealth, which is even greater still.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

tigerkoi said:

You’re right, and I wasn’t aware that his son was at FI. However, Sofina Foods whilst a largish business (makes phantom label processed meats for supermarket distribution in CA and the US), doesn’t put Latifi in the same ballpark as Stroll wealth-wise. When I heard of the £200m into McLaren, due to what that possibly represents as a % of his worth, I thought it was a really big call at the time. Then again, you wouldn’t invest in McLaren for the F1 team, but the likelihoood that they’ll sell more road cars.

But if his kid is also at FI and there’s no restrictive covenants on him having other F1 interests, then I guess it’s all pressure on Stroll to make his mind up and stick with Williams or jump to FI before it’s not an option! Hmmmm....

Edited by tigerkoi on Thursday 19th July 23:15

I thought it was the other way around, Latifi Snr being vastly more wealthy than Stroll and that’s before you take into account his wife who trumps them both.

[MissChief]

According to this site (and I have no idea of it's accuracy)
https://www.canadianbusiness.com/lists-and-ranking...
Lawrence Stroll 'only' has a net wealth of $2.04Bn Canadian. Compare this to the Saputo family wealth of $10.41Bn Canadian it's rather more. Of course a lot of that money is likely tied up in various fund, stock options, property and other appreciating assets for both of them, but I'm sure they have many millions in a 'slush fund' to do with as they please and could likely lay their hands on many more within a day or two if necessary.

[ajprice]

Bottas at Mercedes for 2019 https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/a...

[skinny]

ajprice said:

Bottas at Mercedes for 2019 https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/a...

Yawn. I mean he's competent but not gonna set the world alight

[tigerkoi]

thegreenhell said:

The Latifis are reportedly an order of magnitude wealthier than the Strolls, if it came to a bidding war to get the son an F1 seat or even buy a whole team. The Latifis not only have Micheal's Sofina company wealth, but also his wife's share of the Saputo family wealth, which is even greater still.

Happy to be wrong! But from casual reading Latifi never is listed in the top 100 Canadians. So in my mind I’m sticking with a net worth of less than $1bn. Mirella certainly does come from a wealthier family but the family company is public, and therefore questions over liquidity, and on top of that splitting $5b 10 ways for the family members eats away at all that dosh

But we may just about to find out more....Latifi is a bit smoke and mirrors over his mini empire but if he jumps for FI we’ll start to know more....

[Vocal Minority]

skinny said:

ajprice said:

Bottas at Mercedes for 2019 https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/a...

Yawn. I mean he's competent but not gonna set the world alight

Disagree - I welcome this news.

With more luck he'd be a championship contender. People bleat about Safety Cars (virtual and otherwise) and reliability problems - well Valteri has been hit harder with that stick than anyone this year. The only two black marks on his record this year are his prang in Aus and (if you want to call it a black mark) the fact he didn't go more aggressive in Bahrain - though you could argue he was playing the percentage game.

Also - he is stern and Finnish. All good Finnish drivers are stern (to the media at least) - it's part of F1! So I welcome this news.


Shine on you incredibly serious diamond....

[kambites]

skinny said:

ajprice said:

Bottas at Mercedes for 2019 https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/a...

Yawn. I mean he's competent but not gonna set the world alight

Last year I'd have agreed, but if you could somehow even out the luck between them and he'd only be a handful of points behind Hamilton this year IMO. He's had the odd non-competitive race but then so has Hamilton; the difference is that when he's been competitive he's generally not finished for reasons beyond his own control.

[Dr Z]

Mark Hughes speculates on the midfield driver market:

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/mph-...

Stroll -> Force India
Ocon -> Renault
Sainz -> McLaren (Vandoorne out)
Russell (Merc Junior) -> Williams
Norris (McLaren Junior) -> Toro Rosso (Hartley out)
Perez -> Haas/Sauber
Kubica -> Force India (to partner/coach/mentor Stroll)

[Mark-C]

Dr Z said:

Mark Hughes speculates on the midfield driver market:

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/mph-...

Stroll -> Force India
Ocon -> Renault
Sainz -> McLaren (Vandoorne out)
Russell (Merc Junior) -> Williams
Norris (McLaren Junior) -> Toro Rosso (Hartley out)
Perez -> Haas/Sauber
Kubica -> Force India (to partner/coach/mentor Stroll)

Surely Norris -> McLaren and Sainz -> Toro Rosso makes more sense given they are contracted to McLaren and Red Bull already?

[bobbo89]

Dr Z said:

Mark Hughes speculates on the midfield driver market:

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/mph-...

Stroll -> Force India
Ocon -> Renault
Sainz -> McLaren (Vandoorne out)
Russell (Merc Junior) -> Williams
Norris (McLaren Junior) -> Toro Rosso (Hartley out)
Perez -> Haas/Sauber
Kubica -> Force India (to partner/coach/mentor Stroll)

Norris to FI is an interesting one, a Mclaren Junior going to a Honda powered team!
Also be interesting if FI go for a complete driver change and drop Perez for Kubica alhtough I have said before that Perez has become a bit stale in F1

[thegreenhell]

Sainz won't go back to Toro Rosso. I read somewhere that his contract is that if Red Bull want him back from Renault then it has to be into a Red Bull and not a Toro Rosso.

[andburg]

Dr Z said:

Mark Hughes speculates on the midfield driver market:

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/mph-...

Stroll -> Force India
Ocon -> Renault
Sainz -> McLaren (Vandoorne out)
Russell (Merc Junior) -> Williams
Norris (McLaren Junior) -> Toro Rosso (Hartley out)
Perez -> Haas/Sauber
Kubica -> Force India (to partner/coach/mentor Stroll)

not sure i see it, if Stroll moves to FI they're going to be pushed into buying more merc shelf items by daddy so losing ocon to renault makes no sense and the rest is a snowball effect.

[anonymous-user]

ajprice said:

Bottas at Mercedes for 2019 https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/en/mercedes-amg-f1/a...

Well that's Lewis stipulation in his new contract complete. Keep Bottas.

Kimi will sign with Ferrari for another year next just to keep BOTH number one's happy at Mercedes and Ferrari.

It's all a bit number two's

Sh**

Yes it will keep the harmony in the team.