The Official F1 2021 silly season *contains speculation*
Discussion
ajprice said:
Russell definitely confirmed at Williams now https://wtf1.com/post/williams-have-confirmed-that... so the Perez taking his seat stuff was made up or didn't work out.
I’m pleased about this. So 3 more seats confirmed today - the musical chairs game is quickly running out of places to sit.Leithen said:
TheDeuce said:
After his comments earlier in the year I think he's just delaying the awkward moment at which it's announced that he's taking £50m+ next year 
Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
It's clearly evident that he needs a new manager. Craig Pollock would be perfect.Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
HighwayStar said:
Leithen said:
TheDeuce said:
After his comments earlier in the year I think he's just delaying the awkward moment at which it's announced that he's taking £50m+ next year
Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
It's clearly evident that he needs a new manager. Craig Pollock would be perfect.Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
HighwayStar said:
Hamilton managed himself, does the negotiating. I read somewhere, in the last few days, he wants to concentrate on the title and then get the contract done. He’s already said he’d like to stay another 3yrs and wants to race the news ‘22 cars.
Exactly. He's said he wants to stay at Mercedes. Mercedes have said they want him to stay. Other than a bit of paper with a squiggle on it, it's done.That seat certainly ain't 'available' for anyone else!
Petrus1983 said:
HighwayStar said:
Leithen said:
TheDeuce said:
After his comments earlier in the year I think he's just delaying the awkward moment at which it's announced that he's taking £50m+ next year
Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
It's clearly evident that he needs a new manager. Craig Pollock would be perfect.Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
Given the car is meant to be so good, is Hamilton worth the money? Stick someone in marginally better than Bottas and they will still win both championships next year and save a stack of cash. I think Toto needs to invite Perez to the motorhome this weekend then offer Hamilton the same as Bottas cash wise LOL
scrw. said:
Given the car is meant to be so good, is Hamilton worth the money? Stick someone in marginally better than Bottas and they will still win both championships next year and save a stack of cash. I think Toto needs to invite Perez to the motorhome this weekend then offer Hamilton the same as Bottas cash wise LOL
No other driver could give them what Lewis will next year. It's not possible.Glad to see Russell is safe in that Williams seat, that would have been unjust.
The Alfa Romeo announcement is a little underwhelming to be honest. Kimi has been pretty average when compared to Giovinazzi this season and I don't really see why he is still hanging about. I struggle to see where the motivation is in driving that Alfa at the back. Kimi is a bit of a cork in Ferrari's bottle in my view.
With the Alfa seats now being taken and Schumacher being linked with the HAAS drive then something has struck me as odd. Namely why did Ferrari bother setting up Schumacher for an FP1 run with Alfa Romeo and not the HAAS team themselves??
It says to me that something changed between Schumacher's aborted Nurburgring FP1 run and the Alfa driver line up being announced. I wonder if Kimi was originally leaving and then changed his mind?? Or maybe the HAAS decision to drop both their drivers was not initially planned but now they have gone it means Ferrari can keep Giovinazzi in an F1 seat and still promote their younger lads.
Either way it struck me as somewhat counter productive to test him in an Alfa only to likely place him in a HAAS when they could have tested him at HAAS directly in place of Ilott.
The Alfa Romeo announcement is a little underwhelming to be honest. Kimi has been pretty average when compared to Giovinazzi this season and I don't really see why he is still hanging about. I struggle to see where the motivation is in driving that Alfa at the back. Kimi is a bit of a cork in Ferrari's bottle in my view.
With the Alfa seats now being taken and Schumacher being linked with the HAAS drive then something has struck me as odd. Namely why did Ferrari bother setting up Schumacher for an FP1 run with Alfa Romeo and not the HAAS team themselves??
It says to me that something changed between Schumacher's aborted Nurburgring FP1 run and the Alfa driver line up being announced. I wonder if Kimi was originally leaving and then changed his mind?? Or maybe the HAAS decision to drop both their drivers was not initially planned but now they have gone it means Ferrari can keep Giovinazzi in an F1 seat and still promote their younger lads.
Either way it struck me as somewhat counter productive to test him in an Alfa only to likely place him in a HAAS when they could have tested him at HAAS directly in place of Ilott.
TwentyFive said:
Glad to see Russell is safe in that Williams seat, that would have been unjust.
The Alfa Romeo announcement is a little underwhelming to be honest. Kimi has been pretty average when compared to Giovinazzi this season and I don't really see why he is still hanging about. I struggle to see where the motivation is in driving that Alfa at the back. Kimi is a bit of a cork in Ferrari's bottle in my view.
With the Alfa seats now being taken and Schumacher being linked with the HAAS drive then something has struck me as odd. Namely why did Ferrari bother setting up Schumacher for an FP1 run with Alfa Romeo and not the HAAS team themselves??
It says to me that something changed between Schumacher's aborted Nurburgring FP1 run and the Alfa driver line up being announced. I wonder if Kimi was originally leaving and then changed his mind?? Or maybe the HAAS decision to drop both their drivers was not initially planned but now they have gone it means Ferrari can keep Giovinazzi in an F1 seat and still promote their younger lads.
Either way it struck me as somewhat counter productive to test him in an Alfa only to likely place him in a HAAS when they could have tested him at HAAS directly in place of Ilott.
I think there must be a certain healthy drama and interest in having schumi and Illot together at one team - whatever the original plan, and I'm sure all options have been discussed at some length.The Alfa Romeo announcement is a little underwhelming to be honest. Kimi has been pretty average when compared to Giovinazzi this season and I don't really see why he is still hanging about. I struggle to see where the motivation is in driving that Alfa at the back. Kimi is a bit of a cork in Ferrari's bottle in my view.
With the Alfa seats now being taken and Schumacher being linked with the HAAS drive then something has struck me as odd. Namely why did Ferrari bother setting up Schumacher for an FP1 run with Alfa Romeo and not the HAAS team themselves??
It says to me that something changed between Schumacher's aborted Nurburgring FP1 run and the Alfa driver line up being announced. I wonder if Kimi was originally leaving and then changed his mind?? Or maybe the HAAS decision to drop both their drivers was not initially planned but now they have gone it means Ferrari can keep Giovinazzi in an F1 seat and still promote their younger lads.
Either way it struck me as somewhat counter productive to test him in an Alfa only to likely place him in a HAAS when they could have tested him at HAAS directly in place of Ilott.
Two drivers battling in F2 then in the same team in F1? Sounds bloody good to me! Whoever is victorious in F1 will beyond doubt revela which is the best driver for the future, which works out great for Ferrari longer term. In the short term, works out great for us. It'd be interesting to see two F2 drivers promoted to F1 and still be fighting each other in the same cars..
Not least it would make Haas slightly interesting again, so I suppose it'd be good for them too.
Get's my vote
The big question, I think, is who will partner Max?
I feel sure it’s got to be either Perez or the Hulk, but I don’t imagine either really floats RB’s boat.
Only on the basis that he brings funds, when prize money next year will be seriously challenged, then I believe it must be advantage Perez.
I feel sure it’s got to be either Perez or the Hulk, but I don’t imagine either really floats RB’s boat.
Only on the basis that he brings funds, when prize money next year will be seriously challenged, then I believe it must be advantage Perez.
scrw. said:
TheDeuce said:
No other driver could give them what Lewis will next year. It's not possible.
just WDC & WCC, most drivers could, advertising & image less so.With that done Merc could leave the sport and they'd still get endless references in the sport for free, for at least a decade. Whenever any other team starts to dominate all the talk will be about whether Mercedes 'massive records' could ever be toppled...
Only Lewis can give them all of that. No one else can possibly take an eighth title at Mercedes or a fifth consecutive title with them.
Edited by TheDeuce on Friday 30th October 16:05
TheDeuce said:
After his comments earlier in the year I think he's just delaying the awkward moment at which it's announced that he's taking £50m+ next year
Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
I was thinking this the other day. Hamilton would almost do it for free - to have the branding, the record breaking opportunity, to be in the best seat in the house.Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
Yes, tying up the championship this year gives him more leverage, not that he needs anymore
TheDeuce said:
scrw. said:
TheDeuce said:
No other driver could give them what Lewis will next year. It's not possible.
just WDC & WCC, most drivers could, advertising & image less so.With that done Merc could leave the sport and they'd still get endless references in the sport for free, for at least a decade. Whenever any other team starts to dominate all the talk will be about whether Mercedes 'massive records' could ever be toppled...
Only Lewis can give them all of that. No one else can possibly take an eighth title at Mercedes or a fifth consecutive title with them.
It's the marketing and brand image. A legend in the making and to have that in the history books. That has so much intangible value to Mercedes.
leef44 said:
TheDeuce said:
After his comments earlier in the year I think he's just delaying the awkward moment at which it's announced that he's taking £50m+ next year
Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
I was thinking this the other day. Hamilton would almost do it for free - to have the branding, the record breaking opportunity, to be in the best seat in the house.Anyway, done deal. Mercedes would pay him double what he's asking for if they had no other option. He would do it for free if he had no other option. The record smashing titles next year are more valuable for the following decades of both parties than any single years lump of cash.
Yes, tying up the championship this year gives him more leverage, not that he needs anymore
They're gonna settle around the £50m mark surely. I think £60m was rumoured earlier in the year but he's bound to pull down from that headline figure a little, and probably give xx amount to some sort of cause. It's all a bit irrelevant at this stage really. He already has more money than he can spend faster than the interest tops it back up.
TheDeuce said:
Yea, I'm sure he 'would' do it for free if somehow it was really the only option. That would never happen though!
They're gonna settle around the £50m mark surely. I think £60m was rumoured earlier in the year but he's bound to pull down from that headline figure a little, and probably give xx amount to some sort of cause. It's all a bit irrelevant at this stage really. He already has more money than he can spend faster than the interest tops it back up.
That would be a win-win marketing for Mercedes: agree for Hamilton to pay X amount to charity, given the hardships suffered by many in this lockdown year.They're gonna settle around the £50m mark surely. I think £60m was rumoured earlier in the year but he's bound to pull down from that headline figure a little, and probably give xx amount to some sort of cause. It's all a bit irrelevant at this stage really. He already has more money than he can spend faster than the interest tops it back up.
scrw. said:
Given the car is meant to be so good, is Hamilton worth the money?
Stick someone in marginally better than Bottas and they will still win both championships next year and save a stack of cash.
I think Toto needs to invite Perez to the motorhome this weekend then offer Hamilton the same as Bottas cash wise LOL
Let's not forget that Bottas has been Hamilton's team-mate since 2017 and has only finished runner-up in the championship once; last year.Stick someone in marginally better than Bottas and they will still win both championships next year and save a stack of cash.
I think Toto needs to invite Perez to the motorhome this weekend then offer Hamilton the same as Bottas cash wise LOL
He's pretty nailed on for this year, but still only 17 points ahead of Verstappen. (In fairness to Valtteri, he has had some bad luck with reliability)
TheDeuce said:
Yes but they don't just want the two titles... They want Lewis to become a record breaker and new standard bearer at their team. Also securing for them new records in terms of consecutive WCC, and match Ferrari for consecutive double titles and consecutive WCC & WDC with the same driver winning.
With that done Merc could leave the sport and they'd still get endless references in the sport for free, for at least a decade. Whenever any other team starts to dominate all the talk will be about whether Mercedes 'massive records' could ever be toppled...
Only Lewis can give them all of that. No one else can possibly take an eighth title at Mercedes or a fifth consecutive title with them.
The only people who care about the WDC are the drivers and fans, teams are solely focused on the WCC. That's where the big pile of cash comes from that helps fund their racing. They get nothing for WDC other than paying the driver a bigger bonus and salary really. With that done Merc could leave the sport and they'd still get endless references in the sport for free, for at least a decade. Whenever any other team starts to dominate all the talk will be about whether Mercedes 'massive records' could ever be toppled...
Only Lewis can give them all of that. No one else can possibly take an eighth title at Mercedes or a fifth consecutive title with them.
Edited by TheDeuce on Friday 30th October 16:05
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