Silly season 2016

[NAPI10]

Where is the official announcement of Diageo owning FI?

[FrukostScones]

ALO MAL at Renault 2016

or ALO BUE

That is silly. Maldonando, Palmer have contracts at Lotus (Renault) and Alonso at Mclaren. It wouldn't make sense to do anything in 2016 which is a transitional year.

silly? like silly season

so we have seen with Guido Van der Gaarde what contract are worth in F1 ...
and ALo is very fristrated atm as we know...
so...

"bad" driver are defo better as excuse for Renault in 2016...

[PlatinumZealot]

I think Sauber will be much more independent from Ferrari with Haas in F1.

Yeah. Monisha was hinting that they could be a Honda team in 2017.

[ScottB]

I think Sauber will be much more independent from Ferrari with Haas in F1.

Yeah. Monisha was hinting that they could be a Honda team in 2017.

I suspect the reality of having Vandoorne sitting around with nowhere to put him will see Mclaren / Honda try and snap at least one team to be their satellite, as well as the benefit of the extra data and Honda's apparent promise to supply more than one team.

They seem to be the only viable option really. Long term you'd imagine STR will fall into line with whatever RBR's power train plans are, Haas are wedded to Ferrari, Williams seem unlikely to move away from Mercedes as long as their engines are good and Wolff still has his shares, if FI become Aston they are 5% owned by Mercedes, so they won't be going anywhere, and if Manor / whatever they end up being called are in effect becoming the Mercedes junior team, then they won't be changing either.

Actually puts Sauber in a fairly strong negotiating position, if Mclaren decide they need / want another team to run the Honda engine, they are quite possibly the only choice, short of lining up a new team to join.

[continuum16]

I know it's a bit far off, but if Williams doesn't deliver next year, Bottas will leave (provided he handily beats Massa), going to Ferrari (unless here's a fallout at merc), If sauber went to Honda they could get vandoorne and Nasr and be reasonably competitive. A competitive Renault in 2017 might be desirable for a verstappen or Hulkenburg, and who knows, Maybe ricciardo or kvyat could fill button's spot if he retires.

[ScottB]

I know it's a bit far off, but if Williams doesn't deliver next year, Bottas will leave (provided he handily beats Massa), going to Ferrari (unless here's a fallout at merc), If sauber went to Honda they could get vandoorne and Nasr and be reasonably competitive. A competitive Renault in 2017 might be desirable for a verstappen or Hulkenburg, and who knows, Maybe ricciardo or kvyat could fill button's spot if he retires.

Can't see Ferrari going for Bottas, more likely Verstappen or Sainz? Certainly I reckon the former will find himself in a front running seat in 2017, be that an RBR, Ferrari or a Merc.

Button's seat will go to Vandorne, would only see him in a Sauber if Jenson races on into 2017, which I guess he might, if he thinks Mckaren will be in with a shout under the new regs...


One would suspect Renault will go looking for a team leader for 2017... Maybe Bottas in there? Not sure they could lure in one of the top tier that soon?

[continuum16]

The only reason vandoorne would not be in mclaren in year one is that maybe they'd test the waters with him in another team to get experience so that there wouldn't be another magnussen-type debacle.

[OneAlex]

ALO MAL at Renault 2016

or ALO BUE

That is silly. Maldonando, Palmer have contracts at Lotus (Renault) and Alonso at Mclaren. It wouldn't make sense to do anything in 2016 which is a transitional year.

Seems there's a possibility those contracts may not carry over to Renault after all...

"Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn hints that the team may not retain Lotus drivers Pastor Maldonado and Jolyon Palmer following the French manufacturer's takeover this week." - BBC SPORT

The article they linked to requires a premium subscription so cannot comment on if there's any depth to that headline or not though: http://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/2015/12 ... n-2016.php

[Cold Fussion]

That doesn't seem wise to me, 2016 is likely a complete right off in terms of competitiveness and Maldonado's 50 million will go a long way to easing that pain.

[PlatinumZealot]

Palmer to lose see to vergne i feel.

[kptaylor]

I'd rather see Maldonado lose his seat to Vergne. If it's a write off why not have someone who can provide chassis feedback rather than just destroy one after another?

[langwadt]

The only reason vandoorne would not be in mclaren in year one is that maybe they'd test the waters with him in another team to get experience so that there wouldn't be another magnussen-type debacle.

what debacle?

[iotar__]

I'd rather see Maldonado lose his seat to Vergne. If it's a write off why not have someone who can provide chassis feedback rather than just destroy one after another?

You don't really believe that Vergne is better than Maldo? Apart from accomplishment that are not a matter of preferences there are team-mates, on one side Bottas, Barrichello and Grosjean and on the other only RB program drivers that wasted opportunity after opportunity in '15 (biggest in Hungary, USA but others too) on top of destroying chassis after chassis (facts not up to voting) instead of providing feedback of course . Why not change them, preferences or selective memory? What makes you think that his feedback after one season break or will be any good?

The only reason vandoorne would not be in mclaren in year one is that maybe they'd test the waters with him in another team to get experience so that there wouldn't be another magnussen-type debacle.

Disagree about 'the only reason'. Why isn't he now then, they're not testing him in any other team either. What if nothing changes including Button/Alonso and seats available = two reasons?

[Raleigh]

Maldonado really hasn't impressed since his Williams win, beaten by Bottas who was a rookie at the time, completely outclassed by Grosjean in 2 seasons now.

Meanwhile Vergne compared well to Ricciardo in their seasons together and he's French, so this will appeal to Renault who have just lost Grosjean and might be keen on having a French driver.

Considering Maldonado's money though if either contracted driver gets the boot it's likely to be Palmer.

[djos]

Maldo tries too hard and makes mistakes, if he calmed down he might be a decent driver, he has the speed. I doubt he ever will calm down tho.

I don't know why people keep bringing up JEV, sure he's French but people forget he was outclassed in qually by RIC in both years and only out scored RIC on points in their first year thru luck.

RIC actually showed consistent improvement in his race craft on top of his existing qually speed and then backed it up at RedBull racing for the last two years.

What has JEV done in the last two years of note? SFA, 3 poles and a 7th placed finish in a spec series! He doesn't deserve to be in F1 which is why Franz let him go.