Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
Sorry if this is too simplistic:
FA can either go with a team that WILL win: Ferrari, McLaren, (maybe) BMW - or with one that CAN win: Red Bull (money plus Newey, but no recent success); Toyota (money plus more money, but a history of mediocrity and a culture opposed to individual heroes); Honda (see Toyota).
Schumacher was able to turn Ferrari around because the culture of winning was well ingrained (and there was a good nucleus). I don't see the desperate hunger or single-minded determination to win in evidence at Toyota or Honda. And one might wonder if Red Bull is a promotional vehcile first and a racing team second.
Enzo Ferrari was a great man. But he was not a good man. -- Phil Hill
i wonder there are only 3 teams that would give FA a winning car next season,i.e.ferrari,mclaren and BMW(may be).and the doors to all the 3 teams are closed for FA.
expect them it hardly matters where he goes.coz whereever he goes he will have a very hard time to find a winning car.
the most possible chances for me are toyota and RBR.both have the resources and ability to give him what he wants.but if the rumours about the clause is false then FA will most probably go 2 renault.
Well, yes. But only because Ferrari and McLaren are unavailable.
I think some of the teams mentioned as alternatives are "locked" by contracts. It seems a somber landscape for Alonso, going back to Renault to replace Mr. Fisichella.
Kovalainen is GOOD, he could be an "ultra-competitive" partner for Mr. Alonso, if you think about it.
It is not for certain Prodive will make the grid next year.
I find it interesting that Mark Webber's manager if the Flav-O-Flav.
Musical chairs anyone? FA to Red Bull in a swap with MW. Then with a possible return to Renault when they get their act back together?
Maybe it would not hurt the FA to be in a lesser car for a year or to. To humble him a bit. Maybe he forgot his Minardi days?
tooshaggy wrote:It is not for certain Prodive will make the grid next year.
I find it interesting that Mark Webber's manager if the Flav-O-Flav.
Musical chairs anyone? FA to Red Bull in a swap with MW. Then with a possible return to Renault when they get their act back together?
Maybe it would not hurt the FA to be in a lesser car for a year or to. To humble him a bit. Maybe he forgot his Minardi days?
As I understand it they have a design team that rotates from year to year (or at least they used to) so maybe this year is the turn of the designers that know what they are doing???
"Whether you think you can or can't, either way you are right."
-Henry Ford-
In a newspaper quite unreliable when talking about F1, but which has a close relation with Alonso, they've said today that Renault has already prepared Alonso's contract after a meeting between Flavio and Renault. Only Alonso's signature is needed.
that those who go public with their offers (like Flav here) don't get the contract signed. Alonso wants a one year deal (not the strongest of selling points after his McLaren odyssey got shortened to just that) but Renault won't settle for less than two ...
... and Fernando has little interest in being involved in putting Renault back into its winning ways and then go to Ferrari as Raikkonen might even retire from the sport at that stage. And I could go on and on about conflicts of interest as Briatore seemingly manages half the field, albeit Alonso seems to be able to do pretty much as he pleases as long as he comes up with the required percentage. With these guys, nothing is straightforward.
Read some more about the possibilities and I think it was in the Guardian (can't remember exactly) that Alonso would've actually asked Toyota to hire Ross Brawn - as I suggested earlier. Trulli would be advocating this option inside Toyota F1, seeing the chance for the team to finally take the sort of evolutionary steps that lead to wins. Apparently he thinks that the team wouldn't be built solely around Fernando then; they certainly were pretty equally matched at Renault back in the day. But going to Toyota, bar some unthinkable actions (which ironically are "less unthinkable" after witnessing the soap opera at McLaren), pretty much precludes going to Ferrari in the foreseeable future, if ever.
James Allen of ITV fame had talked with a pretty high ranking RBR team member (off the record) during the season and said the team seems to feel Fernando would be a disruptive presence. The team's owner, Dietrich Mateschitz is interested though, and Willis, Newey or Horner are unlikely to fight their boss tooth and nail over the issue. It could be a watershed moment for the team - with their current technical staff they've got a chance to up their game, but with Alonso comes a lot of publicity even if it comes with the risk of destabilising the team.
Fernando will not take all Spanish sponsors with him, though, if I've understood it correctly Banco Santander has stated that they will stay with McLaren. Guess they've got their home market covered, or if not, we'll see De La Rosa resume racing duties. The latter option is unlikely as Hamilton has outlined Rosberg, Sutil and Kovalainen as possible team mates for 2008.
Oh well, the silly season is just a figment of imagination, really. Let the chips fall where they may, with less off track drama there's a chance that 2008 will be a good and closely fought season.
does Patrick Head have a good idea or a sense of humor
"According to Head McLaren should search for a retire former champion perhaps. "What about McLaren bringing Michael Schumacher out of retirement?" he suggested. "Michael's still fit - and probably bored. I suspect he has found sitting on the pit wall dull."
Remember when WDC D. Hill was a problem? Next year he was in an Arrows. Way back on the grid. FA is a problematic kind of guy and maybe the powers, thats Bernie and Max, will have him exiled to a lower team. Maybe Toyota. The squeeky wheel gets sent to the back of the pack. It happened before. Thats the F1 show...well, circus
EDIT - But then again...with Flavio on your side anything is possible. FA spoke his mind this year, some people call him a whiner, some disloyal. I just think he is intelligent, political and an individual that will not be intimidated. I don't usually express an opinion on the character of drivers, but with MS gone, the next favourite to kick in the teeth is FA. Oh... I forgot the LH haters.
