The Sauber F1 Team is pleased to announce that Pascal Wehrlein will complete the team’s driver line-up for the 2017 Formula One World Championship. He will race alongside Swede Marcus Ericsson who continues with the Swiss team.
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Sorry I should have said "win something with an actual trophy that counts" like a race or a championship. Otherwise I will have to give up my upvotes when Mclaren get their awards for "cleanest toilets" and "most blame laid on an engine manufacturer" (they have just won that from Red Bull)
I'd love to see Mclaren at the front again, actually I would love to see Alonso at the front again as well. Its just that Mclaren seem completely lost and unwilling to change. I've said in the past that their policy towards staff and location dont help either, the amount of time I have heard people say one of the follwing two statements (or something similar) is amazing:
1) I'm not working for those arseholes again
2) I'm not moving/commuting to London
"A pretentious quote taken out of context to make me look deep" - Some old racing driver
Let's talk about Haas: It's almost certain Romain Grosjean will stay in the team.
The question is about Esteban Gutierrez: The Mexican is not doing a good season. His teammate has scored 28 points and he 0. His chances of staying on the team are minimal.
Gunther Steiner has said hiring a rookie is not an option, ruling out Charles Leclerc. The priority is to hire drivers with considerable experience (minimum of two years in F1) and who is able to score points.
He also insisted Haas was in no rush to announce its plans for 2017, suggesting it was waiting to see what happens elsewhere first with Renault, Williams, Sauber and Manor yet to confirm their line-ups.
To be honest, i'm not so sure about Romain - i dont know whether he's contracted officially or not - because of his own desires. He used Haas as a stepping stone towards his goal; Ferrari.
Needless to say i'm doubtfull he'll ever go there, and he should himself also be reasonable on his prospects there. He has been visually and expressively unsatisfied with Haas seemingly forgetting the stellar start of the season and how new teams like Manor and Caterham and Hispania faired with similar experienced drivers like Kovalainen and Trulli - both of which i personally rate higher personally, so i think he should put a sock in it and just deal with it. This behaviour is not gonna help him get a Ferrari seat, at best a reserve driver role and no more.
If he's relatively smart, he'll stay at Haas next year, and keep his options open for 2018. I think he needs to reason that Ferrari is not going to happen for him, and with that, he'd be smart choosing an appropriate future decision; Test driver for Ferrari, and race ferraris in other racing categories, or step over to WEC and/or Le Mans and/or Le Mans series, or use his HAAS connection to step into INDY and/or Nascar. I think he'd do pretty decent there.
Haas wants an experienced driver paired to a driver that's not just gotten his kindergarten grade, so I can see them maintaining Esteban as i'm wondering who else they'd hire.
Vergne would be an option, but that would mean 2 frenchies in an American team, that's not gonna happen. I think they prefer a North/Central American driver, so that would mean Esteban is rather safe despite his points. He also brings a good amount of sponsor money. I could see them take up Maldonado but his sponsorship surely dried out so that's not an option. Perhaps they could hire Stroll, even though he's canadian in 2018. As for 2017, who'd fit the bill?
NASR - could be interesting, but is he a step up from Esteban? i don't think so.
Magnussen - I THINK he'd manage to do better, but is his native background and sponsorship wallet fit for Haas and again, would the loss of Guiterrez be covered by Kevin?
Palmer - definate stepdown from Esteban. Performance-wise and financially and he has the charisma of a twig. no fit.
Ericsson - don't know his wallet, but i think he'd make similar chances as nasr.
Wehrlein - i don't think Merc would let him go to a Ferrari-liased team, and if the Hulkenberg rumours are true, he's got his spot in the Force India no doubt.
Rossi - American, and has F1 experience. Remotely though, and if he'd really have a chance, he'd been hired this year.
It's simple to me, really. Grosjean - Guiterrez for 2017 just as now.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
Lets be really silly for a second, for 2017 HAAS will take Max Chilton. F1 experienced, known in 'murica, speaks the correct language, can bring a car home consistently.
"A pretentious quote taken out of context to make me look deep" - Some old racing driver
Facts Only wrote:Lets be really silly for a second, for 2017 HAAS will take Max Chilton. ... can bring a car home consistently.
In dead last.
I personally think Grosjean/Guiterrez is a fairly decent line-up for Haas to continue with considering the drivers available and the team's rookie lower-end-of-the-grid status. Okay Guiterrez is on nil points, but he's blooming good at bringing the car home in 11th. With it being a new team and facing the rule changes next year I wouldn't be tempted by change for change's sake until they know where they're at next year.
If they were to go with someone else though, I suppose I would be looking at the two Sauber drivers as the best-placed ones to go to Haas.
Facts Only wrote:Lets be really silly for a second, for 2017 HAAS will take Max Chilton. ... can bring a car home consistently.
In dead last.
Lets not forget that it was Chiltons result that got Marrussia/Manor to beat Caterham/Lotus back in 2012 or 2013 I think it was.
I think its a real shame (aside from the obvious tragedy) that we arent talking about where Bianchi is going. He was a real talent and would have been a ready for the big time this year.
"A pretentious quote taken out of context to make me look deep" - Some old racing driver
Kevin Magnussen was in contention for a Haas seat last year. I could see him be in contention for that 2nd seat alongside Grosjean this year. Would make a pretty decent driver line-up based on talent and experience.
Manoah2u wrote: Nasr - could be interesting, but is he a step up from Esteban? i don't think so.
Palmer - definate stepdown from Esteban. Performance-wise and financially and he has the charisma of a twig. no fit.
Rossi - American, and has F1 experience. Remotely though, and if he'd really have a chance, he'd been hired this year.
About Nasr, For me, he would be a huge step up from Esteban. With a car considerably worse than Gutierrez drove in 2013, he was able to score 27 points, 21 more than he in his debut season.
On Reddit, someone posted an article published by the Brazilian press in August said Nasr was in talks with Haas. The absolute majority agreed Nasr in Haas would be a real good deal in every aspect.
About Palmer, I wanted to take the opportunity to apologize to Jolyon Palmer by saying he is the worst driver on the grid. He was able to improve his performance and in the last two races, was able to outperform Kevin Magnussem with a certain ease.
About Rossi, he already signed with his team in IndyCar for 2017.
Now Gutierrez is the worst driver on the grid. He was not able to improve his performance since he arrived in F1. Stay with him would be a big mistake for Haas. How they want to improve the performance of their car with a driver who is not able to improve neither his own performance?
Well one still has to concider whether a step up performancewise makes up the possible loss in venue from sponsor money.
For example, let's take a driver like Kovalainen - even though he's long gone from F1. He doesn't bring tens and tens of millions of Carlos Slim mexican money. He is definately a huge improvement over Esteban, perhaps even - i personally do think so even though i never was really fan of the guy - Grosjean, but that aside.
Even if Kova would drive 'for free', let's say Esteban having a race seat brings in 30 millions of dollars thanks to Carlos Slim demanding a mexican in the seat.
Somehow, Kovalainen would need to 'earn' those 30 million back just to break even.
If a team however signs a driver that brings in 30 million just for getting that seat, they have that 30 million either way and dont need to expect any from that driver. In theory,
he can do whatever they want and it'll be fine either way, for example testing. Also, if he manages to make points, that's a nice extra. In the case of a Kovalainen, they can't risk
anything as they might not make their 30 million goal - for example, that is.
So, even if NASR is bringing better performance, the question is, does he bring enough money to sort it out? does he bring 25 million and can he 'easily' make 5 million due to
performance? And if he brings in 30 million, would he accept a 'all season test driver role (if that would be correct about esteban) or go racing and perhaps 'hamper' development?
Meanwhile, as 'good' as Grosjean is - better than Esteban either way - he did get quite the DNF's even not to his own cause neccesarily. Did Esteban have as much brake issue DNFs?
All i'm saying is, even if he's the worst on the grid. does replacing him bring any good?
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
I can't imagine that Carlos Slim pays 30 million dollars for those tiny Telcel logos on the mirror of the Haas.
I think they pay maximum 5 million dollars... Correct me if I am wrong.
Magnussen or Nasr everything else seems pretty far away from a smart decision.
Even if I would really love to see Rossi getting this seat.
edu2703 wrote:
About Palmer, I wanted to take the opportunity to apologize to Jolyon Palmer by saying he is the worst driver on the grid. He was able to improve his performance and in the last two races, was able to outperform Kevin Magnussem with a certain ease.
not so hard to beat your team mate when he gets hit in the start and has to park the car
edu2703 wrote:
About Palmer, I wanted to take the opportunity to apologize to Jolyon Palmer by saying he is the worst driver on the grid. He was able to improve his performance and in the last two races, was able to outperform Kevin Magnussem with a certain ease.
not so hard to beat your team mate when he gets hit in the start and has to park the car
Anyway its true that Palmer has clearly improved this performance in the last races.
edu2703 wrote:Let's talk about Haas: It's almost certain Romain Grosjean will stay in the team.
The question is about Esteban Gutierrez: The Mexican is not doing a good season. His teammate has scored 28 points and he 0. His chances of staying on the team are minimal.
Gunther Steiner has said hiring a rookie is not an option, ruling out Charles Leclerc. The priority is to hire drivers with considerable experience (minimum of two years in F1) and who is able to score points.
He also insisted Haas was in no rush to announce its plans for 2017, suggesting it was waiting to see what happens elsewhere first with Renault, Williams, Sauber and Manor yet to confirm their line-ups.
I see no reason for Gutiérrez to keep his seat next season...well OK, money. They should hire another driver, perhaps Magnussen would be a good option as it has already mentioned.
can wrote:I can't imagine that Carlos Slim pays 30 million dollars for those tiny Telcel logos on the mirror of the Haas.
I think they pay maximum 5 million dollars... Correct me if I am wrong.
Not saying that you are wrong but remember that Ericssons backers have ponied up around $20-25 million a year without asking for any space on the car up until this season.
