Silly Season 2018/2019

[WaikeCU]

Motorsport Hungary is reporting that, Stroll to Force India and Ocon to McLaren might happen before Spa!

https://hu.motorsport.com/f1/news/a-bel ... 2/?nrt=54

Alonso has a big announcement to make on August 14!!!

Assuming he's announcing his retirement.

[Phil]

Me too. RB is ruled out. Mercedes too, Renault too. Ferrari to 99.9%.

[WaikeCU]

Me too. RB is ruled out. Mercedes too, Renault too. Ferrari to 99.9%.

Williams? Could he do a better job than both Sirotkin and Stroll? I assume he can. The car is quite a handful to drive for some time, so it could be that Sirotkin and/or Stroll aren't the greatest drivers to provide good feedback and aren't able to develop a car well enough.

At least he has the benefit of that Merc PU, so power wise, it should be good.

[NathanOlder]

if alonso is in fact not in the running for redbull or ferrari next year it just shows how dumb f1 is at the moment. the top 3 teams dont have enough competition to sign one of the best drivers in the history of the sport. if ferrari end up losing again this year, with the best car overall, then they are just dumb for not wanting someone like alonso. with him and vettel driving they would have already won the constructors title this year most likely. or close to it.

Kimi has like 7 podiums? It would be tough to really see what you are saying as true...

He has those podiums in the best car on the grid. So its not all that good really. I have to agree a little with zorostar, If Alonso was in the other Ferrari this year instead of Kimi, I think the championship would look quite a bit different. Vettel is choking again with a great car. How long will it take for Ferrari to act on this ??

[Zynerji]

I believe our definition of "choking" to be quite different...

[garygph]

I am not so sure Alonso would have been as quiet in the public eye as Kimi with the compromised strategies he has had to favour Vettel

[Big Tea]

Me too. RB is ruled out. Mercedes too, Renault too. Ferrari to 99.9%.

Williams? Could he do a better job than both Sirotkin and Stroll? I assume he can. The car is quite a handful to drive for some time, so it could be that Sirotkin and/or Stroll aren't the greatest drivers to provide good feedback and aren't able to develop a car well enough.

At least he has the benefit of that Merc PU, so power wise, it should be good.

I think there would have to be a hook to draw him to Williams, or he is better off at Mclaren.
I was trying to think it through a couple of days back, but I am a bear of little brain.

What could he have going for him? The obvious one is advertising his brand, but he would be better off doing paid media or event work and coughing up the cost of stickers.

Ingratiating himself to Mercedes? Nah, what for? Unless he knows something we do not.

He likes driving?
There would be drives in all sorts of places if he wants them, in particular Sports and Indy.

Does he fancy himself as a team owner? Maybe drive for shares in the team?

The only sensible one I can come up with is he has someone who wants to come on board F1 with him, and they do not want Mclaren or Renault involved?

[Ground Effect]

Motorsport Hungary is reporting that, Stroll to Force India and Ocon to McLaren might happen before Spa!

https://hu.motorsport.com/f1/news/a-bel ... 2/?nrt=54

Alonso has a big announcement to make on August 14!!!

Would Mclaren take a Mercedes junior on board? Would it be a loan? I've heard of Sainz being strongly linked in recent times.

[roon]

Let's go cray-z.

Alonso to RedBull @ Spa.
Ricciardo to Renault @ Spa.

Why not? Only evidence against it is a quip by Horner saying Fernando caused 'chaos' at teams. Could have been misdirection and a playful inside-joke to his future driver. Of all the team principals to say something like this while keeping his poker face, it would be him.

[Jolle]

Motorsport Hungary is reporting that, Stroll to Force India and Ocon to McLaren might happen before Spa!

https://hu.motorsport.com/f1/news/a-bel ... 2/?nrt=54

Alonso has a big announcement to make on August 14!!!

Would Mclaren take a Mercedes junior on board? Would it be a loan? I've heard of Sainz being strongly linked in recent times.

Why would McLaren and above that, why would Mercedes? McLaren has it's own program, with Norris and De Vries waiting. Mercedes has two options for next year or more, two big opportunities: They can strengthen their bond with Force India/Force Stroll, but there will only be one seat available next to Lance (for Ocon or Russel) or buy into Williams, where they have build good relationships with during the past 5 seasons. Or... do both options and just like Ferrari, have two semi-junior teams instead of one full junior team like RedBull.

Renault is a bit the odd one out. The last few decades they invested heavy in junior programs, racing series and talent development but they havent got any driver... so no need for a junior program (at the moment). They could strengthen the bond with McLaren, to fill this gap.

If Alonso retires, McLaren has few options. With Kimi probably staying at Ferrari all the world champions are taken, even, all the race winners are taken... I even think Perez is the only driver with a podium finish on it's name that is more or less available. And they already had Perez.... oh, and Grosjean...

so it's 5th place Sainz who it the best option...

[Phil]

I think there would have to be a hook to draw him to Williams, or he is better off at Mclaren.

And sink even lower? Never. He will end being the joke of F1 and demonstrate that he has zero worth with the big teams. At least by staying at McLaren or leaving F1 all together, he can keep the illusion, the fairytale, that he is still wanted by any of the big teams.

Although Horner pretty much killed that illusion by stating it, irrevocably, what he (and surely the other big teams) think of Alonso.

[FrukostScones]

Motorsport Hungary is reporting that, Stroll to Force India and Ocon to McLaren might happen before Spa!

https://hu.motorsport.com/f1/news/a-bel ... 2/?nrt=54

Alonso has a big announcement to make on August 14!!!

Zzzzzzz

[Big Tea]

I think there would have to be a hook to draw him to Williams, or he is better off at Mclaren.

And sink even lower? Never. He will end being the joke of F1 and demonstrate that he has zero worth with the big teams. At least by staying at McLaren or leaving F1 all together, he can keep the illusion, the fairytale, that he is still wanted by any of the big teams.

Although Horner pretty much killed that illusion by stating it, irrevocably, what he (and surely the other big teams) think of Alonso.

I agree, but if he was thinking of going into team management, the Williams team looks prime, and it has a Merc engine.

[rscsr]

I think there would have to be a hook to draw him to Williams, or he is better off at Mclaren.

And sink even lower? Never. He will end being the joke of F1 and demonstrate that he has zero worth with the big teams. At least by staying at McLaren or leaving F1 all together, he can keep the illusion, the fairytale, that he is still wanted by any of the big teams.

Although Horner pretty much killed that illusion by stating it, irrevocably, what he (and surely the other big teams) think of Alonso.

I think that Alonso in a Williams could be even an improvement to his current position. Let's not forget that Stroll has usually been beat by about 0.7-1s (at least in Q) by Massa. And I think it is save to say, that Alonso is way better than Massa ever was.

[roon]

Although Horner pretty much killed that illusion by stating it, irrevocably, what he (and surely the other big teams) think of Alonso.