2014/15 Silly Season

[Sombrero]

Why would the VW-Porsche group join the F-1 circus now as the boat is sinking ?

[ScottB]

Why would the VW-Porsche group join the F-1 circus now as the boat is sinking ?

They wouldn't. People / poor journalists have nothing real to write about.

No coincidence these sort of stories turn up during the big gaps between races...

[marcush.]

That's the issue: everybody is running news bits from weeks ago in circles. Not even the media knows when announcements will be made.

This could go on until the start of winter testing.

what do you mean ...not even the medeia knowing ???

Ron Dennis once said :We make history you are allowed to write about it..they make announcements as they see fit .Says a lot about so called "insiders" in the business .Those in the know do not talk or simply there is no decision taken yet.

[Manoah2u]

Why would the VW-Porsche group join the F-1 circus now as the boat is sinking ?

the only boats that sink are the ones getting warnings in advance and don't act accordingly and then hit an iceberg.
the only boats that sink are the ones that don't take advice to the heart and go on a wrong path and hit rock bottom.
the only boats that sink are the ones that were made with a huge hole in the centre where water floods in to the neck.
the only boats that sink are the ones built for a small pond yet head out into the stormy powerful atlantic ocean

just because marussia and caterham seem to perish perhaps even this season, doesn't mean F1 is sinking

why is Honda joining? Ah because the boat is sinking? No because it's the perfect time to enter, and they intend to gain from it, that's why they are pumping in millions and millions on this fresh re-adventure.

VW/Audi would join F1 now because now more then ever is the perfect time to enter.

A new arms race of hybrid engine competition where a competitor has entered and dominates, what better aim to break the dominance - Audi beating Mercedes dominance, whilst fighting Honda with the same intention, and the all-mighty Renault whom has tumbled to the bottom after years of success in a 'gadget' aero era......

What sinking ship

[mclaren111]

Alonso says:

“I have a very ambitious plan in my head for my future,” he told reporters in Austin. “If that happens people will be very, very excited — as I am,” the 33-year-old added"

Maybe he will buy part of McLaren and then he can drive there until he is 40 or more

[Manoah2u]

if anything it only adds more fuel to the Audi-fire......

Who wouldn't be excited about an Audi entry in F1? The media would eat it like candy!

Alonso being part of Mclaren doesn't generally sound like a 'very ambitious plan'. Honda and Mclaren have a plan,
and in their plan they see use of Alonso's skills, whom is planning to win. but is that very ambitious? You could say
when he started his stint with Ferrari that that was a 'ambitious plan', which, unfortunately, didn't result in a WDC.

imho, Audi entering F1 with the goal of winning the championship in 2016 sounds like a very ambitious plan which
sounds like a fresh start and 'challenge' for Alonso. The appointment of Luca di M @ Audi is way too suspicious to
just wave away as 'mere coincidence'.

the statement he made that jules changed or has influenced / delayed his decision is something that makes me wonder in what sense he's talking about, really. Vettel has been as good as signed @ Ferrari [even though Mclaren still could be a very strong possibility], and nothing points to Kimi leaving in 2015 nor a 3-car field. Which makes you wonder; Bianchi as a ferrari development driver, might jules' been promised a seat at Sauber @ 2015 season?

After all, Sauber has a Ferrari engine. Alonso could still keep his Ferrari contract in the form of taking a seat @ Sauber, with the plan of Sauber running Audi engines in 2016, and a possible rename, like back with BMW, with Jules Bianchi as a 2nd driver?

ARGGHH just make a decision and announce it!

[Mesteño]

Has anyone think that all new contrats (vettel Ferrari and Alonso Mclaren) are not being public because the teams are waiting for a definitive decission about the engine unfreeze?

I mean, if McLaren announces Alonso, with Honda engine, maybe FIA thinks is better for spectacle to allow the rest of the engines to unfreeze.

Or something like that. I don't know. Just a guess.

[spadeflush]

I think the delay is because of the following reasons:
1: Alonso is not technically out of Ferrari yet, so Ferrari cannot announce Vettel yet.
2: Alonso wants a 1 year contract with McLaren but they want a 3 year deal.
3: Hamilton's impending contractual talks (Someone's hoping they fail)

For all we know Hamilton is the key reason why things are not moving forward. There is only one place where Alonso has the best chance to be WDC in the near future, and that is Mercedes.

[Racer X]

Audi and Alonso don't make sense to me. Because no way Audi can bring a car in for 2015... To have an Engine ready in a few months..... Not unless your already prepared and have a design. Could AUDI achieve this feat.

[LookBackTime]

From Tobias Grüner F1

Marcus Ericsson will get 2015 Sauber cockpit according to our information.

If grid drops to 18 cars 2015 3 teams first in line to run 3rd car: RB, Ferrari & McLaren. Marko: "We're ready."

3rd driver not eligible for constructors points. Must be guest driver or rookie without #F1 experience. Allowed to run different car livery.

If RB, Ferrari or McLaren pass on 3rd car, Merc & Williams next in line. Not clear who covers additional costs & for how many years.

To clarify my earlier tweet: Bernie says he covers costs of 3rd car but teams still calculating & they want 3rd car not just for one year.

[adrianjordan]

So if McLaren, RBR and Ferrari all run 3rd cars, does that mean Merc et al can't?

Because surely that gives a (slight) advantage to the 3 car teams in terms of constructors points even if only by virtue of preventing other teams scoring points for the positions which their 3rd cars were in.

Would the drivers of the 3rd cars score WDC points?

Is it always the 3rd car that doesn't score, or would it be whichever of the 3 cars was in the lowest position?

[pob]

I'm curious as to why Mercedes wouldn't be one of the first three teams to be invited to run a third car.

[Juzh]

I'm curious as to why Mercedes wouldn't be one of the first three teams to be invited to run a third car.

Because when these rules were written they were not top 3.

[Jonnycraig]

So if McLaren, RBR and Ferrari all run 3rd cars, does that mean Merc et al can't?

Because surely that gives a (slight) advantage to the 3 car teams in terms of constructors points even if only by virtue of preventing other teams scoring points for the positions which their 3rd cars were in.

Would the drivers of the 3rd cars score WDC points?

Is it always the 3rd car that doesn't score, or would it be whichever of the 3 cars was in the lowest position?

3rd drivers have to be rookies, or guest drivers, and cannot score points. Presumably Verstappen at RB, Vandoorne at McLaren and Marciello at Ferrari.

I'm curious as to why Mercedes wouldn't be one of the first three teams to be invited to run a third car.

Because when the regs were agreed, RB, Ferrari & McLaren were the top 3 teams. If any of those teams decline to run a third car, Merc will be offered the chance.

[cma]

Alonso's ambitious plan?

What about going to Forza Rossa as lead driver and partial owner?

Totally off the wall but that would be very ambitious