The Race for the Second Mclaren Seat

[checkered]

Well now it's all up in the air. I've just seen on itv-f1.com that Fisico is due to test (alongside Ralf lol) for Force India F1 (or as F1racing magazine has now nicknamed them; "fifi").

F1FI certainly has

a queue outside their garage door, but our own F1T reports that Liuzzi has joined Sutil and Rodriguez in a fitness training camp, so it might be a done deal already. If everything I've read is correct, Fisichella has already removed his personal belongings from Renault's premises, so I guess he ain't coming back. He hasn't tested for them anyway. What is Ron Dennis doing, giving interviews in Bogotá? A wild thought ... he wants Monty back!

[Ciro Pabón]

Well, I don't think he's giving interviews in Bogotá. The interviewer traveled to Woking or called him by phone, I imagine. I don't think he wants Montoya back, he has plenty of drivers to choose among.

[checkered]

Well, I don't think he's giving interviews in Bogotá. The interviewer traveled to Woking or called him by phone, I imagine. I don't think he wants Montoya back, he has plenty of drivers to choose among.

After I had

pictured it in my mind, there was no way to avoid posting the scenario ... too juicy: Ron flying over to make a desperate plea to Juan, trying to avoid Ralf, whom the Woking computers continually rank at the top of his options even if every bit of Dennis' common sense speaks against it. And it is the silly season, so I guess it's okay to take some artistic license. Even Autosport editorialised: "Champions tip Schumacher to race again". Well, singing to that tune, I'm perfectly within my rights to "tip Schumacher never to wear generously embroidered shirts again" and no-one can hold me to it when he inevitably does.

[donskar]

IF - as some"ex-Champions" have predicted - Schumacher (Michael,not Ralf!) returns, where does he fit?

Massa sidelined for a year? Schu takes on Hamilton? Reunites with Brawn?

I hope he stays retired.

[Ciro Pabón]

Donskar, I imagine he fits anywhere. I bet Toyota would give an arm for Schu going to work for them for a couple of days.

Checkered, on top of that, Montoya does not live in Colombia. You want to talk to him, you go to Miami.

Talking about poetic licenses, the image of Ron Dennis in shorts, sandals and a hawaiian shirt, checking McDonalds to see if Monty is in one of them, befits Kissimmee or Wakulla County.

[Belatti]

It would be nice to see two brownies at McLaren

(please Manchild, dont rant, it is a Joke, I´m not Racist or Fascist, I´m an average "Sudaca")

But thats not gonna happen

Another scenario would be Norbert Haug dressed all red walking in Maranello streets trying to find Schumy.. pssst.... pssst.... hey... Michael!! why havent you ever tried a silver arrow? - No thanks fatman, I have had enough... -

This is at least funny, two old demotivated drivers trying to get any seat anywhere at any price, on famous/fast driver trying to get the best seat he can and the usual backmakers trying to get the rest (is there any?)

I´m begining to see FA like Prost in 1992

[Spencifer_Murphy]

Its just wild speculation but Michael could go to Mclaren if he wanted. I mean, he and Ron Dennis came very close to signing (in '99 i think?). I guess there's too much history there though for Michael to WANT to drive for Mclaren.

And could you imagine the Tifosi backlash if their beloved Schumi were to sign for Mclaren?!

That would be like Alex Furguson signing to manage Manchester City Football Club!

[bizadfar]

Its just wild speculation but Michael could go to Mclaren if he wanted. I mean, he and Ron Dennis came very close to signing (in '99 i think?). I guess there's too much history there though for Michael to WANT to drive for Mclaren.

The closest they ever came was towards the end of 1995. In 1997, Ron offered Villeneuve a seat (for future), but declined. I bet he was more than happy with Coulthard, & Hakkinen.

In 1999, Ferrari offered Adrian Newey BIG bucks to join them.

[checkered]

So it’d appear

to be between de la Rosa and Kovalainen, after all. Briatore and Dennis not being in best terms following certain recent events, Heikki is perhaps not in the absolute best negotiating position, but perhaps pragmatism will overcome personal relations. I don’t quite know what the rationale of Whitmarsh was in going public with “Heikki being an interesting driver”, but at least it forces Toyota to consider how much they need to replace Trulli.Though I wonder for how much Kovalainen’s services would go for, he’s been without a contract since Renault signed Alonso and Piquet Jr., so it’s not like he can “fall back” to anything.

Now that McLaren seems to have gotten the FIA off their back at least they can realistically offer the seat to someone who isn’t already working for them. And I think Hamilton was also said to prefer Kovalainen over de la Rosa. Pedro is of a different generation and perhaps not quite as motivational in his “scariness” as a team mate. In any case de la Rosa indicated that a decision will come within the week, so we’ll soon be done with the remaining silliness.

... and as I was writing this, Kovalainen has been confirmed. It’ll be interesting to observe how it goes. Any word on the details of his contract?

[ben_watkins]

Any word on the details of his contract?

The BBC quote someone as saying he has signed a "long-term contract".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 144078.stm

I don't think De La Rosa had a chance at the seat. He wasn't that good when he filled in the race seat before now. He's a better technical input driver imho.

[nae]