Silly season 2016

[djos]

Exactly, if Mercedes are going to fire anyone, it's Rosberg. I'm not a Hamilton fan but blind Freddy can see Hamilton is infinitely more valuable to Mercedes, on every level, than Rosberg ever will be.

[ScottB]

I remember back when Webber was leading Vettel in the charge for the first WC, I was in a studio in London and they had Red Bull's in-house magazine in the lobby... on the front cover was Vettel being hailed as Red Bull's star with multiple features. Webber didn't even get a mention. It seemed pretty clear where corporately Red Bull stood in terms of who they wanted to win them their championship even when in the F1 arena itself it was more neutral between the drivers. I'd say performing isn't necessarily always enough with a top team... sometimes you have to make sure you're "their man", too.

Well, from a Red Bull point of view, they invested years and money into Vettel (and Ricciardo and others too, of course) and with him being more of a match for the brand, and let's face it, a better driver, even then, I can see why they'd have him on a cover. But conversely, you can also consider Mateschitz's friendship with Webber...

I think the excerpts going round from Jock Clear's recent chat are telling, he sees the true greats of the recent era; Schumacher, Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton as being a cut above, with a harder edge and the ability to motivate a team behind them. He reckons Rosberg will never win a title, as he lacks that skill, and you could argue that's true of the other 'nearly' men, like Webber. Talented for sure, on their day capable of mixing it with, and indeed, beating, anybody else, but lacking those extra tools the best have. Is it 'favouritism' in a team if one driver is better at motivating and rallying the people to his cause? I don't think there are any of the team principals sitting around thinking up ways to disadvantage one driver over another for the hell of it, is it possible that a given team principal has more faith in one of his drivers to deliver over another, quite possibly, maybe even likely, but if that comes from seeing their skills, their personalities and their ability to build a team around themselves, that isn't favouritism, at least not in the 'fanboy' sense of the word.

[PlatinumZealot]

As you mention the people in the team... Hamilton has a similar socio-economic background to the mechanics while Rosberg is a silver spoon sort of fellow. I could understand that the mechanics can relate to Lewis more on that level. If we disregard background and look at personality it is hard to say from outside which one the mechanics like better though. I hear Rosberg can be "pissy" and dismissive and Lewis can be an attention whore... so it hard to say really.

[Just_a_fan]

I cant see this happening because Rosberg is more like Button. Not like him exactly but he is calmer and he thinks more carefully what he says than Lewis. If justice exists Lewis should be the fired guy(if someone should be fired), because he does Little to keep a good atmoshere inside the team. But he is the nº1 of the team and he will finish his contract.

Hamilton sells sports cars with his celebrity life style and 3x WDC. They sack Hamilton and then Rosberg wins the WDC, think that's gonna go down well for publicity? Don't think so.

Not a fanatic, but it's clear as day as to which "brand" is worth the most to Mercedes' marketing team.

If they sacked Hamilton, do you really think he would stay out of a team for long? McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull et all would have a massive bidding war to land his services, then Mercedes would face the potential humiliation of Hamilton winning the WDC in a rival car.

If anyone goes, it will be Rosberg, and it will be for performance reasons.

Hamilton wouldn't worry about going to another team, he would just retire. He's done what he set out to do; he has emulated his childhood hero (and made a very large pile of money in the process) and there is nothing left to prove to himself. He would just walk away and start the next chapter of his life.

[ringo]

If hamilton leaves Mercedes, doors will open at all teams, dont doubt that for one second. The team principals will find a way. There is no downside in hiring Hamilton for any team, regardless who is in the other seat.
Ferrari would give Lewis a seat in a heartbeat, that team is not about making drivers happy, the team is about Ferrari winning championships, especially constructors championships.

[F1trainee]

Haas F1 looks set to use a yellow livery for 2016 F1 season -- Like Ferrari logo. But still not confirmed Ferrari B team job

News source - http://www.thisisf1.com/2015/12/13/haas ... rari-logo/

[aleks_ader]

If hamilton leaves Mercedes, doors will open at all teams, dont doubt that for one second. The team principals will find a way. There is no downside in hiring Hamilton for any team, regardless who is in the other seat.
Ferrari would give Lewis a seat in a heartbeat, that team is not about making drivers happy, the team is about Ferrari winning championships, especially constructors championships.

Even then Vettel and Ham will have decent clash...

[Racer X]

Vettel Ham would be a great team I would like to see Vettel race with a team mate who goes out and beats him kinda like how Daniel Ricc beat him but in a competitive car not one that's not competitive..

[7ka]

Vettel Ham would be a great team

it will never happen :-"

[djos]

Vettel Ham would be a great team

it will never happen :-"

Exactly, you can bet your house Vettel has a veto clause to prevent ferrari from hiring team mates that might beat him eg Ricciardo, Hamilton, Alonso etc.

[Shrieker]

Haas F1 looks set to use a yellow livery for 2016 F1 season -- Like Ferrari logo. But still not confirmed Ferrari B team job

News source - http://www.thisisf1.com/2015/12/13/haas ... rari-logo/

http://www.thisisf1.com/wp-content/uplo ... livery.jpg

Wow that looks seriously good. Hope it turns out like this

[ESPImperium]

I like the Yellow/Black livery of Haas, i hope Renault can come with a nice Yellow/White/Red livery that harks back toward one close to the 80s Renault livery.

And if Aston take over Force India, then the grid will be finally back to a more colourful state with Light Blue/Orange livery. All we need is some Green back, especially that late Caterham colour as it really stood out for me.

That will leave McLaren as the last dark/black coloured car, and the Red Bull/Toro Rossos doing their usual Red Bull blue thing. And we have to hope Manor can come out with something bright.

[Nathanael F1]

Alfa Romeo to return to F1? http://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2015/1 ... er=ya5nbcs

MARANELLO, Italy (AP) Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne says the company would like to bring Alfa Romeo back to Formula One.

Giuseppe Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio won the first two Formula One titles while driving for Alfa Romeo but the company has been out of the sport since the 1980s.

Marchionne, who is also Ferrari’s chairman, says “It’s incredible how the Alfa Romeo brand remains in people’s hearts. That’s why we’re thinking about its return to racing, as our competitor, in Formula One.”

With Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen having finished third and fourth behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg this season, Marchionne is demanding an improved car for next year.

He says, “Overall, I am very pleased, considering where we started from this year.”

Maybe the SF15-T was a hint...

[PlatinumZealot]

Yeah Alfa romeo is getting more popular year on year. It just needs a bit more push. I can see the value in them having an F1 team. It is quite the conundrum how Ferrari will manage it. Will it be a junior team or must it be another top team too?

[djos]

Well there's always Haas or RedBull for 2017, then Ferrari would have to give then the current spec PU!