Fisi at Renault - confirmed

[Led ZeppF1]

Grandprix.com reports Giancarlo Fisichella will be confirmed on Wednesday as Fernando Alonso's partner at Renault F1 in 2005.

It is expected that the announcement will be made at the same time as confirmation that Mark Webber is moving to Williams next year.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns13294.html

According to BBC, Fisichella's manager Enrico Zanarini said on Tuesday that the contract was agreed, but not yet signed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/3928899.stm

[Kicking-back]

No real surprise, but good news.

It's being discussed in about five threads already!

Main interest will now focus on who'll get the other Williams drive.

[Peter Mallett]

The BBC says Jaques V is not an option for Team Willy so we'll stop that discussion here then.

Ant Davidson would be my preferred choice.

[BootsOntheSide]

We might as well lock this one, it doesnt't add anything as both these deals are discussed elsewhere.

[Mark Webber]

My guy on the inside said Willaims had to buy Fissi off Sauber to then swap him for Mark . As Fissi prior contract said he could only be released to a top level team being Mac , Will's or Ferrari

[ASCII Man]

My guy on the inside said to me that Nick Heidfeld will be joining Mark Webber at Williams next year, and Giorgio Pantano will be sold as a slave laborer to China in exchange of sponsorship revenue.

[garcon]

[Led ZeppF1]

Mark, Grandprix.com also mention that in their reports.

"We hear that Webber's manager Flavio Briatore took advantage of this situation by blocking the Australian's move to Williams unless Frank Williams agreed to negotiate a release for Fisichella from Sauber.

[RWC]

I read a similar thing (briatore taking advantage from the deal).Fair enough i guess,it works out well for most
I do wonder though what peter sauber will say about being taken advantage of?...and if there IS a court case about it later,who would be in the firing line?Williams for deception or flavio for holding fisi's 'current' contract?
....weird deals...

So that sounds pretty much certain that fissi won't be at williams then.Pity
But renault are no slouches so the consolation prize at least be great sometimes

[Glen]

I don't see why Sauber should feel aggrieved - presumably some considerable sums of money swapped hands also.

Fisi and Alonso at Renault... awsome team. I'm a big Fisi fan - sadly I think this could be the pairing that finishes-off his reputation as a team-mate beater... Alonso is getting better and wiser all the time

[enemy-ace]

Alonso and Fisi would be a truly great team. A very interesting inter-team rivalry to watch. We'll definitely see what Alonso is made of. Whatever you may think of Flav the guy can certainly make a deal.
Lets hope Webber gets a strong team-mate at Williams. He needs somebody to really challenge him. Pizzonia, Gene and Ant just aren't qualified or good enough to push him. I would like to see Wurz in that seat, though being contracted to Mclaren we'll never see that happening. Much as some people don't want it I think J.Villeneuve would be a good test for Webber.

[Kicking-back]

I agree that Pizzonia and Gene are not the answer for Williams - but Davidson is very much the real deal.

[Glen]

Wurz - I agree, he deserves another shot.

[Kicking-back]

We know that McLaren don't regard Wurz as being as good as Montoya or Kimi, so why would Williams want to take him on?

[Led ZeppF1]

I am not sure that Ant is a real deal.

He, as both Gene and Pizzonia, is decent test driver. But racing is another thing.

[N I Tram]

Seems like Flavio's playing games quite eccentrically here, and I'm not sure Fisichella's the best man he could sign to put up against Alonso.

[shiny side up!]

On pace, Ant appears to be right up there with his teammates at BAR. Still remains to be seen how he gets on during a race battling for position and consistancy... but we will never know until he gets a shot!

As far as Fisi partnering Alonso at Renault, Fisi is a known quantity to them, having been there before for a few years. Not only that, but they signed him for 2 years, so they must think he will perform well with Alonso. It will make for a great team battle next year! So will Kimi/JPM, Ralf/Trulli, so I can't wait!

[garcon]

Originally posted by Led ZeppF1
I am not sure that Ant is a real deal.

He, as both Gene and Pizzonia, is decent test driver. But racing is another thing.

Well, there's one great way to find out... here's hoping!

[Kicking-back]

But Ant has at least being doing his testing in the full spotlight of F1 race weekends.

[Led ZeppF1]

Yes, Fisi is the best man that he could sign to put up againts Alonso. He is the man who beat all his team mates.

[Led ZeppF1]

Originally posted by garcon
Well, there's one great way to find out... here's hoping!

Yup. But Williams often said that they need experienced drivers.

[mp356a]

Good for Fisi. I think he will do quite well against the youngster.
I would like to see Ant go to Sauber for a season to see how he fairs. It's a decent car now and it would be good race experience for him.

[Glen]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
We know that McLaren don't regard Wurz as being as good as Montoya or Kimi, so why would Williams want to take him on?

McLaren rate Wurz highly - at least as a development driver. The fact that he can't get on the "A" team at Woking doesn't mean that much as far as I am concerned. He was unlucky to be in an overweight Bennetton for a year and then the damage to his reputation was done - but these days some drivers are bigger (like wbber, as a matter of fact) and no-ne has a car anywhere close to weight limit without ballast, so it doesn't matter all that much.

Wurz is a nice bloke - funny too, and a former BMX champion to boot (which I reckon is pretty cool). So i like him. Oh - and he can drive!

[dcp2685]

Originally posted by N I Tram
Seems like Flavio's playing games quite eccentrically here, and I'm not sure Fisichella's the best man he could sign to put up against Alonso.

Agreed. If you want to increase the value of your main guy....against a youngster (who's still being one-upped by Trulli this year) you don't pair him w/ a veteran like Fisi. That could be dangerous for Alonso's reputation. Personally going for a guy like Coultard, a decent driver that can consistantly bring in points, and grab that ocassional win....lots of experiance and good developmental qualities that Renault currently doesn't really have.

Whether you like him or not, he's a very good "natural"...(as in not naturally as fast as #1) 2nd driver that can bring a lot of good things to the table and can reguarly score some points.

If Flavio did indeed release webber w/ an agreement for Williams NOT to sign Fisi in hope to not degrade Webber's stock, may not be the best choice for the long term. Webber will be 28, if Williams gives him a 3-4 year deal, that'll be putting Webber towards the end of his career. Alonso is 23 on the other hand. If Fisi beats him next year and or the year after, the "hot new kid" will be a 25 kid that's suddenly not so hot. If he beats Fisi on level playing ground. Alonso is set.....but Fisi is a better driver than Trulli (who he's currently being beaten by). I think it's very risky move by Flavio.

[Glen]

Alonso is only trailing Trulli through silly errors an the like - I don't think there is much doubt about which of the current Renault drivers is the hottest property and in possession of the most speed... when Alonso an smooh off a few rough corners he'll be the real deal, and I certainly don't see Fisi being able to do much about it. Fisi has a flair for getting results from poor cars and has shaded many team-mates in that way, but I have a feeling that the Fisi/Alsonso battle will be pretty close with FA emerging the stronger.