Almost a done deal

[dcp2685]

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=49942

Apparently Ralfie boy appears to be going to Toyota. Why they want him i don't know

2 seats now open at Williams. Here here to Webber and JV.

[Peter Mallett]

I wish him well. You never know it could prove to be the best thing for both of them. He goes to a team who fits his personality and he goes back to being a fast racer. If things are setteled he may even start upping his game this season.

However let's not speculate on who will be a Team Willy next year unless we are looking at current availabilities and new drivers.

[Raven]

I thought I once read something about Gascoyne and Ralf not getting along very well at Jordan in 1998. I'm not too sure he'll fit in at Toyota. He is a talented driver no doubt, but to me he simply lacks the desire and heart of a winning driver.

[mp356a]

Bad move.

[minirda]

Niki Lauda said earlier this week he expects Ralf will have to leave before the end of the season. A so called (?)"achievements contract" makes this possible for Frank Williams not having to pay off his contract. He isn't doing well so far, is he?
Several German and Eddie Jordan think Heidfeld is the number one candidate to replace him immediately.
I this is true, i'm very curious who will join Nick next year: Villeneuve, Button, Webber, Dixon, Pizzonia, Gene, Fisichella?
Or another surprise? At least contracting Nick would be surprising IMO.

[esorniloc]

He should move straight away then Williams could get someone who can race!

[Super Tourer]

I like this one...." Willi Weber, has written a 'letter of intent' regarding a multi-year contract with Toyota." and..."Toyota may also have drafted a reciprocal letter"

Looks cast iron to me, WW writes a letter to Toyota saying Ralf wants to drive for you, and Toyota MAY have written back...

I wonder where this info has come, from WW's office???

Not long ago Ralf signing for Renault was a 'mere formality'

More emphasis on current performance is required IMO, lets see if Ralf can avoid making his hatrick of foul up's this weekend. Patrick Head and Sir FW must be rapping their fingers on the table with impatience.

Maybe he will go Toyota, but I warrant it would be a decision both would regret 12 months down the line.

[ralf fan]

yup... Toyota have the money but arent heading forward at the moment.... at the moment i think it is a bad move by Ralf he is not going to be in a race winning car ..... he is fast and a good development driver thats probably why Toyota want him....

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Super Tourer
I like this one...." Willi Weber, has written a 'letter of intent' regarding a multi-year contract with Toyota." and..."Toyota may also have drafted a reciprocal letter"

Hmm,

The trouble is its a French language site translated into english. So we could possibly construe this to mean that WW a signed a letter of intent.

But let's not go there. Let's, just for the sake of argument, assume that there is a bit of substance in this (mainly because it won't go away) and wish them well. Certainly the guy who has given Team Willy more wins in the last three seasons than anyone else deserves a bit of good fortune don't you think?

[shiny side up!]

Ralf is fairly fast when he feels like it , so I'm not so sure Williams would cry if he went to Toyota or any other team. I don't know that he is a great development driver, either, but I'm sure he has a certain level of technical ability after working with Williams for years. I think he would be a good fit at Toyota, though. He has the potential to put in a good race when the moon's right, and Toyota have the potential to build a good car sooner or later with their mega-budget... so with a little luck, they might have a suprise finish or two if they are together next year...

[esorniloc]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
Certainly the guy who has given Team Willy more wins in the last three seasons than anyone else deserves a bit of good fortune don't you think?

For Williams drivers 6 wins in 6 seasons is hardly anything to write home about. They have won 112 races in 25 years......................

[grumpy1]

Didn't someone on this forum,during the AGP,say that he had heard a rumour Ralf would be at Toyota next year Webber would be at Williams and DC would move to Jag.
You see guys and girls its called perks of the job as the company I work for is heavilly involved in F1 and one gets to smooze with the teams and there principles.
One other thing thats off topic look for a big anouncment regarding Jorden and there engine supplier in the coming weeks.

The Grumpy1

[Jordi]

Originally posted by esorniloc
For Williams drivers 6 wins in 6 seasons is hardly anything to write home about. They have won 112 races in 25 years......................

Especially when there's a driver who won 11 in 3 years. (and a World Championship...)

[Peter Mallett]

Maybe but it is still a better record than others in the same cars so I see no relevance in the "history" as far as my post is concerned.

[climb]

Whether it'll be a good or bad move only time will say.
Certainly Ralkf can find there all the motivations he apparently has lost at FW.

[ParkLife]

Originally posted by grumpy1
One other thing thats off topic look for a big anouncment regarding Jorden and there engine supplier in the coming weeks.

We haven't heard anything on the two major Russian sponsorship deals Jordan have signed (one of them is Gazprom) either. I assume they are deals for 2005 and so any talk about them will be saved until next years car launch.

What's the deal with the engine then?

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by climb
Whether it'll be a good or bad move only time will say.
Certainly Ralkf can find there all the motivations he apparently has lost at FW.

Well said.

[ralf fan]

Originally posted by Jordi
Especially when there's a driver who won 11 in 3 years. (and a World Championship...)

the 99,00 Williams's were dogs... while the 96 and 97 Williams were the best of the field...(by a mile)
In 2001, WIlliams improved but they still well off the MAc and Ferrari yet RS won 3 times. 2002 was a red-wash season... he may have got a fluke win but he did win.... 2003 could have been better as he had the best challenger through out his Williams career.... but he had been fast through the back end of the year.... and BTW a certain driver who won 11 times in 3yrs couls also have done better against a less experienced team-mate in 2003....

[ASCII Man]

I won't ask who that certain driver is then...

[Peter Mallett]

Yeah let's not go there.

Ralf also beat a supposed superstar (Zanardi) quite convincingly. Button was the first to put him under pressure so that speaks volumes for both of them.

He's obviously unhappy and whilst it shouldn't affect his performance, clearly things aren't right at the moment so this move, if it happens, will surely be good for him.

[climb]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
Yeah let's not go there.

...

That's my turn to say "Well said" Peter

[Super Tourer]

I think the Ralf /Toyota possiblity is a case of what each party is expecting out of the 'union'.

If Toyota are thinking they will be getting a sort of Michael replica who is going to galvanise the team and drive it forward to a new level, I think they will be dissapointed.

For all his proven qualities, team building, even team playing are not Ralf's forte. Motoring News describe Ralf as moody and sullen which I think is fair, to me too many things need to line up in order for Ralf to perform really well, hence when they don't, he doesn't.

I just can't see Ralf putting his heart and soul into developing a mid field team (albeit a well funded one) into a fighting force.

Similarly, if Ralf is thinking that he can build Toyota into a sort of Ferrari-esque team I don't think that is likely either. Toyota has Gascoyne, but it doesn't have a Jean Todt or a Rory Byrne or a Ross Brawn (yet) or a Martinelli. Can you see Ralf and Gascoyne forming the sort of formidable 'partnership' that Brawn and Michael have?

If Ralf is moving for none of the above, and only for the money, then you have to question the motives and whether any partnership between Ralf and Toyota would do anything other than reduce Toyota's bank balance and increase Ralf's...if Ralf was going to become a 'team leader' and inspire a team to great things , surely he would have done it at Williams, where BMW were his 'champion'.

The comparison between Ralf and Button does speak volumes, bearing in mind it was JB's first time in an F1 car, the fact he put Ralf under such pressure doesn't say that much for Ralf really....

[Peter Mallett]

You could look at it that way. But then if you think that Button wasn't very good it would be significant. As is now being proven he is very, very good. Therefore it would be disingenuous to suggest the Ralf is a lesser driver. More realistic would be the point that as a good driver he was given a run by an equally skilled but less experienced team mate.

As to sulleness etc. As we all know, the press has its favourites and for whatever reason he isn't press friendly. Doesn't mean he's a bad person.

True I doubt he could motivate a team like Ferrari but then Michael struggled until his "people" Rory and Ross turned up.

If he gets on well with Gascoyne, who knows?

And as it isn't a done deal we can only speculate as to what his motivation is.

[golem]

Heidfield at Williams. I'd like to see Nick in something pacey. Let's see what he's really made of. There's a good chance it's some typically good quality german stainless steel.

He's a driver I don't know alot about so to see him up the front and dicing would give a better indication of what he's like. Ralf, I know enough that he's inconsistant and Montoya is eating him up.

[Mark Webber]

Ralf is smart to go to Toyota and Ralf will drive much better in a happier work place , Ralf is fast make no bones put him in a Gascyone (spelling)chassis and very good things will come . only a fool would discount Toyota in F1
its a team to keep a eye on

So would it be safe to say

Toyota 05
Ralf & Ryan