Mercedes second seat?

[JABWOA]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

It'd generate great accidents and hilarious car problems too.

I'd doubt it, but they'd take so long to get up to speed (mentally & physically) it would be an embarrassment. Didn't we learn anything from Michael's second coming? The cars had changed and there was extremely limited testing.

[S griffin]

We did have an answer to PGA seniors tour, in GP Masters, which sadly didn't last long

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by JABWOA

I'd doubt it, but they'd take so long to get up to speed (mentally & physically) it would be an embarrassment. Didn't we learn anything from Michael's second coming? The cars had changed and there was extremely limited testing.

You'd have great accidents if you put Takagi in the car as suggested. You'd have car problems if you put the others in. The current drivers have enough problems with the cars (see Rosberg: Spain)

Rubens is off doing ELMS after some IndyCar and very successful Brazilian Touring Cars. I can't imagine he's looking at an F1 return. Villeneuve has been pretty unspectacular in everything he's done since 1997. Of a list of drivers likely to return, he'd be between Badoer and Ide.

[F1Pete]

Back to being a little more serious.....

I believe Bottas will be a good match against Hamilton. Will he be as aggressive as Rosberg was when defending against Hamilton causing crashes? I don't know. For one thing he will be solid. I can't ever see him being booed on the podium either. I predict he will be the new Mika Hakkinen.


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[F1Pete]

Mika broke out when he was seated in top machinery.


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[JeremySmith]

I would have preferred to see Pascal Wehrlein in the second seat, but I think
Valtteri Bottas will do a good job..
I don't see the point in a junior driver program if they don't have enough faith in the driver to promote him ..Of course Mr Marko at RedBull is at it again, not that they can talk they have buried the careers of several young drivers ..

[Alan52]

Mark Fogerty who is usually fairly accurate wrote in the Sun Herald paper today that Hulkenberg was going to be confirmed for the drive within days.Not sure how this could possibly come about and hard to believe but there you go.

[Moneyseeker]

Bottas has been to the Mercedes factory pre - Christmas for an initial seat fitting according to motorsport.com and others.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Mark Fogerty who is usually fairly accurate wrote in the Sun Herald paper today that Hulkenberg was going to be confirmed for the drive within days.Not sure how this could possibly come about and hard to believe but there you go.

Hope so, Hulk would be a way better choice than Bottas, but I fear that Merc's opposition to driver height and weight parity would make Hulk an unlikely choice!

[p-matt]

Seems odd that Hulkenberg's name is being thrown around now just as it looked nailed on for Bottas. Who would Renault get to replace him? Bottas? It seems like it wouldn't work out for so many concerned.

I don't really understand the ambivalence towards Bottas. His 2016 season was his best in F1 - destroyed Massa, and got results that his car shouldn't have been capable of. I often think the more low-key drivers like Bottas, Heidfeld, Glock get completely overlooked because they are quiet and not the most engaging of personalities. Bottas is probably the most clinical precise overtaker there is out there, but I guess it doesn't come across because he's not as "spectacular" as the way Verstappen et al go about their driving.

[BSchneiderFan]

I very much doubt it will be Hülkenberg.

[F1Pete]

Me too.


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[S griffin]

With Bottas rumoured to have visited the factory, I can't see how anyone but him being in the seat, least of all the Hulk

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

I very much doubt it will be Hülkenberg.

I would think it would be impossible for him to get out of his Renault contract.If he was still at Force India he would have been announced for Mercedes before Christmas I reckon.

[GTRMagic]

Wehrlein To Sauber

[JeremySmith]

I would have preferred that he stay at Manor ..

[S griffin]

So with Bottas almost certain to join Merc and with Felipe to take his place when it happens, it just means the two Manor seats are the only ones up for grabs

[BSchneiderFan]

Big chance for Bottas. Nowhere to hide now.

[chillibowl]

indeed. no where to hide. i am curious to not only see how well he does but what level of support he receives from Merc.

no doubt it will be equal equipment, but in terms of the teams 'rules of engagement' and preferable strategies etc one would have to think their will be issues if not outright controversy, both real and imagined by the press and fans.

certainly there will be a huge amount of pressure early on for Bottas to match or outperform LH if he hopes to add favour to his cause.

that in and of itself will add a level of drama and excitement to what on the surface looks to be a 'boring' choice.

for my part, i am rooting for Bottas, in part as a LH fan, because the better LH's team mate does the better LH does.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

indeed. no where to hide. i am curious to not only see how well he does but what level of support he receives from Merc.

no doubt it will be equal equipment, but in terms of the teams 'rules of engagement' and preferable strategies etc one would have to think their will be issues if not outright controversy, both real and imagined by the press and fans.

I would be shocked if the team is not fully and "equally" behind Bottas. They have jumped through a LARGE number of hoops to make this move happen. I haven't followed Bottas much, so I can't speak to his relations with those at Williams, but I would assume his prior history of how he interacts with his team will forecast his internal acceptance at Mercedes.

As to real or imagined issues and controversy... This is an observation and not a criticism of Lewis based upon prior behavior. But I expect much of that will hing upon how well Lewis does in relation to Bottas. If Lewis is able to maintain a consistent lead there will likely be less drama. If Bottas is a challenge out of the box and/or Lewis has bad luck and we see a 2017 season that looks much like 2016... then I full expect drama at Mercedes.

Personally, I am very interested to see how things go at Mercedes in 2017.

Richard

[djinvicta]

I read somewhere that Lewis does have a say in who gets the seat, is that correct anyone?

[Adam43]

I believe they have to discuss with him, but he has no say. He's often referenced that he doesn't have a clause that can veto a team mate like Vettel and Alonso do. He's a legend.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I believe they have to discuss with him, but he has no say. He's often referenced that he doesn't have a clause that can veto a team mate like Vettel and Alonso do. He's a legend.

Indeed so. Both of them.

[Adam43]

[S griffin]

Hamilton deserves respect for not being afraid to race against his team mates on equal terms. He doesn't the insecurity of Schumi