[Driver] 2018 F1 silly season.

[Greem]

Ilmor, Mercedes, McLaren and Alonso to Indy for a full season?

Stranger things have happened.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Apparently, Briatore, Lauda and Wolff weren't chatting about a seat for Alonso at Mercedes. There was however, a conversation regarding Alonso and Mercedes for 2018.

I can't reveal my sources, but here is a transcript of that conversation...

Briatore: So... what do you think about Alonso at Mercedes next year?
Lauda and Wolff: No



Seriously, regarding Alonso and Mercedes. Never say never, but probably highly unlikely unless Hamilton was out of the picture. I have no doubt however that Briatore is trying to explore all options. It is his job.

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

Apparently according to what source, about what specifically?
Or this another one of a myriad of rumours spouted which will be used to ego-boost an 'inside guy' when a handful come true in the way a sideshow psychic can be vague enough to appear right?

It's a number's game. You confidently and cryptically post enough ideas and theories and eventually some of them will be right!

Richard

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Greem

Ilmor, Mercedes, McLaren and Alonso to Indy for a full season?

Stranger things have happened.

It's all a guessing game at this point. I would suspect that if Alonso can't find a top ride (Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull), he is likely to either walk away from F1, or stay at McLaren with significant concessions (another Indy deal and likely a LeMans deal of some type).

Also, as someone else pointed out. We are not yet even half way through the season. There is still time for McLaren/Honda to show improvement... or continue to struggle.

Richard

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

It's a cash spend thing, as F1 has always been, and MB has lots to burn. McLaren has cash to spend as well and with a better engine we might see how that chassis works.

do they actually have cash to spend at Merc/Ferrari levels?

realistically, how much of a budget can Mclaren put together for 2018 if they drop Honda? decreased prize monies, going from free to pay engines, paying for their own drivers, and short a title sponsor...one way or another its a tough road ahead for Mclaren regardless of whose engine they use.

is it even worth their while to retain the very expensive Alonso?

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

[B]It's all a guessing game at this point.[/B

I only said it in the slim chance something like that happens that I get the aforementioned ego-boost

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

About Alonso: if I were mclaren, I'd be making arrangements to keep Alonso with me. I heard somewhere he makes around 30 million a year right now. If a top seat opened up, I'm sure he's gone no matter what McLaren does or offers. But since there aren't likely to be top seats available to him for next season, here's what I would do.

Run a full season IndyCar as a McLaren entry for Alonso. Sign a retread type driver for his f1 car that is happy to have a ride, with an out clause that Alonso can take it over at any point. Think someone like jolyon Palmer, or maybe a rookie like sirotkin. Tell Alonso he can have his f1 ride back as soon as it shows that it can compete. Let him maybe make a run at an IndyCar championship while staying with McLaren.

The thing is, we've heard Alonso compliment the car quite a bit. That shows that he's with a top team that has a handle on the regulations, just that they're stuck with an impossible engine. So he'll be taking one step forward, one step backward going to another team that may have a competitive engine but maybe not as good of chassis. So unless a ride at Ferrari or Mercedes opened up, there's really nothing there for him. I guess red bull, but they have a driver pipeline and seem to prefer younger, cheaper drivers.

Plus, we've seen alonso's luck. As soon as he jumps to another team, Honda will find the pace and reliability, and begin competing for championships. Stock with them if they're willing to run him in IndyCar.

Originally Posted by Greem

Ilmor, Mercedes, McLaren and Alonso to Indy for a full season?

Stranger things have happened.

Don't take away my ego stroke!

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by RWill2073

Don't take away my ego stroke!

My 2 cents is that if a full time Indy ride happens, it is more your scenario (still part of the Honda/McLaren family) than Greem's scenario. Either way, I also would not be surprised if Indycar (either full season or just the 500) factors into Alonso next year.

Richard

[RWill2073]

I still think that barring a Mercedes, Ferrari or maybe Red Bull ride, Alonso's best chance remains with McLaren figuring their engine issue out. Alonso has complimented the chassis quite a bit.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

It's a number's game. You confidently and cryptically post enough ideas and theories and eventually some of them will be right!

Oh, how true.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Apparently, Briatore, Lauda and Wolff weren't chatting about a seat for Alonso at Mercedes. There was however, a conversation regarding Alonso and Mercedes for 2018.

Alonso in the DTM?

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Is that because it's MB detuning the others or the other teams can't stop taking each other out (FI), signing drivers for the cash (Williams, although he is improving) or disappear into liquidation (Manor)?

It's a cash spend thing, as F1 has always been, and MB has lots to burn. McLaren has cash to spend as well and with a better engine we might see how that chassis works.

It's because they detune the customers via the mapping at will.

You might win the odd race as a customer but you aren't going to challenge for a title.

[BSchneiderFan]

Um, Brawn?

[peebee2]

A different era, and the works (McLaren) chassis wasn't good enough to win. And the Brawn takeover to become the new works team was always in the pipeline x

[F1Guy]

I think this is a silly idea.

Formula 1's new owners Liberty Media are said to be considering the idea of a 2018 launch event, which would see all the teams debut their cars together on the same day.

https://www.motorsportweek.com/news/id/15119

Not a good idea. The point being, as explained in the article, the mid field and back markers need that focus time on their car, and only their car, for a few hours/days so their sponsors etc. get maximum exposure.

[Richard C]

If done right, I think it could be a boon for the midfield or backmarker teams from a marking exposure/sponsorship perspective. The cars will be the stars and might offer up a good bit of exposure for big and small sponsors. They could present the cars and maybe drivers in reverse championship order and give each team roughly the same amount of time on stage. Focus on one team at a time. Imagine slow pans over the cars showing sponsor logos while a team specific voiceover talks about whatever they want to focus on (the design, the sponsors, etc.). Not knowing exactly when a fans particular favorite team may be shown, so the are likely to watch either it all, or at a minimum more that what would have been maybe a single team launch. Diehard fans like us could enjoy this much like a live race in that we plus technical experts can chat and post live during the event. Not to mention other social media aspects such as a live tweet wall for example.

But it could be done badly with all presented at the exact same time and with the powerhouse teams up front at the expense of the others. No or poor social media integration, etc.

Richard

[Greem]

Interesting idea, but only if all the teams have their cars ready by whatever that date is. How many launches have been postponed in recent years, or even moved to be at the first open test session?

That said, it happens in lots of other series and it gets the viewing public concentrating in the series as a whole rather than piecemeal on separate teams. That benefits everyone.

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

...Diehard fans like us could enjoy this much like a live race in that we plus technical experts can chat and post live during the event. Not to mention other social media aspects such as a live tweet wall for example...

this for me...Liberty is looking to create new content/new events and a specialized launch so that the broadcasters can craft a unique live program around it sounds like a great idea imo.

and to be honest, official team launches have become pretty stale as of late with not much more being shown other than the teams upcoming livery, driver lineups, and sponsor announcements.

most of the interesting technical bits are always held back for the tests/first race anyways.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Greem

Interesting idea, but only if all the teams have their cars ready by whatever that date is. How many launches have been postponed in recent years, or even moved to be at the first open test session?

I think the timing of the shared launch would have to be very close to the first test session. It would impact the teams who leave things to the very last minute.

Richard

[S griffin]

Unfortunately as said above it would not work, for teams who leave it late would be up against. Maybe have a launch of the championship after the testing?

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Unfortunately as said above it would not work, for teams who leave it late would be up against. Maybe have a launch of the championship after the testing?

IMHO... I think an implication of some type of agreement (if it can be reached) is that teams couldn't leave it to the last minute and would be required to attend.

Given that teams regularly hide or leave out key details of the cars during these events as well as change a number of things between testing and the first race, the "event" cars are pretty much "show" cars. So teams would expected to bring "something" to the media event to show but could still continue to refine the actual car.

Others with more knowledge can speak, but my perception is that many teams have scaled back on these types of presentations because they may not see the value in them. Or rather the ROI on all that would be required to make it happen. And that time and money can be spent elsewhere. But if the focus is a combination of promoting both F1 in general as well as individual teams, plus some level of either cost sharing (everyone doesn't have to individually deal with the particulars of organizing a media event) as well as maybe F1 itself funding some or all this this... The economics might switch for the team?

Richard

[GTRMagic]

Why do you need to launch with the race car?

[chunterer]

Back on the sibject of drivers I think Grosjean might be vulnerable.
He's not having a good year and Magnussen seems to be able to handle the brake maladies better (and complains less!)

I thought it was fanciful of pundits to be asking him about his Ferrari ties with regards to any vacancy at Maranello.

Leclerc may also have jumped Giovinazzi in the queue for any Ferrari supported drives?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Back on the sibject of drivers I think Grosjean might be vulnerable.
He's not having a good year and Magnussen seems to be able to handle the brake maladies better (and complains less!)

I thought it was fanciful of pundits to be asking him about his Ferrari ties with regards to any vacancy at Maranello.

Leclerc may also have jumped Giovinazzi in the queue for any Ferrari supported drives?

I don't expect either Leclerc and Giovinazzi to be driving a Ferrari in 2018. Driver decisions tend to be painfully conservative these days, and Ferrari will want someone who compliments Vettel, in the way that they stuck with Massa for oh so long because he worked well with Alonso. Perhaps they might spice things up with Verstappen though.

[bella]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Back on the sibject of drivers I think Grosjean might be vulnerable.
He's not having a good year and Magnussen seems to be able to handle the brake maladies better (and complains less!)

I thought it was fanciful of pundits to be asking him about his Ferrari ties with regards to any vacancy at Maranello.

Leclerc may also have jumped Giovinazzi in the queue for any Ferrari supported drives?

agree about grosjean, as experienced as he is the brake obsession seems to be a bit of a panic attack. those are the brakes and that is how they perform, modify your style or be replaced by someone who can.

i don't think leclerc and giovinazzi are the same thing to ferrari. leclerc is their modern day bianchi, someone they're nurturing and developing. how much fun would a giovinazzi/leclerc pairing at ferrari be though

[S griffin]

Grosjean seems to lose confidence when his brakes go, whereas Magnussen copes with it. He showed in Baku what he could do and I'm sure he'll stay