[Driver] 2018 F1 silly season.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by knighty

Just thinking out loud......i wonder if wiliams could tempt mark webber back into the seat

Don't be daft, he's off to Renault.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Don't be daft, he's off to Renault.

[BSchneiderFan]

So Williams have narrowed it down to Massa, di Resta or Kubica. No offence to Felipe, but I hope they don't play it safe.

[djinvicta]

Looking at the list....Kubica it is then? If they do, it will be a good advertising move for Williams as his car will be followed closely..plus I heard somewhere that Rosberg is involved?

[S griffin]

Even if I don't know what issues are going on here with the Williams team, I hope it makes a good choice of the second driver in time

[wnut]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Looking at the list....Kubica it is then? If they do, it will be a good advertising move for Williams as his car will be followed closely..plus I heard somewhere that Rosberg is involved?

I am glad for Kubica that he is sufficiently recovered to be considered as a possible F1 driver. However, I always thought he was over rated, usually scored less points than Heidfeldt when he was fully fit, so it would probably be better to get Nick back.
Massa or DiResta would be better, and I suspect Massa would still be by far the best choice.

[S griffin]

Heidfeld was more underrated than Kubica overrated. I mean 2007 Kubica had the accident, but he kept the car in the title hunt right to the penultimate race in 2008, despite BMW stupidly ending development after their first win. 2009 the car was bad, so not really a fair comparison

[crmalcolm]

It's confirmed that from next year, the official entry is as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

It's confirmed that from next year, the official entry is as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer

Takes up a lot of room on a teev screen...

[BSchneiderFan]

FWIW, I think Heidfeld would have been a race winner in a decent car.

[Richard C]

We talk about drivers like Heidfeld, Kubica and Massa and their glory days (notable accomplishments) are from almost a decade ago. If you focus on just Kubica and Massa, they both had brushes with greatness (including Massa almost being WDC) and then accidents that put their careers into question.

Massa was able to recover (however I believe it did impact his ability for awhile) and for Kubica the injury was generally considered career ending for quite a long time. While Massa is only a handful of years older than Kubica at this point we are expecting Massa's retirement as being imminent (especially given he actually did retire!). So if Kubia was driving today people would be wondering the same thing. When will Kubica retire?

Who would be older than Kubica (assuming Massa retires to free up the seat at Williams)...

* Kimi at 37 who is WDC and even at that some here clammer for his retirement.
* Fernando at 36 who is multiple WDC and again, many wonder if he is ready to quit.
* Lewis at 32 (roughly same age) who is multiple WDC

So if Kubica was still driving today, I suspect that unless he was a previous WDC, his F1 career would be in it's twilight as well. Could anyone really restart an F1 career at this point purely based upon the potential that was shown many years ago? If had been successful in other top level racing during that gap then maybe, but while I don't follow WRC, he seems to have been just "OK" recently (granted, luck can be a big factor in Rally). But he is just a big question mark IMHO.

I would love to see the Cinderella story for a Kubica return, but it would have to be a big risks for anyone to really consider it.

Richard

[Hawkwood]

Would it be that much more of a risk over, say, di Resta?

I'm pretty sure everyone will agree that Kubica had more potential than di Resta when they entered F1.

Also, you can bet Williams will write a contract clause that deals with the issue of what happens if it turns out Kubica can't actually compete properly due to his arm.
Therefore, they'd be able to swap him for di Resta, or whoever else.

[peebee2]

Exactly, being Williams reserve with Kubica signed might work out rather well. Ditto McLaren if Alonso re-signs then has another hissy fit

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

* Kimi at 37 who is WDC and even at that some here clammer for his retirement.
* Fernando at 36 who is multiple WDC and again, many wonder if he is ready to quit.
* Lewis at 32 (roughly same age) who is multiple WDC

So if Kubica was still driving today, I suspect that unless he was a previous WDC, his F1 career would be in it's twilight as well. Could anyone really restart an F1 career at this point purely based upon the potential that was shown many years ago? If had been successful in other top level racing during that gap then maybe, but while I don't follow WRC, he seems to have been just "OK" recently (granted, luck can be a big factor in Rally). But he is just a big question mark IMHO.

I would love to see the Cinderella story for a Kubica return, but it would have to be a big risks for anyone to really consider it.

Richard

Is it strange that as long as he has been in F1, I think of LH as still being one of the young ones with the younger 'new' guys and Vettel and Alonso as the old guard. No idea why and when I think it sounds funny but he just seems like there should be many more years than Vettel has in the tank.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

It's confirmed that from next year, the official entry is as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.

What chance is there... that Honda is in line to take over Aston Martin?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by F1Guy

Agreed. But I fear Perez (or any driver going to Ferrari for the next few years) will be playing second fiddle to Vettel. I think all the drivers are aware of this, and someone like Perez would probably be happy take the cheque and do as he's asked. Can't see anywhere else where he'd have a chance of winning a race or two, and getting paid handsomely for it. He'd do better than KR for sure.

Perez would spend his time trying trying to put Vettel into the wall like he does with Occon, how would he make Ferrari a better team?
If you wanted someone, take Occon.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer

Takes up a lot of room on a teev screen...

Maybe TAG Heuer will go back to McLaren?

Mansour Ojjeh still owns 25% of McLaren and Ron Dennis is gone

[peebee2]

He doesn't own any of TAG-Heuer though does he?

[F1Guy]

Originally Posted by wnut

Perez would spend his time trying trying to put Vettel into the wall like he does with Occon, how would he make Ferrari a better team?
If you wanted someone, take Occon.

Over FIVE months later???

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

Would it be that much more of a risk over, say, di Resta?

I'm pretty sure everyone will agree that Kubica had more potential than di Resta when they entered F1.

Also, you can bet Williams will write a contract clause that deals with the issue of what happens if it turns out Kubica can't actually compete properly due to his arm.
Therefore, they'd be able to swap him for di Resta, or whoever else.

Does Di Resta come with a Mercedes discount on engines though? He's one of their drivers (although with their withdrawal from DTM he might be 'spare'). Di Resta is another 'what might have been' - pretty sure he was in line for a Mercedes seat at one point wasn't he? Can't remember if it was Schumacher coming out of retirement or Lewis leaving McLaren that scuppered his chance.

[F J Nedos]

If you believe this, 2018 might be a bad year for the mad russian... http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/09/26/...at-toro-rosso/

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by F J Nedos

If you believe this, 2018 might be a bad year for the mad russian... http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/09/26/...at-toro-rosso/

2017 is going to be a bad year for him, think he's out for Malaysia. And can you really put him back in the car for anything other than the US GP is they want Gasly to go for the SF title after pulling him to test Gasly in the car? Barring something crazy like he bins the car mid race. Oops, think that happened last week.

[S griffin]

I hope RBR do Aston Martin proud next season, what a great way to promote the brand

[justracing]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I hope RBR do Aston Martin proud next season, what a great way to promote the brand

I find it somewhat puzzling that Aston Martin has the finances available since their own financial situation appears less than rosy. I do not pretend to know all the ins and outs but historically they have been on shaky ground for some considerable time. I did try researching their current investors but it gets a little grey in places for anyone who is not well versed in company structuring. My understanding is that the company is owned by an Italian consortium but there also appears to be some investment from Mercedes. Anyone throw any light on it?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by justracing

I find it somewhat puzzling that Aston Martin has the finances available since their own financial situation appears less than rosy. I do not pretend to know all the ins and outs but historically they have been on shaky ground for some considerable time. I did try researching their current investors but it gets a little grey in places for anyone who is not well versed in company structuring. My understanding is that the company is owned by an Italian consortium but there also appears to be some investment from Mercedes. Anyone throw any light on it?

It looks as though a considerable amount comes from Kuwait, as well as Italy and/or Switzerland. During 2016, the holding company raised £200 million in a flotation of preference shares, and for the year ending December 2016, the holding company recorded a loss of £162 million. The preceding year the loss was just under £73 million.