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7 Dec 2016, 12:55 (Ref:3694495) | #176 | ||
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For a "simulator bot" who is also the 2014 WEC champion and established front running Toyota LMP1 factory driver, I think he is in with a shout at least
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7 Dec 2016, 13:46 (Ref:3694510) | #177 | |||
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Montoya? You have to be kidding. Davidson? Nice idea but highly unlikely IMO. He'd need to have serious F1 'stars in his eyes' to leave the WEC. |
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280 days...... |
7 Dec 2016, 13:49 (Ref:3694513) | #178 | ||
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Also, Ant is 37, so he'd be a very short-term investment for Mercedes. I think we're all getting a little carried away with wishful thinking.
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7 Dec 2016, 13:55 (Ref:3694520) | #179 | ||
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280 days...... |
7 Dec 2016, 14:49 (Ref:3694533) | #180 | |||
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I think we can tell that Mercedes are not averse to "dummy Spits" from their drivers from time-to-time, just as long as the results are there! He has already worked a great deal with Mercedes on tests and presumably in the simulator as well. Mercedes should know by now what they would be getting if they were to employ him. If they don't take him on, then what on earth is the point in having a young driver program at all? |
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7 Dec 2016, 15:06 (Ref:3694537) | #181 | ||
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Couldn't agree more, and have been saying so all over this forum. If Wehrlein were a complete rookie, I could understand Mercedes wanting him to have a season of F1 under his belt, but he's done that at Manor. He's not going to learn exponentially more at Sauber or Williams or Force India than he would do being placed alongside Hamilton at Mercedes. If he's not ready now, he never will be, and if that's the case, Mercedes should be honest and drop him.
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Interviewer: "Will the McLaren F1 be your answer to the Ferrari F40?" Gordon Murray: "Hmm... I don't think we have anyone at McLaren who can weld that badly..." |
7 Dec 2016, 15:17 (Ref:3694540) | #182 | |||
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Yes! Rosenqvist it is then! [/Fanboy mode] |
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7 Dec 2016, 15:46 (Ref:3694548) | #183 | |||
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Quote:
Quote:
This likely gives RBR a better understanding of the success rate of moving someone up. But even in what is the best scenario (RBR + TR) you have situations such as Kvyat who just didn't get it done after being promoted. So its not like its a math problem with a predictable outcome. Even doing it right can result in a bad outcome. All of this is a long winded way to say the same as above... What is the point of having a junior program if you don't promote junior drivers? Let's say that Mercedes already had a top level driver and junior driver on the squad and the top level driver left. Yes, they should seek another top level driver as replacement vs. having two junior drivers in the top car. But in this scenario, they arguably have the best driver of the field. So regarding a junior driver promotion, if not now, then when? Otherwise, stop trying to develop junior drivers and just spend the money to cherry pick the best that they can afford. Richard |
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To paraphrase Mark Twain... "I'm sorry I wrote such a long post; I didn't have time to write a short one." |
7 Dec 2016, 16:26 (Ref:3694556) | #184 | ||
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2 things to say about the RBR young driver program:-
RBR struck gold with Ricciardo and Verstappen. Formula E is full of failed Red Bull protegees. But unless you give them a chance, you will never know if they are good enough. |
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7 Dec 2016, 17:09 (Ref:3694559) | #185 | ||
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just speculating, but the Merc board (and their advertising department) are probably feeling a bit screwed at the moment because they have lost a big part of their marketing plans for 2017 and are perhaps now prefer to replace Nico with someone who has a similar level of marketing reach.
if you are spending 300mil plus a year and employing (i think) over 1200 people, then the need need to have two highly recognizable drivers becomes more important then honouring the junior program. also i would say their junior program has operated under the path of having an available driver for 2018 and beyond...they just may feel their program hasnt come to fruition yet. |
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7 Dec 2016, 20:01 (Ref:3694601) | #186 | ||
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To follow that thinking... If you want to look at this from a marketing perspective, then you want to bring in someone new who you can (hopefully) to be part of the brand for more than just a year or two. So (IMHO), that somewhat excludes someone like Button. While on one hand I expect someone like Button would be a smart fit (especially on the marketing side), I just expect he is at the end of his career and would not be a good long term face for Mercedes. To a degree, I suspect the same might be said about Alonso (how much longer do we really expect him to drive?) An argument for a new driver, is that if they have confidence in that person (i.e. they may be around for more than a year or two) they could also be the new face to start with now. Richard |
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To paraphrase Mark Twain... "I'm sorry I wrote such a long post; I didn't have time to write a short one." |
7 Dec 2016, 20:18 (Ref:3694607) | #187 | ||
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long term can be developed which would be why i suspect their (marketing) needs are more immediate/a proper replacement for a WDC.
Button i think would be great in this respect. better then Alonso even. i would have to look back, but i somewhat recall that when Merc hired Schumi a large part of his contract was actually about a marketing campaign for road cars and less about his on track performance...so Button would fit that bill. the more i think about it the more i think just how crazy and unprecedented it is that Nico left...the suits in Stuttgart must have lost their minds when they found out. |
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Home, is where I want to be but I guess I'm already there I come home, she lifted up her wings guess that this must be the place |
7 Dec 2016, 20:26 (Ref:3694608) | #188 | ||
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It would be really interesting to see Button paired up with Hamilton again. Jenson is the only driver, I believe, that has actually out-scored (and out-podiumed) Hamilton (over the 3 years at McLaren) whilst a team-mate, and if his motivation was re-ignited by driving a Mercedes, then I think that after an initial bedding-in period he would be able to hold his own again.
I don't think that it will happen, but it would be fun if it did. |
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7 Dec 2016, 21:23 (Ref:3694624) | #189 | ||
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I don't think those are good options. Davidson would be Luca Badoer 2.0 and I'm not sure JPM would be much better. Massa was falling away from Bottas this past season and Button, from his attitude at the end of the season, seems done with F1. If I was Mercedes, I'd explore the 'boy' options of Sainz, Bottas and Wherlein. |
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7 Dec 2016, 21:27 (Ref:3694625) | #190 | ||
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Mark 'Potsie' Webber to Mercedes.....
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7 Dec 2016, 21:32 (Ref:3694627) | #191 | ||
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7 Dec 2016, 22:46 (Ref:3694637) | #192 | |||
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Context is required before making daft statements. Honda engines are not the ones to have. In 2016, only two Honda drivers won a race, with only one of those, Vandoorne, winning two races. There was a similar situation in 2015 season, where only one Honda driver won a race (incidentally it was the 'other' Honda driver who also won this year). In Japanese open-wheel racing, Toyota is where the action is. |
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7 Dec 2016, 23:32 (Ref:3694646) | #193 | ||
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Alexander Rossi....
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Go woke, Go broke… Here’s hoping a random universe works out in your favour… The meaning of life… ENJOYING THE PASSAGE OF TIME! #CANCERSUCKS |
8 Dec 2016, 01:10 (Ref:3694658) | #194 | ||
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I think it's going to be Alain Prost, Keke Rosberg or the shade of the late Jim Clark.
About as realistic as other names being thrown around. If no established stars are available, and I don't reckon they are, it'll be Wehrlein. |
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8 Dec 2016, 01:27 (Ref:3694659) | #195 | ||
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Go woke, Go broke… Here’s hoping a random universe works out in your favour… The meaning of life… ENJOYING THE PASSAGE OF TIME! #CANCERSUCKS |
8 Dec 2016, 07:53 (Ref:3694685) | #196 | ||
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The program did pretty well to bring up Vettel and Sainz too.
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ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก |
8 Dec 2016, 09:40 (Ref:3694719) | #197 | |
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they didn't bring up verstappen in fairness, not like the rest. they won a bidding war with mercedes for him.
imagine if merc had won... |
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8 Dec 2016, 10:24 (Ref:3694736) | #198 | |
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If I was looking for a youngster, I'd have great difficulty ignoring Rosenqvist, he looks like the real deal to me.
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8 Dec 2016, 12:46 (Ref:3694785) | #199 | ||
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8 Dec 2016, 14:12 (Ref:3694812) | #200 | ||
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