2008 Silly Season Thread (SUPER MERGE)

[chunterer]

Then judging by the typical buyers of their road cars they need to employ even more experienced race drivers.....

[FPV GTHO]

Its the bigger names more specifically, at least that was John Howett's plan when they signed Ralf and Jarno.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

Its the bigger names more specifically, at least that was John Howett's plan when they signed Ralf and Jarno.

Yes well one of them's got a big name alright.

Howett's taken a leaf out of Ron's book as McLaren always had to have 'name' drivers in both cars and it was only this year when that changed by putting Hamilton in the other car as a relative unknown.

However it's no good having names drivers in your team that seemingly only operate within certain parametsers when your trying to drive a team forwards!

[Pro Racer]

maybe having a different driver in the team young or experienced that is probably known not as the bigest name in F1 would do Toyota the world of good, maybe maybe not.

[notguilty]

just my two cents
Mclaren
Alonso
Hamilton

Ferrari
Raikkonen
Massa

BMW
Vettel
Webber

Toyota
Wurz
Heidfield

STR
Bourdais
Glock

Prodrive
Paffett
DiGrassi

Super Aguri
Sato
Nakajima

Honda
Barrichello
Davidson

Renault
Button
Rosburg

Red Bull
Coulthard
Liuzzi

Spyker
Stutil
Winkelhock

[chillibowl]

is Alonso a lock for Mclaren for 2008?
if the FIA come down on them for the scandal, will he want to stay? does he even want to be on the same team as LH. as long as BMW (which is looking better every race) dont sign up 2 drivers, im holding out hope for some really silly rumours will start up.
a swap for Nick and Alonso...that would be sweet.

[jab]

Ralf today said that he is certain to be on the grid next year...are Toyota really that stupid?

My prediction

McLaren - Alonso & Hamilton (both under contract as far as I know)

Ferrari - Raikkonen & Massa (ditto)

BMW - Heidfeld & Kubica (Kubica is, and I think both Nick and BMW would be foolish not to renew)

Renault - Fisichella & Kovalainen (1 more year for Fisi, Kovi will be retained if he isn't under contract already)

Williams - 2 of Rosberg/Wurz/Nakajima/Piquet (can't really see Wurz getting another year, but will Rosberg stay? Nelsinho loaned out by Renault?)

Toyota - Trulli & Schumacher/Rosberg (Ralf will be out, whilst Rosberg will jump Toyota-powered teams. Trulli is contracted)

Red Bull - Webber & Coulthard (already confirmed)

Super Aguri - Sato & Davidson (can't see them letting Sato go, though I'm not sure if Ant would go or who'd replace him)

Honda - Button & Barrichello (JB's under contract, RB's likely to get another year)

Toro Rosso - Bourdais & Vettel (Seb B's all but confirmed, and there's no door at BMW for the other Seb)

Spyker - Sutil & van der Garde (unless he goes to Toyota, Sutil will stay, and vdG will probably join him due to £££)

Prodrive - de la Rosa & Paffett (would make sense, but I've heard that maybe Gary isn't going to get the drive)

[mac]

Fisichella is apparently off contract at the end of the season. If he's leaving Renault, this would be the year...

[rocketracer]

the problem for renault is: who would you replace fisi with?

there is a shortage of credible experienced drivers around.
consider:

1. I highly doubt flavio will see it as a wise decision to have 2 inexperienced drivers side by side, being nelsinho and heikki.
2. I really dont think they will take (or want to pay for) Ralf.
3. Rubens will see out his days with honda (whether that's this year or next).
4. who else is there on the shopping list?

rosberg is the only other option that could be a suitably eligible and credible option, but is he contracted to williams for 08? i think fisi is safe for another year.

[Pro Racer]

maybe Flav will do a swap with Piquet Jnr and Webber keep Kovi and get rid of Fisi who might end up at Prodrive or Spyker. .

Mclaren
Alonso
Hamilton

Ferrari
Raikkonen
Massa

BMW
Heidfeld
Kubica

Toyota
Trulli
Nakajima

STR
Liuzzi
Bourdais

Prodrive
Paffett
Fisichella

Super Aguri
Sato
Davidson

Honda
Schumacher
Button

Renault
Webber
Kovalainen

Red Bull
Coulthard
Piquet Jnr

Spyker
Stutil
Klien

[FPV GTHO]

I think if Fisi's out of Renault, then Piquet's in. There is a question of having 2 drivers so inexperienced, but i think it could pay off so long as the car's good enough. Kovalainen's on Fisi's pace now and still getting better, so maybe by the end of the year he'll have done enough to lead the team with Piquet next to him.

[Bluewolf]

Webber's had some excellent qualifying efforts this year -- he will stay with RBR or move up.
Fisi's probably gone. I can't see Nelshino sitting around another season, especially because and Fisi hasn't come back strong this year like Heidfeld has. And he's getting a bit long in the tooth too, so why not give the kid a chance.
If Hamilton continues to outperform Alonso, Alonso will run from Mclaren as fast as he can --perhaps 09?
If STR keeps one of its drivers its even money as to whether it will be Speed or Liuzzi -- Liuzzi has had better qualifying but Speed has had better races.
Some people are unimpressed by Davidson but I think he's a bit underated -- {I was watching his lap times on my computer at the U. S. Grand Prix toward the end of the race and he was Rocket Man} he's stays in F1 somewhere.

[locco]

would you guys stop saying Hamilton outperformed Alonso, Hamilton may never win a champion if Alonso stays in Mclaren, thats how I see it imo atleast. if Alonso changes teams Hamilton will be happier than Alonso, especially when Alonso said Mclaren is his dream team, I can't see him changing really, maybe a few more years then he retires as some people here say he'll retire early. so am guessing those two are staying together for a while, Renault are the team with the biggest decision i'd say, would be interesting to see who stays and whos out hopefully we'll know by Monza or something.

[chunterer]

Renault wouldn't have a problem with Heikki and Piquet line up. HK's already got plenty of experience of the cars and the team so I wouldn't class him as inexperienced. Nelsinho would be chomping at the bit and would make a good back up guy (I don't think he's as quick as Heikki).

There's no point in keeping Fizzi on for another year now. I believe he was only retained for this year as a 'banker'.

Renault should either bring in a highly motivated current F1 driver like Nico or Kubica or a rookie like Piquet to partner Heikki.

[jab]

I think after Heikki's poor(ish) start this year, to take Piquet on alongside him would be a risk. Look at how much testing Heikki had and he was still pretty mediocre in the first few races, especially Australia. He hasn't been that bad this year so far, but neither has he been superb

Webber has already been effectively confirmed by Red Bull when they resigned DC so he won't be leaving

Other than Fisi, they could go for Ralf...well, maybe not. But there's Rosberg, Liuzzi and Speed, though the latter 2 are pushing the boat out a bit, and it would only be for a year if Nelsinho was to come back after a year loaned out to Williams or something

I can't see the sense in getting rid of Fisi yet. He hasn't been that bad this year, considering the car isn't fantastic. He's beating Heikki, which is more than some expected, including me

[Born Racer]

He's beating Heikki,

That's debatable, except maybe in terms of points.

Also he had a bad race in Australia but I don't think he's messed up in any of the subsequent races.

[WebberForWDC]

There's a silly season for 2008?

Bugger all change is hardly a silly season!

[jab]

In the races they've both finished in, it's 5-3 to Fisi, though one of those DNF's for Fisi was the DQ in Canada, and Kovi's race in France was compromised by the 1st lap crash which wasn't really his fault (although Fisi beat him in qualifying)

[rocketracer]

i'd say heikki is coming along well, but the season is only half way through, and i think we will still see some more rookie mistakes from him before the year's out. no slight against him, but he is still a rookie, who is likely to make racing mistakes.

i would be surprised if fisi doesnt beat him on points by year's end. heikki will start to drive well next year, he might follow a similar sort of career path to rosberg, who has really started to shine in his second season. keeping fisi there will do well to bring out the best in both of them imo.

having said that, nelsinho would certainly make a more exciting young lineup.

[Pro Racer]

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - Mercedes
Fernando Alonso
Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari Marlboro - Ferrari
Felipe Massa
Kimi Raikkonen

BMW Sauber - BMW
Nick Heidfeld
Robert Kubica

ING Renault - Renault
Heikki Kovalainen
Giancarlo Fisichella

Red Bull Racing - Renault
David Coulthard
Mark Webber

At&t Williams - Toyota
Nico Rosberg
Nelson Piquet Jr

Panasonic Toyota - Toyota
Jarno Trulli
Ralf Schumacher

Honda Racing - Honda
Jenson Button
Rubens Barichello

Super Aguri - Honda
Takuma Sato
Anthony Davidson

Torro Rosso - Ferrari
Sebatian Vettel
Sebastian Bourdais

Spyker F1 - Ferrari
Adrian Sutil
Sakon Yamamoto

Prodrive - McLaren Mercedes
Pedro De La Rosa
Alex Wurz

[Sev]

Yep, I'd say that's pretty close to the mark Pro Driver. Except I can't see Yamamoto sticking around. He's far too crap. Same goes for Ralf.

[Ralf's Girl]

Is Fisichella out of contract at the end of this season? Because if he is, it must be time for him to go. He was consistently destroyed by Alonso, is considered to be doing quite well to be scoring more points than his rookie team-mate, and he has to be told on the radio when to drive faster and overtake people! To that end, Toyota ought to give Trulli the push at the end of his contract - massively over-rated, IIRC just the one win, yet somehow manages to hold down a drive every year.

I'd like to see a few more teams taking chances on exciting young talents - this year is really the first that McLaren have had a go at that, and it's really paying off. There's something very dispiriting about looking at the driver line-up every year and seeing the same old underachieving names (Barrichello, anybody?).

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

and seeing the same old underachieving names (Barrichello, anybody?).

seems to have Jenson at the moment!

[Pro Racer]

probably the only old farts (interms of F1) performing are MW and DC, it has been their cars that have let them down IMO.

[FPV GTHO]

And not Heidfeld? He's got a few more years experience than Webber.