Bottas to Alfa? bye bye Kimi

[S griffin]

Now we just have to see what happens with Giovinazzi

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Now we just have to see what happens with Giovinazzi

It will be interesting to see how Alfa Romeo handles their announcements. I would assume that if all of their ducks are in a row, they could announce ALL changes at once. If they are doing both drivers and power unit. I have no real opinion on the Mercedes option other than the timing is bad, but sometimes there is no good time to do these things. Given the Alfa Romeo primary sponsorship, I just don't see them making a big deal on a power unit swap. I can see it being announced/acknowledged, but not "celebrated" from a PR perspective.

Given we haven't heard an announcement for a Kimi replacement, that leads me to think they are looking to maybe do both driver announcements at the same time? So there maybe remains details on Giovinazzi's seat to be worked out??? If Giovinazzi was staying, why not just announce Kimi's replacement

I don't see the seat shuffling happening in reverse order. Such as... someone replaces George (with George left in the wind). Then George replaces Bottas (with Bottas in the wind). I expect it to fall as it is falling. Kimi retire, Bottas to Kimi's seat, George to Bottas' seat, and ? to George's seat. All one after another.

Richard

PS: Am I the only one irked by two silly season threads happening at the same time?

[chillibowl]

Yep. Not sure where to post about this alfa rumour and also to pay tribute to Kimi.

Have been watching lots of Kimi clips lately. Obviously anyone can find these at their own leisure but would be nice to start a thread where we can talk about that but dont really want to start a 3rd thread on it all.

Anyways, about Bottas and Merc speculation...is the pressumption that Merc will subsidize an Alfa deal in order to help Bottas find a new home?

I dont see Alfa paying full price and then not taking a pay driver right?

[peebee2]

Of course, they could send Russell there, with a case of copied documents a la 2020.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Yep. Not sure where to post about this alfa rumour and also to pay tribute to Kimi.

Given the title. This thread has a dual nature (seat swaps and Kimi retirement). I understand the OPs reasoning here, but this would be a great "Kimi sendoff" thread and then keep the silly season talk (such as Alfa power unit and seat talk) in the silly season thread.

Richard

[Skam85]

There has been no noise from Alfa moving away from Ferrari at any point apart from a few people connecting Bottas going there.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/sa...49436/5149436/

Originally Posted by Autosport article

The design of the 2022 Sauber chassis has commenced accounting for the dimensions of a Ferrari power unit and gearbox, pointing to an extension of the current agreement.

Again, with the 2022 cars likely to be a very, very long way down the road - there is no way a team will change PU supplier at such short notice. Especially a team such as Alfa Romeo who have been quite vocal about how early they committed to the 2022 car.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-r...2-opportunity/

If someone genuinely believes that Alfa will have Mercedes engines in 2022, I have a bridge to sell them. Maybe Pato O'Ward can drive his McLaren F1 car across it.

Essentially Sports is not a reputable news source for F1 - they break no news and their articles are constantly putting 2 and 2 and ending up with an answer of 45.

This Alfa-Mercedes article is full of speculation and with no actual substance at all. No quotes, nothing.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/f1...bshell-update/

[peebee2]

LOL, there has been plenty of ‘noise.’ I reported a strong paddock rumour, not some dodgy website.

You obviously didn’t like the posts about your hero Ricciardo being destroyed by Norris, even though that’s factual.

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by peebee2

LOL, there has been plenty of ‘noise.’ I reported a strong paddock rumour, not some dodgy website.

You obviously didn’t like the posts about your hero Ricciardo being destroyed by Norris, even though that’s factual.

Just coincidence that your "strong paddock rumour" is almost verbatim to the Essentially Sports article then? If it was so strong why is no reputable site running with it?

This has nothing to do with Ricciardo, nor did I mention him, but it's nice to see your obsession has spilled into other threads.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Skam85

Just coincidence that your "strong paddock rumour" is almost verbatim to the Essentially Sports article then? If it was so strong why is no reputable site running with it?

This has nothing to do with Ricciardo, nor did I mention him, but it's nice to see your obsession has spilled into other threads.

I call AS a reputable site and they did not go near the KR retirement story before KR announced it so using that as a yardstick does not mean much.

[Skam85]

Originally Posted by Casper

I call AS a reputable site and they did not go near the KR retirement story before KR announced it so using that as a yardstick does not mean much.

Autosport rarely if ever run with speculation/rumour pieces.

They stick to actual news and quotes.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Skam85

Autosport rarely if ever run with speculation/rumour pieces.

They stick to actual news and quotes.

Lol, it’s on plenty of websites now, from credible journalists. You just have to look. Massimo’s Italiaracing.net for example. The one quoted before presumably does have actual paddock sources too I’d imagine.

No, you didn’t mention DR but you did come up with a smartass comment about O’Ward. If you can’t see Zak Brown maybe thinking to repeat the situation where he manages/owns Lando, then you’re even more blinkered than I thought.

[Adam43]

This is all very interesting. Why does it have to be

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Lol, it’s on plenty of websites now, from credible journalists. You just have to look. Massimo’s Italiaracing.net for example. The one quoted before presumably does have actual paddock sources too I’d imagine.

It would be helpful to include links in your post to these websites.

[bathurst77]

well sky f1 mentioned the sauber/merc speculation, so it has some credence (i guess they heard it thru the grape vine)

[broadrun96]

How do we feel about Chris Medland then?

Albon to Alfa?? With little mention of Bottas and more concern from Toto about de Vries having a seat.

https://racer.com/2021/09/03/alfa-ro...-for-de-vries/

Oh, and back on topic

https://racer.com/2021/09/02/opinion...for-an-enigma/

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Adam43

This is all very interesting. Why does it have to be

As the risk of making this worse... It's about who is the most "inside".

"I walked down pit lane today. Wink wink, nudge nudge."
"Oh, yeah, I walked down it twice!"
"Sorry, did I say I walked down it once, I walked down it three times!"

I will say... I don't see Alfa switching to Mercedes, or Williams to Renault next year. But who knows? Maybe one or both will? Time will tell.

Richard

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

How do we feel about Chris Medland then?

Albon to Alfa?? With little mention of Bottas and more concern from Toto about de Vries having a seat.

https://racer.com/2021/09/03/alfa-ro...-for-de-vries/

Oh, and back on topic

https://racer.com/2021/09/02/opinion...for-an-enigma/

I think Albon deserves a second chance. He’s still young. We’ll see what happens. A lot of drivers have been off leaving the Red Bull programme. Look at Sainz

[billy bleach]

So the Kyvat chat a few weeks ago has fizzled out then...

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

So the Kyvat chat a few weeks ago has fizzled out then...

Well, some good will have come out if it then.......

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

As the risk of making this worse... It's about who is the most "inside".

"I walked down pit lane today. Wink wink, nudge nudge."
"Oh, yeah, I walked down it twice!"
"Sorry, did I say I walked down it once, I walked down it three times!"

I will say... I don't see Alfa switching to Mercedes, or Williams to Renault next year. But who knows? Maybe one or both will? Time will tell.

Richard

Struggle to see Alfa changing engines at this stage too (unless the decision was made ages ago, 2022 car has been designed in top secret from the start around a Benz engine and amazingly everyone there has managed to keep that under wraps). With cost caps, the financial impost of re-designing a 2022 car around a different engine at this late stage would not be small.

I enjoyed your "wink, wink, nudge nudge" suggestion Richard. Back in them olden days, when I was a team member, we'd get great enjoyment from starting completely implausible rumours, which other teams would then pass around with glee while we all laughed at the gullible journalists who then lapped them up, fell for them and sometimes published them - even though anyone who actually understood the realities of the sport could easily see that the rumours were bullsh.

[bathurst77]

I wonder whats next for kimi?
Sports cars, another stint in rallies, or give up all racing?

Im not sure he is cut out to be a commentator

"And its over to Kimi to talk us through the lap"

" ."

[Aysedasi]

Commentating is clearly a non-no, although it would let us get on and watch the racing with limited interference! With a bevy of hypercars about to be unleashed over the next couple of years, he really could make a name for himself in the WEC, although his timing isn't perfect....

[GTRMagic]

Where are all the announcements that the hype merchants of the motorsport websites proclaimed were coming this weekend?
The Benz to SauberAlfa one was apparently linked to Mr Bottas' alleged move to SauberAlfa.. or is that a figment of fantasy also?

[E.B]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Where are all the announcements that the hype merchants of the motorsport websites proclaimed were coming this weekend?
The Benz to SauberAlfa one was apparently linked to Mr Bottas' alleged move to SauberAlfa.. or is that a figment of fantasy also?

Toto said it wont be this weekend as although agreements have been reached and those in the know are aware of what is going on, it is all verbal agreements atm and no signatures are actually on any contracts yet.

[bathurst77]

patience mr gtr, patience