Good and Bad Driver Contract Decisions

[Graz]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Bad

Nigel Mansell to Mclaren
Villeneuve to BAR
Fittipaldi to, um, Fittipaldi.
Henton to Toleman
Schneider to Arrows
Amon to Amon
Hunt to Wolf


Probably millions more.

Mansell was done
Henton was no use
Hunt was done

It wouldn't have mattered where these guys went. I think drivers in their prime making bad moves by choice is what this thread should cover personally.

Moss to British Cars/teams held him back
Alesi to Ferrari - he had signed a Williams contract and it was at the point where they were about to dominate.
Lauda to Brabham - had that team been more competitive/reliable would he have retired?
Capelli to Ferrari - that ruined him though on paper it was a step up
Irvine to Jaguar but Eddie was only chasing the $$$$$
Webber to Williams when Williams were on the way down very quickly
Glock to Virgin/Manor - what was he thinking? I think he had a Renault offer he declined.
Surtees to Surtees

I'm sure there's more...

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

As far as Michael is concerned, we only know now that he made the right decision to leave Jordan and go to Benetton, and then to leave them after a few WDCs to go to an uncompetitive, at the time, Ferrari. With hindsight, because there were huge doubts about both moves at their respective times, they turned out to be quite inspired choices. Or would his overall package as a driver and as a team motivator, etc. have found him success no matter at which team he had landed in?

Don't think it was as brave a choice to move to Ferrari as some are making it seem in hindsight. When Michael tested the 412T2, he claimed he could have won the championship in that car. Based on how much faster Alesi and Berger were than Herbert in 1995, I don't doubt it. The major inhibiting variable may have been Ferrari's lack of reliability in 1995, not their pace.

The 1996 Ferrari was actually a step back in pace (compared to the fastest car (Williams)), but the dream team was being assembled, so it wasn't a huge surprise that Ferrari slowly climbed up the pecking order thereafter, culminating in their dominance of 2002.

[JABWOA]

Ferrari in 95/96 were still having inner turmoil (Barnard refusing to leave the UK and not communicating with the factory) which was sorted out by Todt getting a new designer who remained in-house. This effected quality (similar story today actually - got the means but not getting the result although maybe things are finally settling down and moving forward.)

Plus MS wanted a new challenge, he could have stayed at Benetton and won a whole lot more titles.

(Did EJ get any money for MS going to Benetton? I thought he didn't actually get a signature before Briatore stole him. Or are we talking about the Merc money that paid for test at Silverstone/drive at Spa?)