Retro Silly Season

[Theunser]

If Jack Brabham didn't let Denny Hulme go to Mclaren for 1968, the second Mclaren would be driven by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud. Also he had offers from Matra and BRM(one-off drives) and talked with Honda to partner Surtees.

[S griffin]

Beppe Gabbiani was gonna be the second Ossela driver alongside Cheever in 1980

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Beppe Gabbiani was gonna be the second Ossela driver alongside Cheever in 1980

Didn't he do a race or 2, or was it '81 when he drove for them?

[S griffin]

It was 81 he drove for them. In 1980 they only ran one for Cheever in the end

[Theunser]

Damon Hill wanted to retire after the 1999 British Grand Prix. So Eddie Jordan agreed with Mika Salo to replace the 1996 champion from Germany onwards.
However some guy called Michael Schumacher broke his leg in a Ferrari..

[S griffin]

Moreno was considered to replace the injured Zanardi at Monza in 93

[S griffin]

Williams did approach Barrichello about taking Senna’s empty seat in 94

[CarfanLUFC]

Originally Posted by Theunser

Damon Hill wanted to retire after the 1999 British Grand Prix. So Eddie Jordan agreed with Mika Salo to replace the 1996 champion from Germany onwards.
However some guy called Michael Schumacher broke his leg in a Ferrari..

I thought his decent performance at the British GP gave him a bit more encouragement to complete the season. Although his head clearly wasn't in it by Japan

[S griffin]

Barrichello revealed in the Beyond the Grid Podcast that McLaren approached him to partner Lewis in 2010, but by then he had already signed for Williams. He also was offered a seat at Benetton alongside Alesi for 96, but Berger’s move scuppered it

[Theunser]

In the most recent Beyond the Grid podcast with Mark Blundell, he mentions he was close to a deal with Arrows in 1994. But some sponsorship deal fell trough, so he went to Tyrrell instead.

[S griffin]

He was also linked to a return to Tyrrell alongside Salo in 96

[S griffin]

Rosberg had talks with Ligier for 82. He was also linked to McLaren too

[Theunser]

Derek Warwick visited the Tyrrell factory at the begin of 1986.
Also when he came back to F1 in 1993 Eddie Jordan made him an offer, but he took the Arrows ride instead. That was when he was 39, and people now say Hulkenberg can't get back to F1, because he is too old. Ok I know these are different times, but...

[S griffin]

And yet Kimi is still going at 40...,

[Theunser]

Martin Donnelly had 3 offers for 1991:
staying with Lotus, going to Tyrrell or going to Jordan.
Then his crash happened....

[S griffin]

He actually signed a contract with Lotus for 91 I think on the morning before the crash. He was actually on the entry list for 91 with Lotus while he was still recovering

[Theunser]

It's so sad he couldn't fulfill his potential.
The same is true for Nannini, Kubica, Wendlinger, Peter Arundell and the list could go on.
In the other hand they were lucky to survive.

[S griffin]

Webber was offered a Ferrari seat for either 2012 or 13, but turned it down

[Theunser]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Webber was offered a Ferrari seat for either 2012 or 13, but turned it down

It was to replace Massa from 2013 onwards.
He said it was a 1+1 year deal, and thats why he turned it down as he wanted 2 years.

[S griffin]

Of course there were rumours throughout the early part of 2012 that Perez would take Massa’s seat

[Theunser]

Well Massa considered retirement in the winter of 2012. When he raced in Brazil he thought it will be his last race, thats why he cried on the podium.
He's replacement could have been Kovalainen.

[S griffin]

I could have actually seen Heikki at Ferrari. Not the best driver, but got technically and a safe pair of hands

[Theunser]

Arrows tried to take Mansell for 1985.

[S griffin]

Josef Kral revealed he signed a contract with HRT for 2013 if they had the money to race

[Theunser]

Boutsen was linked to Sauber for 1993.