Retro Silly Season

[Theunser]

Timo Glock talked to Force India about a seat for 2010.
It was in case if Sutil leaves.
Also Glock turned down Sauber and Renault because their future in the sport were uncertain.
So he went for the safe option and signed with Manor.

[S griffin]

After being dropped by Benetton at the end of 91, Piquet talked to Ferrari and Ligier about a drive for 92, before announcing his retirement from F1

[S griffin]

Ralf Schumacher tested with Force India in late 07, before deciding to retire from F1

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Ralf Schumacher tested with Force India in late 07, before deciding to retire from F1

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/photos...-f1-30/597658/

[S griffin]

Barrichello, Coulthard and Berger were all in line to be Schumi’s team mate in 96, before they decided on Irvine

[S griffin]

Stefan Bellof was linked to ATS for 83. He also was supposed to drive a third McLaren in that year’s European GP, but it didn’t happen

[Theunser]

Belloff I think even signed a drivers contract with Ferrari.
But before he was linked with Brabham and Mclaren.

[Theunser]

Lotus offered Kimi's seat to Hulkenberg for the last two races in 2013, when Raikkonen had that injury.
The german however stayed loyal to Sauber.

[S griffin]

Belloff was signed for 86 with Ferrari. Even if it was never officially confirmed, a lot of sources say that was the case

Also Lotus tried to get Schumacher temporarily out of retirement to replace the injured Kimi

[S griffin]

Boutsen was linked to a Spirit drive for 83, but lost out to Johansson

[OVERSTEER]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Barrichello, Coulthard and Berger were all in line to be Schumi’s team mate in 96, before they decided on Irvine

I seem to recall reading that Schumi asked Ferrari to consider Brundle to be his team mate for 96 too.

[Theunser]

Also Larini and Lehto was linked to partner MSC in '96 at Ferrari. But really I think the half of the grid was linked to that seat at least once in that year.
The names that I remember:
Berger(to stay), Barrichello, Coulthard, Irvine, Hill(before MSC signed), Blundell, Brundle, Salo, Morbidelli, Martini, Fisichella, Larini, Lehto.
I can't remember more, but maybe I missed some.

[S griffin]

Dumfries was on the entry list to drive a third Ferrari for the 85 European GP. Made sense as he was Ferrari's test driver that season and it would have been his home GP

[Theunser]

Esteban Gutierrez was close to a deal with Marussia for 2014.
But eventually he was able to keep his seat at Sauber, because Sirotkin didn't get a superlicence.

[Theunser]

If Mclaren would have retained Button for 2017, Vandoorne would have gone to Williams

[S griffin]

Williams original plan for 99 was to keep JV and promote JPM from the test drivers role. Unfortunately Villeneuve going to BAR scuppered that. Them two would have made the perfect Willians pairing

[Theunser]

Paul Di Resta talked to Sauber and Caterham for a possible seat to stay in F1 in 2014.

[S griffin]

Fittipaldi was tested with Spirit prior to 84 as he was thinking of making a comeback to F1 with that team. Fulvio Ballabio was also in line to take that seat, but was refused a superlicence

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Theunser

Lotus offered Kimi's seat to Hulkenberg for the last two races in 2013, when Raikkonen had that injury.
The german however stayed loyal to Sauber.

Wasnt Kimi's injury damage to his bank account or so it was alleged at the time....

[S griffin]

After Prost decided he was going to leave McLaren at the end of 89, he took a while to choose between Williams and Ferrari, before deciding on Ferrari

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Williams original plan for 99 was to keep JV and promote JPM from the test drivers role. Unfortunately Villeneuve going to BAR scuppered that. Them two would have made the perfect Willians pairing

Unlikely to have been a very harmonious. They got on less well than Montoya and Ralf did.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Wasnt Kimi's injury damage to his bank account or so it was alleged at the time....

I believe that he was originally planning surgery for what had been an ongoing injury for the off season. As he was not getting paid in full because of their financial situation he brought forward the surgery to ensure full fitness and longer recovery time for his Ferrari return in the following season.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Unlikely to have been a very harmonious. They got on less well than Montoya and Ralf did.

But it would have been great to see. Both great personalities in and out of the car. Although JPM's two years in Champ Cars probably helped him no end, so it might have been a very different career if he had not had that

[S griffin]

Anthony Reid signed a contract with Jordan for 92, but that never came to be

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by Theunser

Belloff I think even signed a drivers contract with Ferrari.
But before he was linked with Brabham and Mclaren.

Allegedly signed for Ferrari alongside Alboreto for 86. I think his brother confirmed it somehwere I read.