[Rumours] 2016 Driver Silly Season & Beyond

[newlaprecord]

The fact that sauber announced ericsson ,
Going out of their way praising him as a team player... doesnt suggest too much future for nasr there...

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Alonso to Porsche WEC in 2018?

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/1...h-porsche.html

I saw this yesterday and am surprised it hasn't been discussed here. I suspect there is a nugget of truth, but likely a deal is not 100% done. I can't remember, but is Alonso's contract with McLaren up end of next year (with likely an agreement for extension if he wants one)? I can imagine Alonso may have an offer in his pocket for 2018 from Porsche and he is just waiting to see how things go in 2017 with McLaren/Honda before he decides to move to Porsche or extend with McLaren/Honda.

This also fits neatly with the Jenson "non retirement" and retrainer with McLaren. McLaren knows Alonso may be ready to walk, they can't loose promising young drivers, so they promote Vandoorne and park Jenson for a year with the promise to him that if Alonso goes he is in (because they want an experienced top level driver). That is.. if it is not already a done deal with Alonso??? I feel it had to be a strong "maybe" otherwise why keep Jenson on that retainer. It can't be all sponsorship stuff.

Side note... I am a big Jenson fan, but he has also been pretty uninspiring recently. Hopefully just a slump, but not a good way to end his career if this really is his last season.

Richard

Now that Mr Dennis has been dragged kicking & screaming from the building, is there actually anyone at McLaren C-level who might actually care?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Now that Mr Dennis has been dragged kicking & screaming from the building, is there actually anyone at McLaren C-level who might actually care?

Going to be really interesting to see how McLaren goes from here when all the feudal barons start eating one another!

[BSchneiderFan]

Autosport now reporting that Wehrlein is at the front of the queue for the second Sauber seat: http://www.autosport.com/news/report...er-second-seat

So maybe Nasr and Haryanto to Manor?

[Formulahistory]

Manor is either Gutiérrez, Nasr, Haryanto or King. But it wopuld be very nice to have a suprising driver there like Giovinazzi.

[knighty]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Autosport now reporting that Wehrlein is at the front of the queue for the second Sauber seat: http://www.autosport.com/news/report...er-second-seat

So maybe Nasr and Haryanto to Manor?

Yeah, I just dont get this one, I thought he was financed by Mercedes, but if he goes to Sauber he will be on Ferrari power.....how does that work?.....looks like a coin-toss between either Sauber or Manor in terms of performance next year....they will both be at the back, so what will Werleihn gain by driving a Ferrari engined car.....persoanlly I would keep driving on a mercedes engine in orer to keep the mercedes engineers looking at his data and talking him up to the main Merc F1 team......then if Rosberg or Lewis gets the chop or departs for whatever reason, Wehrlein is then first in the que.

As for Alonso, I will be glad to see the back of his whinging and sulking low-morale persona......he just drags teams morale down, yes a mighty fine race driver.......but its like managing a kid with a constant sulk.

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

Manor is either Gutiérrez, Nasr, Haryanto or King. But it wopuld be very nice to have a suprising driver there like Giovinazzi.

If Nasr can square things with Banco do Brasil, I'm sure Manor would gladly take the cash. And Nasr may not be the next big thing but he's not slow. As for Haryanto, I thought he was pretty impressive up against Wehrlein in the first half of the season, for a driver largely regarded as a GP2 journeyman.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by knighty

Yeah, I just dont get this one, I thought he was financed by Mercedes, but if he goes to Sauber he will be on Ferrari power.....how does that work?.....looks like a coin-toss between either Sauber or Manor in terms of performance next year....they will both be at the back, so what will Werleihn gain by driving a Ferrari engined car.....persoanlly I would keep driving on a mercedes engine in orer to keep the mercedes engineers looking at his data and talking him up to the main Merc F1 team......then if Rosberg or Lewis gets the chop or departs for whatever reason, Wehrlein is then first in the que.

As for Alonso, I will be glad to see the back of his whinging and sulking low-morale persona......he just drags teams morale down, yes a mighty fine race driver.......but its like managing a kid with a constant sulk.

Sulker or not if i were running a team i'd bend over backwards to sign him and ensure he had a contract that gave him the reasurances he seeked so that he would get on with the job unimpeded.

The bloke is a born winner and uber competitive. That sort of sportsman will always be 'intetesting' to manage.

[BSchneiderFan]

I'll be fascinated to see (if I'm spared) how Alonso is viewed in 10 or 15 years' time. I make no secret of the fact I don't like the man, but will he be seen as fast and effective, like, say, Mika Häkkinen, or a giant of the sport like Michael Schumacher?

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

I'll be fascinated to see (if I'm spared) how Alonso is viewed in 10 or 15 years' time. I make no secret of the fact I don't like the man, but will he be seen as fast and effective, like, say, Mika Häkkinen, or a giant of the sport like Michael Schumacher?

Personally I think we can pretty easily predict that because I doubt the view will change much from how it is today. Especially if you focus on just F1 (excluding potentially any success outside of F1 that could be a positive end note to his career). Just like Schumacher and Senna, the good moments will be revered and the bad moments will not be forgotten (but will generally soften.) In short I expect he will be remembered as a proven top level talent, and "one of the best" who was unfortunately not always able to exploit that talent enough to generate more championships. More often than not in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Richard

[S griffin]

I think Fred will be remembered as what he is, a driver who gives 100% and probably should have had more than two titles

[BSchneiderFan]

Does anyone think Gutiérrez will be on the grid next year? He's talking an optimistic game but it's hard to see where he fits in. Back to testing for Ferrari?

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

Does anyone think Gutiérrez will be on the grid next year? He's talking an optimistic game but it's hard to see where he fits in. Back to testing for Ferrari?

GT racing or TC2000!!!

I thought he was going to be a good driver back in his F3/GP3 days. He was always a frontrunner against decent oppo but F1 just hadn't happened. I've not seen anything of note from him.

[newlaprecord]

The latest in the Swiss media from Abu Dhabi is that Nasr no longer holds talks with Sauber, he is out of the frame. Furthermore, he is also out of F1, as Banco de Brazil thanked him their years together and said to focus on another marketing strategy (outside F1) next year.

In the meanwhile, Gutierrez' management have made an offer for the 2nd Sauber seat, the only reason why it was not signed yet, is because Toto is said to be keen pushing Wehrlein one level up. It looks like a limited talent/big cash vs great talent/ limited cash type of descision that Monisha has to make, and all that til the 31st of December (the date until Gutierrez' offer said to be valid)

Knowing Sauber's commitment to quality drivers (and the amount of cash Toto can potentially schuffle around), I start to feel Wehrlein is the more likely candidate (while Gutierrez' cash might end up filling the hole Nasr's point finish created at Manor's budget)

[BSchneiderFan]

My guess would be that the new ownership and funding at Sauber will allow them to take Wehrlein over Gutiérrez (who fell out with the team last time he was there, anyway). He's a better bet. Gutiérrez might end up at Manor but I have a sneaking suspicion Haryanto may be back.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

My guess would be that the new ownership and funding at Sauber will allow them to take Wehrlein over Gutiérrez (who fell out with the team last time he was there, anyway). He's a better bet. Gutiérrez might end up at Manor but I have a sneaking suspicion Haryanto may be back.

Except that there must be doubts about the level of financial support that Haryanto is able generate. His backers only managed half a season before disappearing, along with his drive.

[BSchneiderFan]

I read rumours somewhere that there was a renewed push for sponsorship in Indonesia. It's only a hunch.

Isn't it interesting that no current GP2 drivers are being widely talked about for any of the remaining seats? Worrying for the formula.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

I read rumours somewhere that there was a renewed push for sponsorship in Indonesia. It's only a hunch.

Isn't it interesting that no current GP2 drivers are being widely talked about for any of the remaining seats? Worrying for the formula.

I know, not even Giovinazzi. When it replaced F3000, it made the 2nd tier to F1 an almost certain necessity and a lot of drivers were certainties or near certainties for F1. Now it seems at best a the champ has to have an interim season by graduating, a la Palmer and Vandoorne

[newlaprecord]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

My guess would be that the new ownership and funding at Sauber will allow them to take Wehrlein over Gutiérrez (who fell out with the team last time he was there, anyway). He's a better bet. Gutiérrez might end up at Manor but I have a sneaking suspicion Haryanto may be back.

one doesnt rule out the other, Manor have two free seats.

having said that, Haryanto and Gutierrez would probaly be the most unispired line-up since...well since Merhi and Stevens last year

[BSchneiderFan]

True enough. I'd be delighted to see someone graduate from GP2 to one of the Manor seats. Does Sirotkin have the cash?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

True enough. I'd be delighted to see someone graduate from GP2 to one of the Manor seats. Does Sirotkin have the cash?

Perhaps if the drivers contributed more than budget to the equation we would see a more merit orientated advancement of talent.

"Current F1 cars feel like "Formula Ford made easy" - Magnussen"

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/cu...nussen-853840/

[bella]

and you know what's worse? he's the last recent newcomer to f1 to be able to compare them to formula fords

[BSchneiderFan]

So it looks like for the fifth year in a row the GP2 champion won't graduate to F1 (albeit Palmer and Vandoorne will be on the grid next year). This is worrying for the FIA's designated feeder series. What can be done? And whither Gasly? A year of testing and reserve driver for Red Bull, or follow Stoffel's path to Japan?

[newlaprecord]

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

So it looks like for the fifth year in a row the GP2 champion won't graduate to F1 (albeit Palmer and Vandoorne will be on the grid next year). This is worrying for the FIA's designated feeder series. What can be done? And whither Gasly? A year of testing and reserve driver for Red Bull, or follow Stoffel's path to Japan?

Marko said on ORF (Austrian TV) that Gasly is the confirmed 3rd and res for 2017, and they are looking for a championship to compliment his testing duties (could easily be japan)

I was surprised to hear that, as Gasly (and Prost too) made some rather bitter comments after Kvyat's renewal, I honestly expected him to go out of the RB camp. Not the case.

[Alex K]

Summit cooking, Gutierrez appointed Adrian Fernandez as his manager. AFAIremem Adrian used to be Perez's wing man as well.