2022-2023 Silly Season Thread

[wolfhound]

Peter Windsors take on all the various Alpine Mclaren driver moves.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVOy7lr2D-E


I suspect there are quite a few people kicking themselves and I wonder what Ricciardo will do. Could he appear at the first race next season ready to race a Mclaren and find Piastri sitting in it. I suspect no matter what if Piastri ends up in a Mclaren it is going to cost a lot regardless of where Ricciardo drives (or not).

[AndreasDavour]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Is Daman saying Fernando Alonso has a large ego... and in other news water is wet?

Yeah, I know it's just as wet as always. But, maybe the French actually forgot it!

[AndreasDavour]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Before the budget cap, Alpine or Renault were trying to do F1 on the cheap with only a fraction of the budget of Mercedes, Red Bull or Ferrari and their win-at-any-cost mentality. [Renault only had around half the budget IIRC and refused to invest in basic tools like the $40m AVL chassis dynos which those top 3 teams have.]

It's almost like they didn't really want to win.


But, sometimes it's an attitude thing. When Audi and Porsche spent like crazy, Toyota kept it rather small and still won.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by AndreasDavour

Yeah, I know it's just as wet as always. But, maybe the French actually forgot it!

To be accurate, water isn't wet. It makes other things wet.

[AndreasDavour]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

Peter Windsors take on all the various Alpine Mclaren driver moves.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVOy7lr2D-E


I suspect there are quite a few people kicking themselves and I wonder what Ricciardo will do. Could he appear at the first race next season ready to race a Mclaren and find Piastri sitting in it. I suspect no matter what if Piastri ends up in a Mclaren it is going to cost a lot regardless of where Ricciardo drives (or not).

Everyone seems to know what will happen. Personally I would wait until the dust settles. McLaren have a lot of drivers that might or might not race for them, but I think one thing they can't afford is lawsuits over contracts.



We'll see, I guess.

[skycafe]

More music enters the the game of musical chairs?

https://youtu.be/HEkroZKgxI0

[BTCC frog]

Apparently there *might* be a performance clause in Pierre Gasly's contract that would allow him to move to Alpine from Alpha Tauri. This is just a rumour and I have no idea how much substance it holds. But in this case, it leaves a spot open at Alpha Tauri and I can't imagine they would be happy with a lineup of Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson, so maybe we could end up with a 2019-like situation where they decide to bring back an old Red Bull junior. Alex Albon would make sense except he's just signed for Williams, so maybe it will be Daniil Kvyat getting yet another chance with the team. I would love for it to be Buemi or Vergne but think that is highly unlikely.

[Greem]

The situation in Ukraine renders any discussion of Kvyat moot. The FIA currently will not permit any Russian drivers to race (unless they quietly removed that rule).

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Greem

The situation in Ukraine renders any discussion of Kvyat moot. The FIA currently will not permit any Russian drivers to race (unless they quietly removed that rule).

Unless they get a different licence of course. Then it’s no problem.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Unless they get a different licence of course. Then it’s no problem.

Isnt Kvyat currently doing some NASCAR races in the US. Not FIA governed of course.

[chavez]

Originally Posted by Greem

The situation in Ukraine renders any discussion of Kvyat moot. The FIA currently will not permit any Russian drivers to race (unless they quietly removed that rule).

Apart from the bloke that won in F3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

If the rule hasn't been reversed, there must loopholes.

[Richard Casto]

I don't think any team F1 team would touch Daniil Kvyat given the optics. Even if he agreed to race under a neutral flag (which I think he has been critical of and might face backlash at home if he did) Plus I think there are local bans (UK?) that would stop him from racing in some locations regardless of what flag he uses. Plus, he had had plenty of opportunity to shine in F1 and really hasn't. Why bring him back again? I think the NASCAR deal is with a small team that is self sponsored (or uses small sponsors).

I know Buemi is a current RBR reserve, but I just don't see him coming back as a full time drivers. Same for Vergne. We keep talking about the wealth of young drivers being blocked by older/existing drivers. Why bring back drivers who were pushed aside years ago?

Related, someone should do the super license points analysis to see who might be eligible for a super license.

Richard

[GreenMachine]

Optus (Aussie telco) has just resigned Dan as an ambassador. I am choosing to believe that is a sign he expects to be driving for someone next year, others may think it signals other things.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

I don't think any team F1 team would touch Daniil Kvyat given the optics. Even if he agreed to race under a neutral flag (which I think he has been critical of and might face backlash at home if he did) Plus I think there are local bans (UK?) that would stop him from racing in some locations regardless of what flag he uses. Plus, he had had plenty of opportunity to shine in F1 and really hasn't. Why bring him back again? I think the NASCAR deal is with a small team that is self sponsored (or uses small sponsors).

I know Buemi is a current RBR reserve, but I just don't see him coming back as a full time drivers. Same for Vergne. We keep talking about the wealth of young drivers being blocked by older/existing drivers. Why bring back drivers who were pushed aside years ago?

Related, someone should do the super license points analysis to see who might be eligible for a super license.

Richard

For me, the thought of Kvyat coming back - yet again - borders on the absurd, even by F1 standards, Whatever his nationality.....

[peebee2]

I doubt Kvyat is coming back again any time soon, although he is a much better driver than he is given credit for.

The claim was that he couldn't because of nationality which is not true at all.