2014/15 Silly Season

[Racer X]

Alonso with what he has managed to achieve in the past few years could do a lot more in a Force India or a Williams or a Lotus or Toro Rosso agreed but he's in a Ferrari...... Oh wow I can't believe I just said that.... But it's true Ferrari just isn't what it used to be..

[Manoah2u]

Well, i think it's safe to assume if Alonso does have several options, i'm quite positive he won't be drving a midfield car in the midfield. I think he'd put a toro rosso or a force india a couple of spots further up the grid compared to the current drivers,
but that's about it, and is hardly enjoyable.
I would think it's better to take a sabattical rathern then just participating to fill a void.

Essentially, it grants a serious luxury problem. Who would want to fill that toro rosso seat for 2015 if in 2016 toro rosso becomes audi and Alonso steps in with perhaps verstappen?

what bothers me though is that you cant make a further step when no other steps are taken. Vettel still hasn't been confirmed @ ferrari. despite it's highly probable he will end up there, one can only wait until actual confirmation.

what if Alonso will become team leader @ ferrari?

[Oakstreet]

the freedom of imagination

In that case.

Alonso will drive a third team car next year, as the earlier mentioned "bernie clause" makes a 3rd car mandatory with only 18 left.

[ScottB]

the freedom of imagination

In that case.

Alonso will drive a third team car next year, as the earlier mentioned "bernie clause" makes a 3rd car mandatory with only 18 left.

Only if he's happy not scoring any points.

[Gerhardsa]

Thing is.
If there are only going to be 8 or 9 Teams next year (without Marussia and Catarham), who gets the go ahead to produce 3rd cars to make up the 20 cars min?

And what options does that give to Fred Alo in terms of where he drives next year? What happens when the grid gets the 10th Team (Haase) back in 2016? does Fred loose his seat wherever he was, or will they swop him for the guy who performed worse of the 3 car team he drives for? So many questions.

I cant see him waiting for a BIG maybe in 2016 with Merc. Just not going to happen I feel. Unless Hamilton wins this year and next year, making Nico want to leave the team, but there are too many uncertainties to base your future on in my mind. At his age, he cannot take a risk like that, cause that effectively means his career is over.

Even with the new rumour that he might go to STR next season (silly ) that still doesn't solve the 2016 problem, unless its McLaren for the next 2-3 years.
For me that's the most logical move if you cannot get a Merc drive, and doesn't want to be at Ferrari anymore. Go to McLaren or RBR.

Red Bull is out, so McLaren it is I think.

[ScottB]

How many times does it have to be said? The rules for third cars are that they are NON SCORING. There's some suggestion that teams won't even be running a third car all season, it would vary from race to race.

Alonso is not going to drive a third car, not that there's likely to be any third cars next year anyway.

[Gerhardsa]

How many times does it have to be said? The rules for third cars are that they are NON SCORING. There's some suggestion that teams won't even be running a third car all season, it would vary from race to race.

Alonso is not going to drive a third car, not that there's likely to be any third cars next year anyway.

I'm am just saying man. And that is why this thread is called silly season. At this stage, until there is confirmation everything is possible and on the cards.

Another reason why I think the only option is McLaren is: Alonso has said on more than one occasion that all he wants is to equal Senna's achievement of 3 Championships. What better place to do it than with a McLaren-Honda as Senna did?

[Raleigh]

Thing is.
If there are only going to be 8 or 9 Teams next year (without Marussia and Catarham), who gets the go ahead to produce 3rd cars to make up the 20 cars min?

There is room for 26 cars.

With 8 teams Bernie would be looking for minimum 4 teams to run a 3rd car but every team could run one if they wished. For 9 teams he needs minimum 2 teams maximum 8 to be running a 3rd car.

So pretty much whoever wants to run a 3rd car can, although Bernie might have to make it mandatory for some of the bigger teams (Merc/RB/Ferrari/McLaren) if the teams are not enthusiastic.

[Kiril Varbanov]

Berger advises Ferrari to keep Alonso in case there are three cars.

[RZS10]

According to AutoBild Motorsport/motorsport-total.com the cancellation that Alonso supposedly signed might be void somehow, he might get 40kk if they have to pay him off and Ferrari is maybe waiting whether there will be three cars ... those are probably all just baseless rumours/claims but ofc the "Bild" has a history of claiming stuff and then saying "look look we were right" if it actually happens or just pretending they never said anything if not

[ScottB]

Rumours that Forza Rossa will enter next year. Certainly fits with Colin Kolles taking all the Caterham stuff to his German base...

[Richard]

Another reason why I think the only option is McLaren is: Alonso has said on more than one occasion that all he wants is to equal Senna's achievement of 3 Championships. What better place to do it than with a McLaren-Honda as Senna did?

To answer your question - Mercedes is the best place. Moving to McLaren (currently languishing behind Ferrari) is an all or nothing gamble on the Honda engine being as good as Merc, plus a gamble that McLaren avoid their usual aero cul-de-sacs such as pull rods, butterfly arms, pull rods, U pods, etc.

[emaren]

Another reason why I think the only option is McLaren is: Alonso has said on more than one occasion that all he wants is to equal Senna's achievement of 3 Championships. What better place to do it than with a McLaren-Honda as Senna did?

To answer your question - Mercedes is the best place. Moving to McLaren (currently languishing behind Ferrari) is an all or nothing gamble on the Honda engine being as good as Merc, plus a gamble that McLaren avoid their usual aero cul-de-sacs such as pull rods, butterfly arms, pull rods, U pods, etc.

For months now I have assumed that McLaren are waiting on Hamilton. If he fails to win in 2014 and throws his toys out, I think that the assumption is that he will be back at McLaren for 2015. But, as you say, McLaren have been going backwards at an almost Ferrari rate in the last couple of years, so why would Hamilton go there ?

This argument really needs to be applied to any of the top drivers too, as was pointed out, McLaren are probably the biggest risk of all teams right now. This years car is rubbish, the Honda engine is unknown (and frankly the last Honda engines were nothing too special), so why would anyone go there for 2015 ?

I think Alonso managed to screw himself over and may have to take the McLaren risk and see how it works out.....

[ScottB]

I think the idea that Hamilton will throw a hissy fit and walk out of Merc if Rosberg pips him to the title, walking away from what is pretty much a stick on to be the best car for next year at minimum, is a non starter.

He's not an idiot. If he was going to bail, it would have happened in the aftermath of Spa. Short of Nico running him off the road in an obviously deliberate manner (and getting no punishment from the team) or him shoving a potato in his exhaust, he isn't going to leave his deal early. Frankly I fully expect a new deal to be announced within days of the season ending.

[xDama]

Damn, this thread is becoming exhausting/slightly sad to read. I'm so fed up with the Alonso-silly-season... I hope ALO/Mclaren announce everything this weekend, so we can MOVE ON.