Silly Season 2016/2017

[ChrisDanger]

Kvyat set for Red Bull Racing split

Red Bull does not intend to renew its contract with Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat for 2017...

Indeed. I wouldn't be surprised if this were true. Kvyat's recent performance has been somewhat dismal.

The source for the above article is: http://www.thisisf1.com/2016/07/26/kvya ... ing-split/

[Jolle]

Kvyat set for Red Bull Racing split

Red Bull does not intend to renew its contract with Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat for 2017.

That is the claim of the Russian news agency Izvestia, citing the information of a source close to the energy drink company.

Earlier, officials including Dr Helmut Marko and Franz Tost sounded upbeat about the young Russian’s future, but the source now gives a different account.

“Red Bull had hoped the return to Toro Rosso would embolden Kvyat, relieving the pressure on him,” the source is quoted as saying.

“It was expected that he would score points regularly and become an example for (Carlos) Sainz.

“But in the last seven races, Daniil appeared very uneasy against his teammate, and the most recent setbacks seem to have finally convinced Helmut Marko to not renew the contract.”

Izvestia said Frenchman Pierre Gasly seems first in line for the seat, with 22-year-old Kvyat reportedly on Williams’ 2017 shortlist.

Red Bull declined to comment.

Kvyat is a driver who should belong on the grid I think. I have the feeling the RedBull program had to push him too fast trough his development. Mind you, he should of had a second year of Toro Rosso next to Verstappen in '15 instead of Carlos. Once they pushed him to hard, it's almost impossible to dial it back. He's frustrated, lack of confidence in the team, the program and therefore himself. A new scenery would do him good.
He can also, for certain teams, be a possibility to unlock Russian sponsorship money/markets. He needs good management at the moment to make that threesome possible with a team like Renault or Sauber. With Lada Renault is investing in Russia, I could see to have a Russian driver as a ambassador, he would be a very good return on investment making all the difficult deals in Russia.

[Fulcrum]

Williams? For their sake I hope they have a long shortlist.

[LookBackTime]

Williams? For their sake I hope they have a long shortlist.

I think Button is the chosen one!

[Vasconia]

Williams? For their sake I hope they have a long shortlist.

Renault would be an interesting option. But come on, Kvyat scored a lot of points last season and has achieved some podiums. He has talent but now he desperately needs some confidence, and this confidence is out of TR/RB.

[Fulcrum]

F1 isn't a charitable institution though; it's the Piranha Club.

Kvyat's as good as gone imo. I'm just surprised he hasn't been slung out already.

I can only conclude Red Bull aren't convinced by their young talent, otherwise I'm sure someone else would have been given a chance by now. That, or Kvyat has a really cast-iron contract, which seems unlikely.

[Manjhi]

Williams? For their sake I hope they have a long shortlist.

I think Button is the chosen one!

I think its time Button should call off F1, he is still fast but he is not getting what he deserves plus F1 needs new faces. Stoffel should get 2017 seat with Mclaren(for long term).

[Jolle]

Williams? For their sake I hope they have a long shortlist.

I think Button is the chosen one!

I think its time Button should call off F1, he is still fast but he is not getting what he deserves plus F1 needs new faces. Stoffel should get 2017 seat with Mclaren(for long term).

Button would be the perfect Martini playboy for the next two years

[Manjhi]

I think Button is the chosen one!

I think its time Button should call off F1, he is still fast but he is not getting what he deserves plus F1 needs new faces. Stoffel should get 2017 seat with Mclaren(for long term).

Button would be the perfect Martini playboy for the next two years

Then I think Massa would be compromised, I think Williams would like to keep one super experienced driver in the team. Plus with 2017 changes they will need one of them.

[Phil]

I think its time Button should call off F1, he is still fast but he is not getting what he deserves plus F1 needs new faces. Stoffel should get 2017 seat with Mclaren(for long term).

It's really weird. I think F1 is too young and I'm finding myself missing some older blokes who are still good enough to stick it to this younger generation. Or I'm just getting old. I remember the good old nostalgic days when I used to look up at most F1 drivers - and now I have surpassed most of them in age and the sport just seems to get younger and younger.

Thank god many of them actually have facial hair now days.

I'm 33 by the way.

[Gaz.]

Williams? For their sake I hope they have a long shortlist.

I think Button is the chosen one!

I think its time Button should call off F1, he is still fast but he is not getting what he deserves plus F1 needs new faces. Stoffel should get 2017 seat with Mclaren(for long term).

Like it or not "where will Jenson be next year" is an annual topic. In 17 seasons most of them have had speculation to his whereabouts for the following year. Either he has smelly feet or the teams do not rate him as highly as his fans do.

[Jolle]

I think its time Button should call off F1, he is still fast but he is not getting what he deserves plus F1 needs new faces. Stoffel should get 2017 seat with Mclaren(for long term).

It's really weird. I think F1 is too young and I'm finding myself missing some older blokes who are still good enough to stick it to this younger generation. Or I'm just getting old. I remember the good old nostalgic days when I used to look up at most F1 drivers - and now I have surpassed most of them in age and the sport just seems to get younger and younger.

I'm 33 by the way.

I'm 40, grown up watching telly on the Sunday with a one-two of Prost-Lauda (I was nine-ten) and hooked ever since. His feeling will pass after a while when you're early champions quit. Of course I still miss the days with Prost, Piquet, Senna and Mansell, but then came Hill, Schumacher and Hakkinen followed by Alonso, Raikkonen and Button. And now Vettel and Hamilton.

91 hurtled the most. Ferrari after a good 90 nowhere against Senna and Prost being fired. That was the end it felt. So... don't worry. In a few years you'll feel the same as Hamilton and Alonso call it quits and we're looking at a battle between Verstappen, Wehrlein and Ricciardo

[Phil]

That is all true. Maybe I miss the feeling of watching F1 as a teen, or even in my early teenagers and looking at these guys who did extraordinary things. Now at 33, I've driven some really quick cars, I track my own on a regular basis and most of these F1 drivers (Hamilton included) are younger than I am. I guess it's all down to perception. When I see a young kid like Verstappen who is 18 drive and perform as good as he does, it somehow undermines (my perception) of the sport being as difficult, dangerous or extraordinary as it is.

Don't get me wrong. It's all perception and the true spectacular feat most of these drivers accomplish is how much they extract out of their cars race by race. But back a few years when the sport was a lot more dangerous and drivers on avergae older, it just came across as quite different.

I hope Alonso, Button and Kimi remain longer inside F1 and be competitive.

[Jolle]

That is all true. Maybe I miss the feeling of watching F1 as a teen, or even in my early teenagers and looking at these guys who did extraordinary things. Now at 33, I've driven some really quick cars, I track my own on a regular basis and most of these F1 drivers (Hamilton included) are younger than I am. I guess it's all down to perception. When I see a young kid like Verstappen who is 18 drive and perform as good as he does, it somehow undermines (my perception) of the sport being as difficult, dangerous or extraordinary as it is.

Don't get me wrong. It's all perception and the true spectacular feat most of these drivers accomplish is how much they extract out of their cars race by race. But back a few years when the sport was a lot more dangerous and drivers on avergae older, it just came across as quite different.

I hope Alonso, Button and Kimi remain longer inside F1 and be competitive.

It's the same with "what is the most beautiful F1 car" or "it's never going to be like then" again. If you get over that, F1 gets better and faster every year (minus the engine freeze V8 period)

For me, the MP4-2, the most successful F1 car ever, 5 championships in 3 years it ran, powerful design. I still have a metal toy car from then. But then.. the FW14B and the W05.

By the way, '88 was a beautiful season, but in retrospect, only 6 cars were competing (the only propper run turbos) and it was dull. Just like now, as long as Senna didn't have a problem, he won.

[Vasconia]

Williams? For their sake I hope they have a long shortlist.

I think Button is the chosen one!

I think its time Button should call off F1, he is still fast but he is not getting what he deserves plus F1 needs new faces. Stoffel should get 2017 seat with Mclaren(for long term).

He is doing a great job and his experience is needed. If he doesnt continue in McLaren he should end his career in Williams. He is a great driver and a gentleman. F1 needs people like him.