2014/15 Silly Season

[xpensive]

Horse...sh*t....my kriztal ball is never wrong, Fernando and Ron will kiss and make up, what's 100 MUSD anyway?

[MOWOG]

I cannot help a brother who won't face reality. Alonso to Mercedes is as plain as the face on your nose. It's intuitively obvious to the most casual observer.

[xpensive]

My nose, you have a problem with my nose, care to take it outside?

Seriously, I think Ron has realized his mistake from 2007, wants to kiss and make up, or rather, Honda told him to do so.

[turbof1]

I moved the posts from the Alonso topic to this one, since it's about silly season.

[ScottB]

IF 3 car teams come in, because of small teams going bust, isn't it in the rules that the third car doesn't score points?

Even if that was taken out, the extra costs of a third car, plus whatever Alonso's sizeable salary would be, would be a big cost for Merc. He's only going there if one of the current two get dropped, presumably for more on track fighting.


Have things progressed to a personal level for Alonso now? Just, for me, it makes little sense to move next year, when he has a Ferrari contract in hand, could easily secure an option on a 2016 Mclaren seat (when it will be clear how good their package is), plus seats at Red Bull or even Mercedes could open up. Why jump now? Does he really not get on with Mattiacci? Or are Ferrari trying to push him out to build around the younger Vettel (Joe Saward's suggestion)? Because unless the working relationship is becoming unsalvageable, or he is convinced next year's Ferrari will be an absolute dog, I don't see the logic in leaving now, when a year from now he could be in a much stronger position to make a decision?

[smr]

Let's just take stock here, yes Button has been out qualified by K-Mag this year, by a rookie no less, which isn't anything for Button's side to shout about, but let's also take a look at the points table - if Button had finished the GP on Sunday he'd currently be beating his team mate by TWICE as many points, at 80 or so points to 39. Kevin wouldn't have scored his one point if Jenson's car hadn't broke.

Beating his team mate by so many points, just like Jenson did to Perez, just shows that imo Mclaren would be mad to not go for an (as stated above) POTENT driver pairing of Button and Alonso. Both are fast, both have exceptional race craft, whilst neither are amazing at single lap runs both know how to get the flag quickest given a decent car. Both are world champions so understand how to deal psychologically under pressure too.

Mclaren would have a MUCH better chance of winning the Constructor's Championship with But and Alo rather than Alo Mag, which is all they should be focused on. The engineering team needs to improve to make a better car so if I was Ron I'd be thinking about how to get as many points as possible rather than thinking about 3-5 year contract drivers with age on their side.

[danielk]

hmmm interesting.

Maybe Ferrari will make a deal with Williams and swap BOTTAS for Alonso.

I reckon he would do better off in Williams on a 1 year deal than Mclaren or Ferrari at least for next year!! Then move in 2016 when the driver market is rearly freed up and he can choose where he wants to be, Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Mclaren. No point tying himself down now before it gets exciting next year.

Massa wouldn't be a happy chap

Crazy thought i know But just as absurd as many of the other ideas banded about.

I fully expect him to stay at ferrari

[smr]

Bottas signed a new contract for Williams before the Italian GP.

[MOWOG]

I agree with Scott B:

I don't see the logic in leaving now, when a year from now he could be in a much stronger position to make a decision?

and Danielk

No point tying himself down now before it gets exciting next year.

There is NO guarantee that stuffing a Honda PU into the McLaren chassis will make it any more competitive that it is this year. :-" Actually, it could be argued that with Mattiaci cracking the whip in Maranello that the 2015 Ferrari could well be one of the top contenders.

Experience suggests that Honda is not going to jump back in and be fast right away. Quite the opposite, in fact. Alonso could find himself jumping from the frying pan into the fire, as my old Irish grandmother would say.

[SectorOne]

People should not even focus on the engine. From that perspective you should assume it will be the best engine 2015.
But as all the Mercedes teams have showed this year, the engine is not a guarantee for success.

So the focus should really be on the question, "Can Mclaren produce a car with downforce levels of the Merc and Red Bull next year"?

[FrukostScones]

Bottas signed a new contract for Williams before the Italian GP.

that why Williams could and would swap him..., and I doubt BOTTAS would say no....

would be so funny to MAS face...

[ScottB]

I agree with Scott B:

I don't see the logic in leaving now, when a year from now he could be in a much stronger position to make a decision?

and Danielk

No point tying himself down now before it gets exciting next year.

There is NO guarantee that stuffing a Honda PU into the McLaren chassis will make it any more competitive that it is this year. :-" Actually, it could be argued that with Mattiaci cracking the whip in Maranello that the 2015 Ferrari could well be one of the top contenders.

Experience suggests that Honda is not going to jump back in and be fast right away. Quite the opposite, in fact. Alonso could find himself jumping from the frying pan into the fire, as my old Irish grandmother would say.

And I agree with you!

Mclaren already has the best engine on the grid, and they are currently behind Merc, Red Bull, Williams, Ferrari, and arguably, Force India. Two of whom aren't packing as good an engine.

So even if Honda turn up with an engine that is far ahead of all the others, it won't mean squat unless the car is markedly better than this years relative to the competition.

As a few of us have suggested, Mclaren's capabilities, along with other options, will be clearer this time next year, when Honda are a known quantity, Prodromou will have bedded in, Merc may or may not have a spare seat, as could RBR etc. So if he really does want out straight away, I can't help but think there's personal reasons at play beyond wanting to get into the best car he can.

[RZS10]

Consodering Alonsos team choosing decisions from 2006 onwards the consistent thing to do would be to ...well... to make the wrong decision -.-

[SiLo]

Consodering Alonsos team choosing decisions from 2006 onwards the consistent thing to do would be to ...well... to make the wrong decision -.-

I was just going to say the same thing!

[JimClarkFan]

If alonso to Mercedes then Hamilton to Ferrari? or would it be vettel to Ferrari and Hamilton to red bull?

edit - correcting autocorrect