Predictions for the Starting Grid for 2009

[gabsy]

Here is my prediction for the drivers lineup for 2009

Ferrari
Will stick with what they've got at the moment for next season. Raikonnen retiring is a possibility for 2010 if reports are to be believed
Kimi Raikonnen. (to be replaced by Fernando Alonso in 2010).
Felippe Massa.

McLaren
This is a stone wall prediction. Both have contracts.
Lewis Hamilton.
Heikki Kovalainen.

Renault
If Alonso does indeed move to Honda, then it leaves a race seat alongside Piquet. Di Grassi has been talked about in reports about moving to Renault, but this would leave Renault with a very inexperienced lineup.
Lucas Di Grassi.
Nelson Piquet.

Toyota
Will sick with what they've got in my opinion.
Jarno Trulli
Timo Glock

Red Bull
Will sick with what they've got. Both drivers have contracts for next season
Mark Webber
Sebastien Vettel

Torro Rosso
I'm unsure of whether Bourdais has a contract for next season but I have a feeling he may be replaced. Two current GP2 drivers in the lineup may be a long shot. I feel more certain about Senna.
Sebastien Buemi
Bruno Senna

Honda
I've got a feeling that Barrichello might be racing in his last season in F1 if Honda can sign up Alonso.
Fernando Alonso
Jenson Button

Williams
This is certainly an interesting situation. I'm sure they'd want to keep Rosberg, and Nakajima looks promising. My guess is that they will stick with what they've currently got.
Nico Rosberg
Kazuki Nakajima

Force India
Can't see any reason why Force India would want to change, although Sutil has been poor of late.
Giancarlo Fisichella
Adrian Sutil

[lebesset]

well , I suspect most of you don't watch F1 on french TV like I do , but immediately after the german GP flavio was interviewed by the commentator about the wonderful result
flavio said ...unlike what certain people say we don't have a bad car and this shows what can be done ....
knowing that alonso is his chou chou I wondered who this referred to , couldn't be alonso [ does he still have a share of the manager fees ? ] , so who was he talking about ?

next day I saw the statement from alonso made before the race about his terrible car and understood !!

in the renault pod cast discussing the race the engineers said that alonso had complained about lack of traction all weekend ; asked if this meant that they had a problem with traction they said ...no , but alonso has ; they also said that they now had the 4th best car in F1 and at some tracks would be able to compete with number 3

so I wonder if the amour betweeen alonso and renault is over , and they think he is not worth his salaire and would be happy if he went

am sure honda would take him , they have plenty of money , but when brawn , schu and all benetton's top engineers went to ferrari it took 3/4 years to be really successful , and brawn has only just started there

I hope alonso can stay at renault as I think they will do better than honda next year ...the french newspapers say the last financial reports show they have the biggest amount of money spend of any team in england , although I expect McLaren now have more with santander ; brawn says he is the best driver available for next year , and I agree , he is one of the best 6 , and F1 needs him to stop crying and start driving

[ESPImperium]

I could only see Alonso in a Toyota or a BMW Sauber, but i feel that Alonso will stay at Renault for another year.

Honda have had both drivers more or less confirmed for 2009, same with Toyota, this is a status quo for 2009 from 2008.

I see Bourdais staying at Toro Rosso for one more year, with Buemi coming in to the team as the replacement for Vettel.

Williams i can see getting rid of Nakajima for either Sutil or the most likely candadate in my eyes, Kobyiashi. Rossberg will stay at Williams.

BMW Sauber and Ferarri may end up with a driver swap on their hands with Kubica and Massa doing the swap, Ferari i think are getting to the end with Massa, BMW Sauber have still to renew Kubicas contract for next year, and Ferarri may just jump in there and poach him, making this the driver swap.

If Williams dont get Sutil as a replacement for Nakajima, Sutil will stay at the FIF1 team, with Fisi.

Red Bull have confirmed with Webber and Vettel, Webber for 2009 and Vettel for the end of 2010.

Mclaren have got both drivers for the next 2 seasons i think, untill the end of the 2010 season.

I feel that Senna will have another year of GP2, with him at the end of that going into the Williams team.

[WhiteBlue]

there is a new rumor that Alonso has signed with BMW 2009-2011. with McLaren and Ferrari blocked it could make some sense if he has the usual performance clauses fixed. at least that would make more sense than gambling all on an unproven team that could fail spectacularly. BMW have been very consistent in their rise to the top so far. It indicates good management and they have thrown a lot of weight behind the 2009 design having run KERS on track as the first team. I would hate to see Alonso in the whiteblue!! I rather have him at Honda.

[modbaraban]

I just cannot understand Mario. Either his ways of 'motivating' Nick by very intriguing contract negotioations have gone a bit too far, or he really wants to see Alonso putting an end to Kubica's promising career and screwing up the atmosphere inside what looks like the the most composed and settled team in F1 unless they become 'his team'. Of course Kubica can leave after 2009, but why throw away the star driver that they raised?

[rghai6]

I read somewhere that Sato is looking for a seat at STR, alongside Buemi.

Link:
http://www.crash.net/motorsport/f1/news ... rosso.html

I would really love to see Sato back.

[ESPImperium]

Race Seats:

Ferarri: Massa/Kimi (All but Confirmed)

McLaren: Hamilton/Hekki (Confirmed)

BMW Sauber: Kubica/TBA (Heidfeld has some doubt over his drive status for next year seemingly, Alonso could end up here)

Red Bull: Webber/Vettel (Confirmed)

Toyota: Trulli/Glock (Confirmed)

Renault: (Both up for grabs, Alonso could be either Honda or BMW Sauber bound, Nelsonhino will go back into GP2 or go to Toro Rosso, altho a all ney younger lineup of Di Grassi and Grosjean could be on the cards)

Williams: Rosberg/Davidson (Nakajima will be replaced i feel as his quali results have been poor and hasnt followed thru with early season form)

Honda: Button/ (With Rubens rumored to announce his last GP
will be his hone GP, Alonso or Heidfeld could be the prime options here, with Sato an outsider... One outsider could be Danica Patric as she is to test a Honda RA108 at the end of the season at Jerez from what ive heard)

Toro Rosso: Bourdais/ (Bourdais will be given a second season, with either Buemi or Bruno Senna, altho i feel that Nelsonhino could also be an outsider for this seat)

FIF1: Fisi/Sutil (Will stay together for one more season, Fisi developing the younger sutil and the new FIF1 car before calling it quits at the end of the 2009 season)

Test Drivers

Ferarri: Badoer/Gene/Schumi (Special Associate TD)
McLaren: De La Rosa/Paffett
BMW Sauber: Klien
Red Bull: Coultard (Special Associate TD)
Toyota: Kobayashi
Renault: Yammamoto
Williams: Hulkenberg
Honda: Wurz/Rubens (special Assosiate TD)
Toro Rosso: Hartley
FIF1: Liuzzi

[axle]

I don't agree that Kazuki will be replaced at Williams, esp. with Davidson.

Williams won't throw away the cash he's bringing in...

[donskar]

WOW! Some pretty wild speculation here.

Remember: In F1, contracts are less binding than in other realms. For example, I would not faint if I learned that Kimi had decided to "retire," negating his "contract" for next year and earning a lavish going-away bonus.

More to the point, contracts can be purchased by teams willing to pay.

Moving a step away from wild speculation, does anyone remember WAAAAAY back when Jenson Button was considered to be a top talent? Now where would you rate him?

[donskar]

Another planet heard from:

The paddock is buzzing with rumours about possible driver swaps. According to gossip, Fernando Alonso and Nick Heidfeld will switch teams in 2009. Alonso would take over Heidfeld's race seat at BMW next season while the German will move in the opposite direction to Renault.

That is just nonsensical enough to be possible.

[mx_tifoso]

Another planet heard from:

The paddock is buzzing with rumours about possible driver swaps. According to gossip, Fernando Alonso and Nick Heidfeld will switch teams in 2009. Alonso would take over Heidfeld's race seat at BMW next season while the German will move in the opposite direction to Renault.

That is just nonsensical enough to be possible.

Why would BMW discard a great and obedient number two for a rampaging number one ? I seriously doubt the transfer.

[donskar]

I doubt it, too!

However . . .

There seems to be increasing disenchantment with Alonso, and

Heidfeld would be cheaper, and

a potential mentor for a good young #2 driver (if they has one)

and BMW might believe there is very little "upside" with Heidfeld.

But I agree with you - seems far fetched (though "limited upside" might be something on BMW's mind as they think future championships). Does BMW believe they can compete with Ferrari and McL with the current BMW drivers?

[WhiteBlue]

.....

I see Bourdais staying at Toro Rosso for one more year, with Buemi coming in to the team as the replacement for Vettel....

good call!!!

[ESPImperium]

If what used to be the Honda F1 team makes it to Oz, i can see Button and Senna, but the thing is Button will have to take a pay cut from £15million to arround the £5million to £7 million mark.

Watch for a pay cap coming in later this year for drivers, id think around the £5million a year mark would be a reasonable mark.

If Honda make it they need a experienced driver and a rookie for them to function this next season.