2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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LookBackTime
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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Massa tips former Williams F1 team-mate Bottas for 'great future'

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.ph ... ture-in-f1

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FrukostScones
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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LookBackTime wrote:Massa tips former Williams F1 team-mate Bottas for 'great future'

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.ph ... ture-in-f1
in a Mercedes.
Finishing races is important, but racing is more important.

LookBackTime
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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F1 - Symonds not denying Paddy Lowe rumours
"It is important to me that I leave the team in good hands"


15 December 2016 - 09h35, by GMM
Pat Symonds has refused to deny reports that Paddy Lowe will replace him as Williams’ technical boss.

It is strongly rumoured that, with Lowe’s Mercedes contract ending, the Briton is linked with a return to Williams to replace the soon-to-retire 63-year-old Symonds.

"Our team policy forbids us to talk about contracts," Symonds told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But it is clear that I will step back from the front line at some point in time. That doesn’t mean it will happen at the end of the coming season.

"But it is important to me that I leave the team in good hands.

"All I can say about Paddy Lowe is this: the results that Mercedes has achieved speak for themselves," Symonds added.


http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/Symo ... 12335.html

LookBackTime
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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Valtteri Bottas: Williams open to letting Finn join Mercedes
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Williams have admitted for the first time that they would consider letting Valtteri Bottas join Mercedes in 2017.

Mercedes want the Finn to replace Nico Rosberg, who retired after winning the world title last month.

Deputy team principal Claire Williams told BBC Sport the team would let Bottas leave "if an experienced, credible alternative was available".

Williams suggested Felipe Massa could return, despite retiring at the end of this season.

"I'm delighted to see that a team like Mercedes lists Valtteri as a potential replacement for Nico," Williams said.

"We have always known Valtteri is one of the sport's key talents and are proud that the championship leaders recognise this.

"However, Williams has its own ambitions and we must always ensure we give our team the best opportunity to move forward. Any changes would only be made if Williams remains in a strong position to compete and develop in 2017.

"If we did allow Valtteri to leave, we would only do this if an experienced, credible alternative was available, such as someone like Felipe Massa, for example.

"Whatever we decide, it must be in the best interests of this team."

Williams, who finished fifth in the championship in 2016, have rejected Mercedes' first offer for Bottas, but talks are ongoing.

The team are playing hardball with Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff because he is in a difficult position having to find a driver to replace Rosberg when all the leading names are under contract.

However, it is a sensitive situation because Williams use Mercedes engines and they wish to keep a good relationship with the German manufacturer.

And now Mercedes have expressed an interest, Bottas is keen to take up the opportunity to join a front-running team.

Williams need an experienced driver for 2017 to partner the 18-year-old Canadian rookie Lance Stroll, who is making his debut and is said to be bringing financial backing worth as much as £20m.

Re-employing Massa could be a good solution for Williams - the 35-year-old has the speed and experience to provide a benchmark for Stroll and the team, and to ensure they remain in a strong position in the constructors' championship.

Massa scored 76% of the points of Bottas over their three seasons together and was an average of only 0.142secs slower in qualifying.

Although Massa announced his retirement from F1 in September, he made it clear he wanted to continue racing. So a seat at Williams could be a good opportunity for him.

And it could provide a benefit for Williams because the team could use the money it saves on the engine fee and Bottas' salary to fund technical developments and boost their competitiveness in future years.

Sources say Massa made his announcement only after he realised that Williams were going to keep Bottas and sign Stroll and that he was unable to find a similarly competitive car elsewhere.

Wolff's first offer to Williams for Bottas was for a reduction of €10m (£8.4m) in their engine bill.

It is considered likely that Williams will hold out for a figure much closer to the full amount - €17m (£14.2m) - to release the 27-year-old.

They are aware that Mercedes have money available for the deal because they no longer have to fund Rosberg's salary - which was set to be in the region of $22m (£17.6m) for each of the next two years.

Additionally, but in a separate deal, Mercedes executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe is poised to join Williams in a senior management role.

Mercedes are set to replace him with the former Ferrari technical director James Allison.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/38335169

Sevach
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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The fact that Williams seems to be in contact with Massa sends a clear message that Bottas is likely to go.

All we have left is waiting.

GrandAxe
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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“Whether or not … they’ve said they couldn’t have Fernando because his tanglement with McLaren and with them at the time [over the Spygate controversy of 2007], so it would be wrong to have him. So they didn’t try with him.

“But Sebastian is with Ferrari, is happy and certainly wouldn’t break his contract.”
-Bernie
http://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport ... a1355dd157

With all the talk about Merc tapping Bottas and Massa returning, Bernie's revelation seems to totally rule out Alonso (unwanted by Merc for attitude) and Vettel (disinterested in the seat).

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F1NAC
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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Pat Symonds is set to leave Williams.

LINK

So Paddy Lowe it is?

Sevach
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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I have to believe so, timing is just too convenient.

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Thunder
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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Roll in Paddy. Can't be Coincidence.
turbof1 wrote: YOU SHALL NOT......STALLLLL!!!
#aerogollum

LookBackTime
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER PAT SYMONDS TO LEAVE WILLIAMS


20 DEC 2016
Williams today announces that Pat Symonds will be stepping down from the role of Chief Technical Officer of WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING at the end of 2016.

Pat joined Williams towards the end of the 2013 Formula One season on a three-year contract, and in that time has helped oversee a strong turn around in the team’s performances on the race track, with 14 podiums secured over the past three seasons. Pat will be departing on 31st December 2016.

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, said; “Pat has been a tremendous asset to this team over the past three years. Pat’s appointment was the start of a major restructuring exercise, and he has been pivotal in reshaping Williams into what is a much stronger racing team today. I would like to thank him for all of his hard work and commitment during that time. We now look to the future and will be announcing details regarding the team’s technical leadership in due course.”

bill shoe
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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I think Pat Symonds is freeing himself up to take Rosberg's seat at Mercedes?

LookBackTime
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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F1 Fanatic ‏@f1fanatic_co_uk 1m1 minute ago
Massa ‘signs deal to return to Williams’, opening door for Bottas to join Mercedes | 2017 F1 season http://ift.tt/2hE5IZ2 #F1

roger.diniz
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Joined: 20 Dec 2016, 17:50

Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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Hy guys, new to the forum, but long time reader (and sorry if my english is not the best).
For what it seems, Bottas has the green light from Williams to sign Merc. A brazilian motorspots site called "Grande Prêmio", who covers closely F1 and other categories, published today that Massa has signed his comeback to F1.

http://grandepremio.uol.com.br/f1/notic ... to-rosberg

Here:
"Felipe Massa took only a few days to decide letting go of retirement and accept the proposal made by Williams to take the place of Valtteri Bottas in 2017, can confirm the GRAND PRIX. The Finn is the highest rated name to take on the cockpit left by Nico Rosberg in Mercedes"

And here:
"It is understood that Massa has imposed a clause in the agreement: that invalidates his return if Valtteri Bottas is not chosen by Mercedes as the substitute of Rosberg. The value is that the GP released days ago: € 6 million, or R $ 21 million converted."

LookBackTime
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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Massa ‘signs deal to return to Williams’, opening door for Bottas to join Mercedes
20th December 2016, 15:42
Author Keith Collantine


A report in the Brazilian media claims Felipe Massa signed a contract with Williams yesterday to drive for the team in 2017.

Massa’s immediate return from retirement will allow him to replace Valtteri Bottas in the team’s line-up so the 27-year-old can move to Mercedes.

With Felipe Nasr yet to agree a deal to remain on the grid the news means there will be at least one Brazilian driver on the grid in 2017.

Massa’s remarkable U-turn came about after Nico Rosberg announced his shock retirement from Formula One just days after he won the world championship. His unexpected decision left Mercedes without a team mate for Lewis Hamilton with just weeks to go until testing for the new season began and most drivers already under contract for 2017.

Bottas is connected to Mercedes via the team’s executive director Toto Wolff, who is involved in managing his career. He has spent his entire career to date with Williams. The team also uses a supply of Mercedes power units.

Mercedes has said it will not announce the identity of Hamilton’s team mate until the new year.

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ME4ME
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Re: 2017 Williams Martini Racing Team - Mercedes

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it's on Motorsport.com as well:
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/massa ... 17-860616/

I'm disappointed by Massa's return. On the other hand, I'm increasingly interested in seeing how Bottas will perform against Hamilton. I think the vast majority of people will agree on Hamilton winning that battle, but the extent and margin is what will be interesting.

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