Silly season 2010

[ESPImperium]

Wrong move. I feel that the Mercedes car will outclass the Mclaren car eventually.

And its a kick in the teeth for the guys that gave him the success at Brackley, he has just said that now youve gave me the success, youre not good enough for me for futher success. Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld for Mercedes GP now.

Hekki to either Force India or back to Renault (or Nissan) now.

[gibells]

...
And its a kick in the teeth for the guys that gave him the success at Brackley, he has just said that now youve gave me the success, youre not good enough for me for futher success. Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld for Mercedes GP now.
...

BAR/Honda/Brawn got just as much out of the partnership as Jenson did. In fact, his loyalty to them kept him out of far superior equipment for all those years. Only now, after 1 season's success, it's really them kicking him in the teeth by not only offering him joke money, but also no long term deal to boot. He should have/could have stuck to his guns at the beginning of the season and made them keep the contract which he signed at Honda. That would have given him 3 times the salary over 3 years.

Anyway that ship has sailed. Point is both parties come away with silverware. I hope he's every bit as quick as the 'Boss' he's teaming up with next year.

[Belatti]

Facts and Rumours

Mercedes GP

01 -
02 -
*** Nico Rosberg
*** Nick Heidfeld
* Jenson Button

Red Bull Racing [Renault]

03 - Sebastian Vettel
04 - Mark Webber

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes [Mercedes]

05 - Lewis Hamilton
06 -
*** Jenson Button
* Heiki Kovalainen
* Adrian Sutil

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro [Ferrari]

07 - Felipe Massa
08 - Fernando Alonso
T - Giancarlo Fisichella


AT&T Williams F1 Team [Cosworth]

11 - Rubens Barrichello
12 - Niko Hulkenberg


Renault F1 Team [Renault]

14 - Robert Kubica
15 -
** Romain Grosjean
** Lucas di Grassi

Force India F1 Team [*** Mercedes, * Ferrari]

16 -
17 -
*** Adrian Sutil
*** Vitantonio Liuzzi
** Giancarlo Fisichella
* Karun Chandhok
* Nelson Piquet

Scuderia Toro Rosso [*** Ferrari]

18 -
19 -
*** Sebastian Buemi
*** Jaime Alguersuari
** Brendon Hartley
* Takuma Sato

Team USGPE [Cosworth]

20 -
21 -
*** Alexander Wurz
*** Alexander Rossi
** José Maria Lopez
** Pedro de la Rosa
** Jonathan Summerton
** Scott Speed
** Sebastian Loeb
** Jacques Villeneuve

Campos Grand Prix [Cosworth]

22 - Bruno Senna
23 -
*** Pastor Maldonado
** Vitaly Petrov
** Pedro de la Rosa
** Sergio Perez
** Giorgio Pantano
* Nelson Piquet
* Roldan Rodriguez
* Javier Villa

Manor Grand Prix [Cosworth]

24 - Timo Glock
25 -
*** Esteban Guerrieri
*** Adam Carroll
*** Lucas di Grassi
* Nick Heidfeld
* Sebastien Bourdais
* Heikki Kovalainen

Lotus F1 Team [Cosworth]

26 -
27 -
** Jarno Trulli
** Fairuz Fauzy
* Pastor Maldonado
* Sergio Perez

***Quadback Sauber F1 Team [Ferrari***]

28 -
29 -
** Nick Heidfeld
** Cristian Klien



*** Very probable
** Probable
* A little probable

[ESPImperium]

Official now: http://www.mclaren.com/latestnews/press ... rticle=383

[axle]

It depends what Button wants in life as to whether this is a bad move...

Its a tough job...but if he can keep Lewis honest like Webber does Vettel and Kimi did Massa etc etc then he will be in the hunt. Button can take it to Lewis, if the team allow it.

A 3 year contract gives Button a long career in F1...MGP wern't being fair IMO...they should have tied him to a long term contract and been happy to keep him for 3 years more...but they arn't and IMO it's MGP's loss not Button's.

[timbo]

So, would we see primadonna deathmatch?
I believe that without Anthony it could be avoided but with him around it's almost inevitable.

[monkeyboy1976]

this is a bit of a gamble for JB but what the heck?
people may say he went for the money but, if he can match LH, he is on to a winner with the long term deal. He's 29 years old now.
Good luck JB.
And let's not forget the fact that, minus the German (designed and built in the UK though) engine, McLaren is now an all British team.

[meves]

Can we have a fight between Anthony Hamilton and John Button to decide who has number one status in the team? Or actually a girlfiriend fight...now we're talking!

[timbo]

Or actually a girlfiriend fight...now we're talking!

Or yeah! In a mud

[ben_watkins]

I think it's a wrong move.. Button and Hamilton have very different driving styles and the Macca is built to handle the way Hamilton drives..

Also MGP should have an international driver line up. Nico will be great for them but should have another nationality driver in the other car. Heidfeld isn't all that imho.

Still it'll be interesting to see how the 2 WDC get on and compete with each other.. Could be another Alonso/Hamilton nuclear fallout senario.

[tc9604]

I don't see Anthony Davidson in the Facts & Rumours list - has he been linked with anyone? A couple of weeks back he seemed confident of getting a drive (I assumed one of the new british teams, I'll try and find the source)

[Fil]

Could be another Alonso/Hamilton nuclear fallout senario.

That was a very even-paced pairing tho. Like Senna & Prost.

Jenson will end up being support driver for Lewis. He'll pick up the pieces when Lewis drops the bundle. What Heikki was meant to be; what DC was to Mika; what Rubens was to Michael.

[timbo]

Could be another Alonso/Hamilton nuclear fallout senario.

That was a very even-paced pairing tho. Like Senna & Prost.

Jenson will end up being support driver for Lewis. He'll pick up the pieces when Lewis drops the bundle. What Heikki was meant to be; what DC was to Mika; what Rubens was to Michael.

Question is - would he be comfortable with it?

[ben_watkins]

Could be another Alonso/Hamilton nuclear fallout senario.

That was a very even-paced pairing tho. Like Senna & Prost.

Jenson will end up being support driver for Lewis. He'll pick up the pieces when Lewis drops the bundle. What Heikki was meant to be; what DC was to Mika; what Rubens was to Michael.

If he can get the car set up to meet is style.. then you could be bang on there!

[ben_watkins]

Could be another Alonso/Hamilton nuclear fallout senario.

That was a very even-paced pairing tho. Like Senna & Prost.

Jenson will end up being support driver for Lewis. He'll pick up the pieces when Lewis drops the bundle. What Heikki was meant to be; what DC was to Mika; what Rubens was to Michael.

Question is - would he be comfortable with it?

He'll never be comfy with it! He's not been a support driver for many, many years. The BAR team was built around the guy!

I wander also if McLaren will allow him to continue doing his triathalons and so on..