Silly season 2010

[Fil]

yeah, Montezemolo acted opportunistically for the future of Ferrari, not just living for the current day. any good manager/director will act today, planning for tomorrow.

Basic facts on the table were Ferrari had an aging driver, coming off contract, the next 2 best (younger) drivers were available and would be signed to long-term contracts.
Had Ferrari not signed Kimi or Alonso, and Schumacher had decided to leave in '07 or '08, Ferrari would have been left with little to pick from for their future.


Come to think of it (and back on topic!), what current team has just had its reigning WDC come off contract, and can choose to sign Kimi, or an aging 7-time WDC or be left with little (nick) to pick from..

history repeats..

[ESPImperium]

This Week im expecting this:

* Announcement of Jarno Trulli as driver of Team Lotus F1 after Toyota Motorsport Festival today.
* Announcement regaurding Kimui Kobiyashi to a team, most probably STR-Ferarri or Renault F1
* USF1 to announce at least their first driver for the 2010 season
* Manor GP to announce their second driver.

Basically alot more loose ends getting tied up, as well as a tightening of the drivers market in terms of race seats avalable.

[WhiteBlue]

If Montezemolo didn't want his 37 year old driver deciding who was too fast to be in the other car, without making a comittment to more than one year at the time, I think a lot of people can appreciate his reasoning.

I think Montezemolo was a fool. His controversial hiring of Reikkonen turned out to be a desaster. Half the time Kimi looked totally lost in the red car and Ferrari lost Brawn and Todt due to Montezemolo's power play. The team at times looked like they completely lost their operational skills.

On topic I think that Rosberg's announcement today makes it clear that Haug has given up to get Vettel away from Red Bull for the next year.

[sticky667]

If Montezemolo didn't want his 37 year old driver deciding who was too fast to be in the other car, without making a comittment to more than one year at the time, I think a lot of people can appreciate his reasoning.

I think Montezemolo was a fool. His controversial hiring of Reikkonen turned out to be a desaster. Half the time Kimi looked totally lost in the red car and Ferrari lost Brawn and Todt due to Montezemolo's power play. The team at times looked like they completely lost their operational skills.

On topic I think that Rosberg's announcement today makes it clear that Haug has given up to get Vettel away from Red Bull for the next year.

I don't think Haug can justify the expenditure to release Vettel early nor in the near future to be honest, especially with the recent buy out and the unions already bitching about that.

With the new cost cutting measures in place, Red Bull are in the strongest position for Vettel, they have the cash, the team and the car, whereas Merc needs to come up with the cash to lure Vettel away which will be very difficult. I don't see many Kimi contracts in the near future. They were a thing of the "Manufacturer Era" and it's coming to a screeching halt.

[Richard]

Eddie Jordan...

One thing that seems certain this year is that any prediction from Eddie will never become reality.

[WhiteBlue]

Eddie Jordan...

One thing that seems certain this year is that any prediction from Eddie will never become reality.

At least it had the effect of pushing Button into Whitmarsh's open arms.

[ESPImperium]

Kobiyashi to Renault???

Panasonic & KDDI to Renault as well???

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 4141.shtml

Would make sence for them to hire a Japaneese driver, and also rebrand the team Nissan whilst there at it. Keeping 2 Japaneese sponsors in the sport as well. Meaning the team could be re-branded Panasonic Nissan GP with a important young Japaneese driver on board.

Altho, i think what reanuls should also do is keep the Renault name in the sport bu supplying engines to Red Bull, meaning they would have brand exposure and associated success with it. And potentially this, could this be a way for Renault, sorry, I mean Nissan to produce a new engine and therefore beat the engine freeze???

Would make a heck of alot of comercial success.

[Confused_Andy]

That would be brilliant, so glad Kobayashi is getting consideration for a drive. I hope however that Renault stays as Renault...

Panasonic Renault F1...

[PlatinumZealot]

I want to see what Heidfeld can do in the Benz. Schumacher had his time already. He might even be slower than Heidfeld right now!

[sunny1304]

MSC will not drive for Merc...thats for sure.

i dont understand why they need another german driver whn they already have a german superstar.....

i still hope kimi will drive for them......i just want to see how things work with ross brawn and kimi.

[Fil]

Sunny, another German, Sutil is now being linked with the team too.. Liuzzi is the only driver at FI that has a contract for 2010, and Sutil's management has for some time now been testing the waters with other teams.

Would make a heck of alot of comercial success.

Just to clarify, the whole Nissan rebranding you've written about a few times now, are there any reports of it anywhere?
Personally i don't see the commercial sense for Renault (the company which is funding the F1 team, not Nissan).
1. Nissan outsold Renault by almost 1.5m vehicles last year - seems like Renault needs the exposure more.
2. Why would one manufacturer gift another an F1 team? (Renault has a 44% stake in Nissan, whilst Nissan owns 15% of Renault. The alliance cost both about US$1.4b each in 1999).
3. Red Bull & Renault have a PR problem - Newey has a similar effect as M Schumacher once had. You win due to the person, you lose due to the engine.


Kobayashi, Panasonic & KDDI to Renault F1 would be great for all 4 tho, i certainly hope you're right there!
Strong sponsors who want to be in F1 would be a welcome relief for Renault, hopefully subsidizing their efforts enough to stay in F1 in 2010 and beyond.

[lebesset]

I would bet on one thing only , having lost their top driver , if they can't get kimi they will end up with two second rank german drivers , rosberg and heidfeld for example

[ESPImperium]

Jaime Alguersuari now Confirmed as driver at STR-Ferarri.

One less seat to worry about. But a futher tightening of the driver market.

[fenix4life]

There will be a GP @ SIlverstone next year.

Information confirmed on eurosport site.

[Confused_Andy]

There will be a GP @ SIlverstone next year.

Information confirmed on eurosport site.

care for a source... I cant find anything on it.