Silly Season 2018/2019

[Ground Effect]

If I were the new Ferrari bosses, I'd be sending feelers out to the Alonso camp, to see if he could reconsider retirement. It's looking more and more likely that Seb is about to throw away the title for a second year in a row, while driving the fastest car.

[WaikeCU]

I know after Today that Ferrari will have decided that they MUST get Hamilton on their side to remove all doubts of winning the championship and they will attempt to sign him even if it is for 2021. How could they not try to get the best driver when they have the cash to do it?

I think even then Ferrari won't win a championship, because I think Lewis will then be past his best and his form is slightly declining, while the next generation are only getting better and faster. The likes of Max, Leclerc, Ocon, Gasly, Norris, etc.

[NathanOlder]

I think they MUST put Leclerc in the car for 2019 & 2020. Then if that fails, go for Hamilton or Ricciardo or even Rosberg. I feel Leclerc is the real deal though, so that should do the trick.

Vettel is now holding the team back, it would appear 2 years running he has screwed up under pressure.

[Ground Effect]

With loud noises LeClerc is set to replace Kimi, could he be an option for Haas?

[Fulcrum]

I think they MUST put Leclerc in the car for 2019 & 2020. Then if that fails, go for Hamilton or Ricciardo or even Rosberg. I feel Leclerc is the real deal though, so that should do the trick.

Vettel is now holding the team back, it would appear 2 years running he has screwed up under pressure.

If you were going to sign Rosberg, it would make more sense to sign him now, when he's only 1 year out of the sport. Doing so after 3 years, when he's that much rustier, and older, wouldn't be very clever.

[johnny vee]

If I were the new Ferrari bosses, I'd be sending feelers out to the Alonso camp, to see if he could reconsider retirement. It's looking more and more likely that Seb is about to throw away the title for a second year in a row, while driving the fastest car.

+1
agreed...

[Jolle]

I think they MUST put Leclerc in the car for 2019 & 2020. Then if that fails, go for Hamilton or Ricciardo or even Rosberg. I feel Leclerc is the real deal though, so that should do the trick.

Vettel is now holding the team back, it would appear 2 years running he has screwed up under pressure.

If you were going to sign Rosberg, it would make more sense to sign him now, when he's only 1 year out of the sport. Doing so after 3 years, when he's that much rustier, and older, wouldn't be very clever.

Rosberg makes no sense indeed. He could have cashed a big check anywhere for 2018 but choose not to. Besides the years out of competition and not having the raw speed of VER/VET/HAM/ALO, he has the same silly moments as VET/VER.

for me, HAM and ALO are on track by far the best you can have. Very good pace, smart, excellent spacial awareness and both capable of maximising the car's potential, not only on a single lap but also in a race. Not far behind them you have VER/VET. Both very fast but both with some silly moments that can cost you a championship. VER hasn't been in that postion yet, so impossible to say at the moment how he will react under that pressure and if he'll smart up then but VET has and fell trough. Which makes VER a bit of a gamble. Behind those four you'll have RIC, PER, BOT and RAI. All three fast and quite steady but just not the edge of the top four.

So for Ferrari, if they want the best it's either HAM, ALO or a gamble (again) with VER. ALO they tried and he's out, so it's trying to lure HAM into a switch or get VER.

[FrukostScones]

Ferrari: VET/LEC
Mercedes: HAM//BOT
Red Bull: VES/GAS
McLaren: SAI/NOR
Findia: STR/PER
Sauber: ERI/GIO
Toro Rosso: KVY/RAI
Haas: GRO/MAG
Williams: SIR/RUS
Renault: RIC/HUL

[dodds_turbo]

Stoffel leaves McLaren at the end of 2018. He just posted it himself on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnQrvtvlZbT ... u95exfrp25

In light of recent rumours I'd love to see Kimi find another seat (although it looks like he'll probably retire to family life). Possible seats could be McLaren? Haas? Sounds like Haas don't want to wait and see what drivers are left at the end of the season, nor do they want Ferrari to dictate who to hire.

Would be great to have a SAINZ / PEREZ at McLaren. With a reliable Renault engine (big ask) they may be able to pull the team out of the ashes for 2019.

That'd keep a seat at Team Stroll for OCON and Lance, and allow Williams to take on another Russian pay-driver / daddy's boy. Perhaps they could then seek a title sponsor in the form of a top brand vodka (not too far removed from Martini).

[Morteza]

https://twitter.com/McLarenF1/status/10 ... 5102288896

[Big Tea]

Shame he was never given a chance to prove himself. I think it unlikely he will get another F1 seat, even though he would do a good job for anyone.
Williams or STR could do well to get him, but I think the seats are politically reserved now.


Unless they can pull something together next year Norris will probably go the same way.
People are judged on what they achieve irrespective of cause or effect

[Ground Effect]

Mercedes should be ashamed of themselves. The only big team not putting their juniors in the car.

[Jolle]

Mercedes should be ashamed of themselves. The only big team not putting their juniors in the car.

You are forgetting that Hamilton, Rosberg and Schumacher were former Mercedes Juniors. They never had a not-Mercedes junior in their car. Even Bottas, who is from Wolffs program is connected to them since F3 in some form.

[NathanOlder]

And when was the last time ferrari put one of their juniors in the car ? Has leclerc been confirmed yet ?

[Ground Effect]

And when was the last time ferrari put one of their juniors in the car ? Has leclerc been confirmed yet ?

OK, then Mercedes should be ashamed of themselves... as soon as LeClerc is confirmed to Ferrari. Among all these junior drivers, Esteban Ocon is the best by miles, bar none, yet he doesn't have a seat confirmed for 2019. Rather than loose Lando, Mclaren have signed him up, but Mercedes have extended Bottas and given him an option for 2020 as well.