Silly Season 2018/2019

[Starscreamer]

from sky:

Antonio Giovinazzi will partner Kimi Raikkonen at Sauber in 2019, the team have confirmed.

Guess that's the end of Ericcson.

Te laat

[NathanOlder]

At last! No more Marcus !!!

[FrukostScones]

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

[Jolle]

I think that Verstappen should habe done some years in minor classes and I do that too in this case. It's too early. They do miss many important lessons in theses classes and you can see that with Verstappen.

F1 history is littered with great drivers who went straight to F1 from Coopers or Vee’s without doing time in F3 or F2. I don’t think that should be an issue.

Also it seems that success in these classes does not guarantee success in an F1 car. Stroll, Vandoorne, Palmer were all champions. Perhaps it is even better to learn directly in F1, instead of first having to unlearn GP2 habits.

The thing I am more concerned about is age. But then it is more about life lessons than driving lessons.

Kimi is one and he became World Champion. So yeah, it's possible.

If you look at all the world champions from the past few decades, most of them have little to none experience is formula 3000, F2, etc etc. The biggest exception is Lewis Hamilton. It feels like the junior programs or managers (except for Mercedes) find it more easy to have their youngsters work out their rough edges at a small team in F1 then in GP2. What does makes sense if you think about it. GP2 and Formula 3000/Renault 3.5 do require a very large budget for a talent while there is very little exposure.

[WaikeCU]

F1 history is littered with great drivers who went straight to F1 from Coopers or Vee’s without doing time in F3 or F2. I don’t think that should be an issue.

Also it seems that success in these classes does not guarantee success in an F1 car. Stroll, Vandoorne, Palmer were all champions. Perhaps it is even better to learn directly in F1, instead of first having to unlearn GP2 habits.

The thing I am more concerned about is age. But then it is more about life lessons than driving lessons.

Kimi is one and he became World Champion. So yeah, it's possible.

If you look at all the world champions from the past few decades, most of them have little to none experience is formula 3000, F2, etc etc. The biggest exception is Lewis Hamilton. It feels like the junior programs or managers (except for Mercedes) find it more easy to have their youngsters work out their rough edges at a small team in F1 then in GP2. What does makes sense if you think about it. GP2 and Formula 3000/Renault 3.5 do require a very large budget for a talent while there is very little exposure.

To a certain degree, it's still a car that has 4 wheels and a steeringwheel. The basics remain the same on how to drive a car. Other constraints are your own driving skills, fitness and level of concentration I guess. These do vary and have a big effect on the total performance.

[Sawtooth-spike]

So what seats are still unconfirmed.

Haas: Both Seats
FI: Both Seats (but i think we know who will be in one of them)
TR: Both Seats
Williams: Both Seats.

[jjn9128]

So what seats are still unconfirmed.

Haas: Both Seats
FI: Both Seats (but i think we know who will be in one of them)
TR: Both Seats
Williams: Both Seats.

Haas have all but confirmed Magnussen, they have an option on him and sounds like he's a definite, just a case of dotting t's and crossing i's. Grosjean is likely to remain unless they perform the coup of the silly season and pinch Ocon - can't see that myself, certainly as it would likely only be for 1 year.

Racing Point will have Stroll - he's already had his seat fitting - and Perez say's he has a contract and all the noise is that Ocon is out. So that is all but announced - Perez' backers will want to do that around Mexico GP.

Toro Rosso depends on who they can pinch/rehire - seems like Kvyat plus one other. Wehrlein sounds like he could be off to Formula E with Mahindra, unless the draw of the F1 midfield is too strong. Buemi is being retained by EDams-Nissan so probably not him either. Ticktum doesn't have the license points even if he can overhaul Schumacher in F3. Another of their former juniors, Albon, has the license points but is joining Buemi at Nissan. Their potential targets are dwindling - maybe to the point they have to retain Hartley or pinch Vandoorne...

Williams have the only really free seats... Wolff has said he's not willing to pay for Ocon to drive elsewhere, certainly not what Williams will be asking with the loss of Martini monies and the Russian interest - counts out Russell too (he's maybe destined for Super Formula or Formula E if/when he wins F2). Sounds like Mazepin and Sirotkin's backers don't want them together, so it'll be a bidding war for one seat. Whoever gets the other seat will also have to have significant backing - Kubica probably doesn't have that. Unless they can squeeze enough money from one of the Russian's to fund their second driver...

[ScottB]

At last! No more Marcus !!!

But who will Romain Grosjean blame now?!

[zeph]

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

Rosberg to Haas?

Unlikely

[NathanOlder]

At last! No more Marcus !!!

But who will Romain Grosjean blame now?!

Knowing Grosjean, he will still blame Ericsson lol

[langedweil]

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

Rosberg to Haas?

Unlikely

[djos]

At last! No more Marcus !!!

Yay, the spherical object enthusiast is gone!

[Big Tea]

At last! No more Marcus !!!

Yay, the spherical object enthusiast is gone!

It was Magnussen who was the 'nutflicker' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu7HwU8MU6A)

[djos]

At last! No more Marcus !!!

Yay, the spherical object enthusiast is gone!

It was Magnussen who was the 'nutflicker' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu7HwU8MU6A)

Ah nuts, thanks for the correction.

[FrukostScones]

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

Rosberg to Haas?

Unlikely

ROSsi, Alexander ; )