Silly Season 2016/2017

[ME4ME]

I don't belive that Alonso will go to Mercedes. He have a contract, he said we wanted to beat the Mercedes, he his happy at Mclaren... so he doesn't even want to go.

I wonder how many really people believe that. I think it plain false.

- An elite sportsman like Alonso want to win, no matter what, which he isn't doing at the moment.
- His equipment is letting him down, "making him look like a amateur".
- He is running out of time, career wise.
- He has openly admitted to feel out of love for F1 as it is at the moment.

I think it is simply not true that Alonso is happy at Mclaren at the moment. His political brilliance and handlig of the media, out of the car may make it seem that way. Inside the car however, every now and then we get to hear glimpses of the truth leaking out.

[Manoah2u]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnkPVsLybxA

Clear as day.

Alonso is with Mclaren, we will have to wait and see other options.
Read:

We let the press wait untill the contracts have been signed and worked out, at the meantime, we 'look' into other options;
meaning; we haven't forgotten Lewis' threat from Spain and whilst at it, we see which drivers we can 'get loose from the competition' and investigate their contracts so that in the ineventful situation where Lewis will step out of Mercedes like Nico did, we are prepared and know who to 'shoe in'.

Has Alonso actually said anything?

[Big Mangalhit]

I think Alonso going to Mercedes is as impossible as Alonso going to McLaren in 2015 and Vettel to Ferrari same year.

Seems unlikely but stranger things have happened. I hope he goes though, please Mercedes think of the fan service for once. It would be so much better for them if F1 was better. Even if they indeed lose the championship a la 2007 McLaren, they would get so many cars sold. I just hope they don't hire a number two.

[TAG]

Not sure it will happen simply because Honda will have quite a bit to say about it, not simply McLaren.

Alonso going to Mercedes and losing out to Hamilton, I shudder to think what that would do to some. The thought of the two best drivers of this generation going head to head is juicy couture.

[turbof1]

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merce ... ld-857273/

So Wehrlein is definitely being heavily considered. Looks like he will be getting the seat if the prefered but also very difficult to get drivers are not achievable.

[a1b2i3r45]

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/merce ... ld-857273/

So Wehrlein is definitely being heavily considered. Looks like he will be getting the seat if the prefered but also very difficult to get drivers are not achievable.

Wolff said:"We don't want a situation in which we are having a confrontation or a legal battle. Of course, there's the possibility to come to terms with another team and driver if we were to find a suitable solution for both sides. I cannot exclude this possibility."

Also Alonso and Bottas, I would say. But only if a deal can be struck with Mclaren/Williams.

[FW17]

Grosjean could also be available

[Just_a_fan]

Interesting that people think Alonso and Hamilton together would be good to watch. I'm not so sure. Better would be two or three drivers in different teams competing. Watching McLaren implode in 2007 wasn't much fun and didn't make for "good F1".

[Vladimir]

Could you imagine Nasr in Mercedes for one year ?
He has more expirience than Pascal,and proboably will give less problems for Hamilton and team.
Mercedes are not sure, they will dominate in 2017.

[TAG]

Watching McLaren implode in 2007 wasn't much fun and didn't make for "good F1".

That was the old vengeful snake in the grass Alonso. This is the new mellowed, mature snake in the grass Alonso. People have the ability to change.

[NathanOlder]

Could you imagine Nasr in Mercedes for one year ?
He has more expirience than Pascal,and proboably will give less problems for Hamilton and team.
Mercedes are not sure, they will dominate in 2017.

Nasr doesnt deserve a Mercedes drive in DTM, let along F1!

[hemichromis]

Should Mercedes be think of 2018 in their deliberations? Hamilton is out of contract so having a relative unknown junior on a 1 year contract might be even higher risk.

I expect a 2 year contract will be what they are looking for. Or maybe they'll try and get Hamilton to agree a year extension even now.

[Vladimir]

Mercedes championship winning era as team is over, new rules are introduced for stoping their dominance.
Alonso will make another mistake to be at the wrong team in the wrong time.

[F1Krof]

This is interesting:
https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/statu ... 8148064256
It says S. Wolf

[ScottB]

Bringing in Alonso would be very, very expensive.

They'd have to, at the least, buy out the remainder of Alonso's Mclaren deal, so whatever his salary is, >£10,000,000 I'd imagine. Then you've got Alonso's salary for next year, plus whatever compensation Mclaren demand on top to do something they have no need to agree with in the first place.

So you're looking at something that's in the £20million range just for a year's worth of driving.

Why not stick Pascal in the car for a year for buttons, then pick up Alonso for 2018, if that's what you want?


I imagine if Pascal gets it, they will have an eye on bringing in a top line driver in 2018, if Bottas gets it, then he won't be a single season signing.


Saying that, Wolff loves to trot out signing Alonso stories when he's been dealing with Lewis' and Nico's contracts. Talking about him now is probably just chatter to stop Lewis from thinking all the eggs are in his basket...