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F1 2018 SEASON: NEWS - RUMOURS

Discussion in 'Formula 1' started by Smithers, Apr 25, 2017.

  1. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    That wouldn't surprise me, the new team owners are Ericsson's sponsors and have decided, despite him being the worst driver on the grid, he is their number 1, he'll get the best of everything. As I understand that's why she quit, and I can't blame her one little bit. I think the same happened at Caterham when KK's chassis was broken by Bianchi ramming into him, they spent all their money fixing the **** guys car.
     
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  2. Julius Caesar

    Julius Caesar Well-Known Member
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    Autosport saying it was Sauber who cancelled the deal. Believing the team can't afford to be uncompetitive next year.

    This is a disaster for McLaren. They now can't ditch Honda without being a pariah for forcing a manufacturer out of the sport. Probably won't be offered a supply from anyone else.

    Basically R.I.P McLaren 1966-2015
     
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  3. El_Bando

    El_Bando Can't remember, where was I?
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    So Honda plug pulled at Sauber who will now have Ferrari engines and probably Ferrari drivers next year
     
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  4. DHCanary

    DHCanary Very Well-Known Member
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    Well it'll still be Ericsson presumably, as it's his backers who are backing the team financially too. Leclerc or Giovinazzi in place of Wehrlein presumably.
     
    #124
  5. Smithers

    Smithers Well-Known Member
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    That Sauber and TR now......

     
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  6. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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    #126
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  7. Number 1 Jasper

    Number 1 Jasper Well-Known Member

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    #127
  8. Julius Caesar

    Julius Caesar Well-Known Member
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    It's the Ferrari way. Retain their awful no.2 long long after they last deserved the seat. The decision was inevitable.

    Slightly sad that Kimi's modiocre end to his career now appears longer than his prime. It's affecting how he'll be remembered and i didn't see him as the kind of man to hang around past his sell by date. Oh well.
     
    #128
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  9. allsaintchris.

    allsaintchris. Well-Known Member

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    Disappointed with Kimi.

    Used to be a pure racer, now is just happy to drive to pick up pay cheques without worrying about whether he wins or not.
     
    #129
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  10. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    Worst news of the year and has now roadblocked what would be a pretty awesome merry go round of F1 transfer market.

    Oh and by the way, that absolute tit Seb Vettel has been instrumental in this. He's only had a top talent against him once (Ricc) and he fell apart once it all wasn't perfect for him.

    The sleepy, unbothered IceMan. Should have gone once he won the 2007 title. Other than the odd few Lotus drives, he's been woeful.

    The likes of Hulkenberg and Perez- both who have more than earned a shot as second driver at a top team- have had to trundle around in **** customer cars for way too long because of people like Raikonnen hogging seats. Used to love the guy but as someone said above, he's become the pay check number 2, something I never imagined saying about him back in the mid 2000s.


    Need a few things to fall right now to make f1 interesting.

    Honda and Renault being competitive and a relative convergence of engine performance is the biggest thing. That way Alonso would retain a foothold to actually have a fight with the likes of Lewis/Seb and we'd see Ricciardo and Verstappen (and perhaps Hulk at Renault) unleash their true speed.

    I also think it would see the likes of Raikonnen and Bottas eclipsed by the elite drivers.

    Where do people see the dust settling when 2018 is done?

    Personally I have a gut feeling about the following moves down the line:

    Ricciardo- McLaren (wherever Vettel is, he won't be. Vettel will either sign an extension with Ferrari or move to Mercedes). McLaren need a guy at his prime who is super quick and marketable and the Aussie is perfect. Works team no.1 driver would be somehing I see Dan signing up for. A risk, but Honda will get closer in next 18 months. I definitely see Danny Ricc leaving Red Bull as I think they'll throw their eggs behind Max.

    Long Shot?

    Vettel & Hamilton swap. German world champ in the German team, and Hamilton to be the first ever black Ferrari driver? Pretty big historical event right there. He's also mega quick and I think the Fans would take to him?


    Until then, let's enjoy the drab Raikonnen stealing a multi million living!

    <laugh>
     
    #130

  11. Number 1 Jasper

    Number 1 Jasper Well-Known Member

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    Disagree about Bottas , I think he is quality .
     
    #131
  12. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    yeah, Bottas had shown he had it, I remember his move through S1 in Austin, same as the one everyone came in their pants to when Max did it, afaic he was an upgrade on Rosberg
     
    #132
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  13. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    I like Bottas- seems a nice bloke. However let's be fair here, he's 3rd in a 3 horse race, and circumstances have put the gap closer than it was a few weeks ago.

    He's done a very sound job in the Mercedes, but do you think he has the speed to blunt the likes of Ricc/Verstappen/Alonso? I just can't have it I'm afraid. Solid and pretty consistent. Perhaps even very good. But just not elite.
     
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    Last edited: Aug 23, 2017
  14. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    reliability issues? liek his engine blowing up and having his tyres wrongly inflated.

    oops, that was Bottas, not Hamilton.
     
    #134
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  15. allsaintchris.

    allsaintchris. Well-Known Member

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    The Mercedes is clearly a difficult beast to set up this year as the gap between Hamilton and Bottas has yo-yoed between races, however Bottas has probably been the more consistent of the two and has done a far better job than he was expected to. Have generally been impressed by him this year (spin behind the China safety car excepted!) and Mercedes have no reason not to renew his contract for performance reasons. He will only lose his seat if someone more 'marketable' becomes available.
     
    #135
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  16. happyal

    happyal Active Member

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    Yeap, pretty much agree with everything you say here. I didn't expect Bottas to push Lewis at all and I've been pretty impressed with the way he's got up to speed in the Mercedes this year.
     
    #136
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  17. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    I thought he'd give him a run for his money, but I thought Hamilton would be far more focused than he was last season, but that hasn't really been the case.


    In other news Vandoorne has re-signed for McHRT, I don't know whether to congratulate the guy, or commiserate with him.
     
    #137
  18. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    Just posted a link on Spa thread about Honda, Illien and McLaren, towards the end it mentions that the news of the STR Honda deal being dead isn't as true as has been reported. I was a bit surprised when it was reported tbh, it made sense to me that RBR would use STR as a PU development car with a view to becoming the factory team now that Renault are back.
     
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  19. Smithers

    Smithers Well-Known Member
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    True, I suppose time will tell.
     
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  20. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    Looks like I got some facts mixed up with the Bottas reliability stuff above- I take some of those back.

    Moving on, Vandoorne signing with McLaren is good to see someone getting the genuine time and chance. Norris waiting in the wings if he doesn't deliver.

    Now, onto Ilmor. Great news that Honda have opened the doors and let someone have a holistic look at their PU. We should see genuine progress stage by stage over the next 18 months, but suspect it is more about closing a gap to as little as possbile as opposed to matching Merc. If they can get close they will begin to see some very competitive results, as the chassis and aero team look like they've made good progress under Prodromou.

    If I were Alonso, I'd be staying. Unless Renault have a nailed on PU leveller waiting in the wings, why else would he move?

    As a question to the forum, if you were McLaren would you take the cost to allow Toro Rosso to have Honda engines with a view to joint works partners with Red Bull, with the gain being the speed of development? Or would you close the door and develop as a one-team?
     
    #140

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