Rumour has it Ferrari will announce Fernando Alonso's new/old/new old team-mate at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend. With that in mind, which will it be? Basically this exists as an excuse to create a poll and gauge opinion! Five people have been strongly linked with the seat: Felipe Massa I don't think I need to really say much that hasn't already been said about Felipe. Flashes of his former brilliance are there but he's failing to bring home constructors' points for Ferrari and he's failing to gain Alonso extra WDC points by beating his rivals. Nico Hulkenberg The German wonderkid fired from Williams for not having £10m in sponsorship has undergone a revitalisation at Force India this season, finishing a criminally underrated fourth at Spa and being linked with the seats now known to be occupied by Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton. Whether he counts as "experienced" enough for Ferrari is of course another matter. Paul di Resta The Mercedes protege who challenged Sutil strongly has been solid if unspectacular this season, a couple of fourth places finishes and some rather undeserved big talk from his agent his main contribution to the speculation. Again, whether he is "experienced" enough for Ferrari is perhaps in question. Michael Schumacher The joker in the pack. Schumacher has been linked with a sensational* return to the team where he made the vast majority of his fortune. With Vettel set to take the seat for 2014, a one-year deal to help Alonso and the team develop the car - especially ahead of the planned 2014 regulations changes - would seem to represent a sound investment. His salary demands may cause a problem, however. *sensationalism not guaranteed. your home may be re-possessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Heikki Kovalainen Representatives have been in talks for some time with both Ferrari and Lotus, with Kovalainen now expected to leave Caterham next season. It is perceived that he would be unlikely to challenge Alonso but still strong, while a one-year deal at Ferrari would open doors for 2014 and perhaps re-ignite his career. However, is now perceived as the rank outsider. DISCUSS POLE VAULT JAVELIN
I believe there's some truth to the Hulkenburg pre-contract story. Then there's something else I just noticed on Twitter: I don't know when they both did this, but look who's on top of each others list: https://twitter.com/alo_oficial/following https://twitter.com/NicoHulkenberg/following
Got to be Hulkenberg as Perez has been taken and was even Mercedes' second choice. Obviously Hamilton was never going to look there. Massa has been showing signs of recovery, even though it is at a snails pace, but if Ferrari are looking for change then it won't be him. Paul, maybe out-shone by Nico through this season, a few big results to his name in the lower leagues, but I think his present teammate has the edge. Interesting you mentioned Heikki, there is some logic to that. He wanted a change in his career, decided that aiding and driving for a new team would do him good, it may have. Although he has not yet achieved bringing Caterham into the mid-field, he has pace. Although being a man looking to do good in his own career, I seriously don't think he will want to be a lapdog to Alonso. And Michael, well he has Ferrari-Ferrari and Sauber-Ferrari to look at. + May have a shot at winning(which he didn't at Mercedes). + "Back home". + Increased publicity. - Bitch to Alonso? + Back to where his career began (Sauber-Mercedes DTM), nice symmetry? + Smaller team, gains publicity needed. + Peter Sauber, good relationship with Michael, team may grow positively from this. + Bucket loads of experience in terms of car development. + Chassis is soft on tyres (flaw of MGP for 3 years). + Car seems to be getting faster. - Small team may not afford salary (whether Schumacher wants it anyway). - May not be in the top 4 or 5 yet. - Leave the seat for a younger, less experienced driver (is that was Sauber needs?) - Michael may be tired, nothing else to prove in his career really. PS: will Hulkenberg want to be a lap-dog to Alonso for one season only, before Seb's alleged move there????
aaah.... that takes me back! If Ferrari really want to win the WCC they have to now ditch Massa. Alonso can win a WDC all on his own, but if he had a teammate who could intefere with the others and take points off them it would make his jopb a lot easier and give Ferrari a much better chance of double honours.
Want it to be Heikki but I think that Vettel will be moving to Ferrari in 2014 so I think Massa will retain the seat for a year before being deservedly kicked out at the end of next year
Think it will be Massa, if the Vettel rumours are true I can't see Hulky being there for only one season
That was the other point I was going to mention about Hulkenberg and di Resta, they're both quite young drivers with their careers ahead of them, moving to Ferrari and being out of the door after a year would be quite a short-sighted move in that regard.
I want it to be Hulk and I don't see it being a problem for him if it's just for one year; it will still be great on his CV, barring any disaster. However, we're all presuming that Vettel is definitely going to Ferrari in 2014 but isn't it said that there are performance clauses which may mean he'll stay at Red Bull? While there's no smoke without fire and the Vettel story is one that doesn't go away, it's not 100% certain. Either way, I think it would be a win-win for Hulk and for Ferrari and I really hope they do it. It would be sad for Felipe but some fresh blood with a real hunger would be a better option, IMO.
No clue where all this Vettel to drive for Ferrari in 2014 talk comes from...... 2015 onwards maybe, but for sure not in 2014.
He has a clause for 2014, depending what it is, that it could be something similar to what Lewis has at Mercedes. (Give him a certain amount of wins or a WDC or he will jump ship before the 3rd and final year. That and the worlds media went into meltdown that Lewis' XIX group told Mark Hughes that Ferrari already signed him up pretty much around Monaco when they asked if Lewis could go instead.
Do we actually know this for certain or is this one of those rumours which has become accepted wisdom by relentless repetition?
Marko actually admitted it and so did Dietrich. http://www.crash.net/f1/news/180313/1/marko_vettel_could_go_anywhere_in_2014.html If you look far enough back the clause is even mentioned when he signed on the day if you look around enough.
Red Bull, exactly Mateschitz, always said Sebastian can go whenever he wants to. They won't hold him back if he wishes to leave. So they know that whenever their car doesn't allow top results the Vettel/Ferrari story will grow, but as long the car works fine i don't see it happen in the near future.
