Rosberg Retires!!!
- Thread starter eddie_squidd
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
If it's going to be a one year deal only then Button probably is the best bet. Relatively speaking him and Hamilton were OK as team mates, but then again a title was never really possible during their time.
If they're looking longer team then they have to throw a younger potential at it. Who knows what clauses drivers have in their contract but Mercedes only really have 6 or so weeks to get it done.
If they're looking longer team then they have to throw a younger potential at it. Who knows what clauses drivers have in their contract but Mercedes only really have 6 or so weeks to get it done.
I would love to see JB have a year at Merc but not convinced he is motivated to come back. A safe option though. If Alonso went there I can't see JB filling the seat at Mclaren. Someone will break their contract to get that seat. And if it is an established F1 driver Toto, Paddy and Nikki have already short listed their favourites, assume each picked a different name, there are 3 names in the hat. Will cost play a part, doubtful. But I still think we will nearly all be surprised.
The title was a pretty real possibility for both until quite late in 2010, not quite the personal battle Rosberg had with Lewis though.
The slightly drunk Jenson on channel 4 after the race seemed pretty happy to be out of F1 and post Monza his performances really fell away. However i suppose if anything could spark some motivation back it'd be the chance to fight for wins in the Mercedes, maybe if only for the podium at Silverstone...
If Button got the call from Merc I reckon he'd be there in a heartbeat. Surely he wouldn't think twice!
Last edited:
No doubt! I'd really like to see Hamilton and Vettel go head to head though. Plus what better driver for the Merc brand? Surely they'd pull out all the stops if they thought they could get him?
The real question is, what do Mercedes want from the driver? An unquestioning no.2 who will always concede, like Barricello? Or someone who will race Hamilton? For me, from an ideal racing pov, it would be either Max or Danny, with Sainz stepping into the RBR, possible 4 way fight there
Red Bull could be pretty good next year. Seems pointless for them to buy themselves out of a contract to get the Mercedes drive.
I want a proper racer alongside Hamilton. The problem with that is that Merc are too afraid to actually let them race, so they may bottle it.
Edit.
I'd be happy with either Ricciardo or Max... though I may prefer Ricciardo. I really rate him. He's the complete package. Great racer, great guy.
Last edited:
I want a PROPER RACING team to buy out MB , then these engines can f off . Won't happen , but I can dream ...........
I think Alonso is the obvious choice. There is some unfinished business. Doesn't matter if they are competing for the championship or not. Lewis vs Fernando needs to happen again.
Vergne and particularly Buemi are a class apart in Formula E at the moment too, nobody is getting close to them. I can't imagine it'd be hard to buy them out of their contracts there either.
From within F1, I think Bottas might be the easiest, "2nd tier" driver to get hold of. Toto is part of his management, and Williams don't exactly have the finances to say no to Mercedes buying his contract out. He'd probably be a comfortable number 2 but deliver solid results. I could see Williams then looking to Vergne/Buemi for an experienced replacement then.
It'd be amazing to see Alonso, Vettel, Ricciardo or Verstappen alongside Hamilton, and I think with the WCC perhaps more open next season, Mercedes could see the sense in having another top driver alongside Hamilton. Of those, I think Ricciardo and Verstappen would be too hard to get out of their existing contracts, and they might be tempted to stay based on what they know of the 2017 Red Bull. Ferrari don't seem too desperate to keep Vettel, but equally I can't see them letting him walk to a rival. With Alonso, I think it'll be down to whether he has performance-related breaks in his contract, and whether Hamilton would veto it...
yeah, but Max v Lewis would be more 'spectacular'. carbon fibre confetti every few weeks. If I were Horner I'd seriously consider letting him go, both Ricciardo and Sainz are as fast, and more team players than Max. They could steal a championship with the 2nd best car whilst Max & Lewis steal points off each other and come into contact as one forces the other off.
You must log in or register to see media
Meanwhile Toto Wolff says hiring a "top driver" is his least likely option, hinting that either Pascal Wehrlein or Esteban Ocon could take the vacant seat.
"We have three roads that we can follow," Wolff told Gazzetta dello Sport. "The first is to think about having a number one and a number two.
"The second school of thought is to make use of our junior drivers, Ocon or Wehrlein and then the third path is to go on the market for a top driver. The third path I mentioned is the one I like least."
Relying on what Mercedes do rather than what they say, they clearly don't want two drivers racing each other. They want controlled 1-2 finishes. I think you can forget Alonso or Vettel.
One article suggested that Werdheim is quite self centered and a bit of a pain to control, so can't see them wanting another Lewis to race alongside Lewis at this point. Suggest Wetdheim has the personality of someone who could be a champion, but imagine Mercedes would like a period of calm for a bit.
Buying Bottas out does seem the logical solution. Proven driver, safe pair of hands and a good back up to Lewis, as well as likely to challenge him now and then as well. Can be bought out quite easily by way of free or subsidised engines for Williams, plenty of half decent drivers available to fill his place. Vergne wouldn't be a bad shout.
Leaves Williams in a very difficult situation, no driver roll over for feedback and a rookie in the other seat. Putting Pascal or even Nsar in the other seat, leaves that as a very week line up for a team of Williams status.