Lobato was right, it was Ferrari who stopped Alonso going to Mercedes. If Alonso can negotiate that escape clause, he is in the best position - if McLaren are competitive he will stay there and win championships. If they suck, he can go to Mercedes the following year.
http://www.not606.com/showthread.ph...n-Lineup-s-Rumours-News?p=7181321#post7181321 Post number 2325... Alonso's been reading my posts...
Some slightly odd quotes from Eric Boullier today on the McLaren driver situation. On the one hand he states that the decision will be made once they have "all the data" and at the same time states that Jenson can't really influence his future with performances on track. So either "data" is a very odd way to refer to the question of whether or not Alonso will sign or they are still trying to evaluate whether or not KMag has shown enough potential to justify ousting a world champion (or even to stay ahead of Vandoorne).
Reading that, i think he is trying to say,.. "we already know what Jenson brings and until we have a full seasons "Data" with KMag, We're not sure how to rate him in comparison". Which to me, sounds like Alonso and Button next year in McLaren.
Interesting Quote: The only scenario for Alonso to take a year out is to get a merc seat. So its interesting Toto has speculated on the 'Gap year'
@f1talks: Domenicali linked with Audi LeMans project, Alonso linked with LeMans... #F1 #makesillyseasonevenmoresilly http://t.co/oYMqMkQEdB @LorenzoDL83: So #Raikkonen and #Ferrari succesfully negotiated a new contract, with a 20% pay cut with an option for 2016
Please no Raikkonen after 2015, the only reason I'm happy for him to still be there next year is he said he was retiring. He's well past it now. Hulk in please.
I think we should only judge Raikkonen next season in a James Allison Ferrari. Showed at Lotus in his cars that he isn't anywhere near past it and has on (rare) occasion this year shown in a pig of a Ferrari that he can match Alonso when the car suits a bit better. Another season even half as bad as this though and i think that has to be it for him.
Isn't Toto speculating on a gap year just trying to remove a threat to Mercedes? Make Alonso believe there's a reasonable chance of a 2016 Merc seat so that he takes a sabbatical, then sign up Hamilton to a long contract to partner Rosberg and go laughing all the way to the 2015 championship with a diminished challenge. I don't think we'll see any of this resolved before the end of the season, because Rosberg and Hamilton's working relationship could force Mercedes hand. If there's some serious fireworks between the two so that someone has to leave, Alonso is very well placed to benefit. I think the season will end, and then depending on how things are in Mercedes either Hamilton will sign a long-term deal, or he'll leave and Alonso will come in. Hamilton could go to Ferrari or back to Mclaren.
Depends how much they're looking to the future I suppose. This year I feel on some levels Mercedes wished they had a worse 2nd driver. Someone unlikely to battle Rosberg/Hamilton on track but still picking up podiums each race. Whether they'll have that advantage in the future, we'll have to see.
According to 'some' fans that's what they have, but then again they said that whilst he was at McLaren aswell!
