The bit I have highlighted at the bottom concerns me , unless he really is thinking long term . Kubica is due to test initially at Silverstone after the Japanese Grand Prix before moving on to a full assessment test at the Hungaroring and both outings are expected to be private. Williams declined to comment. The team plan to run for two days at the site of the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Kubica driving one day and Williams reserve driver Paul di Resta the other to provide a benchmark for Kubica's performance. Di Resta, 31, also has an outside chance of being promoted to a race seat next season, but unless something changes, the decision over 2018 at this stage is fundamentally between Massa and Kubica. The key question for Williams is whether Kubica is physically up to a return to F1. Renault said in August that they still had "question marks" over Kubica's readiness to return to F1 after a day's test at the Hungaroring in their 2017 car. But his manager says the driver is ready to make a return and Kubica will be determined to use the Williams test as a chance to prove it. The main question marks are over the strength and mobility in his right arm, which was partially severed in the accident in 2011, in which he also suffered multiple fractures throughout his body. Williams will want to establish whether he can manage the car in long, demanding corners, of which the Hungaroring has several, and can turn it around a tight hairpin. His physical endurance in terms of the strength of his arm over a race distance is also a concern. Di Resta filled in capably for Massa at the last minute when the Brazilian fell ill over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. The Scot, who had last raced in F1 in 2013, qualified 0.7 seconds behind team-mate Lance Stroll despite not having sat in the car before qualifying started. Massa retired at the end of last season because Williams intended to partner Stroll with Finn Valtteri Bottas this season and could not get a driver elsewhere. But when Bottas moved to Mercedes following the retirement of world champion Nico Rosberg, the 36-year-old returned. Although Stroll has impressed at some races, most notably Azerbaijan and Italy, Massa has comprehensively out-performed the 18-year-old Canadian rookie at most races this season, and has a sizeable advantage over him in qualifying of an average of around 0.7secs a lap. But Williams are aware that Massa can be inconsistent and do not want to pass up the opportunity to take Kubica if he is close to the level he was before his accident. He was regarded as one of the very best drivers in F1, with a talent comparable to that of Briton Lewis Hamilton and Spain's Fernando Alonso. Stroll's father Lawrence is paying many millions of pounds a season for his son's position at Williams and is taking on an influential role at the team. But he is said to have no say in the decision over who Williams recruits for 2018 and to be fully supportive of the team signing the best and most suitable driver. XXX unless he is thinking about sponsorship only XXX, in that case I am interested , he has connections ! Much as I LOVE the Martini scheme , they are hampered by the 25 year old ( Driver ) rule .
Slightly screwed by Massa’s mechinacal retirement in Baku where he was In front of Stroll. But to be fair he has come on in leaps and bounds as of late and appears to be matching Massa now.
the majority of Massa's points came in the first few races while Lance was earning his Strolololol epithet, the more the season unfolded the more Stroll has seemed to get the upper hand. He was clumsy and nervous, which became just nervous around Canada, he drove to finish there, I felt he could've finished higher, but the finish with a point was all important. Since then I think he has improved quite a bit, but still seems quite wary of other cars, while he is racing at least, cool-down laps seem to be a different story. He made a move on Massa, which surprised me a bit as he's been fairly passive over-taking if memory serves, which considering his first few races isn't much of a surprise, the more confident he gets in himself, and the other drivers, the mor eI think he'll pull away from Massa in the table.
Stroll equalling Massa's ability still probably means he's 0.5 s away from being actually good. Stroll is improving and deserves another season, but Massa surely needs to be moved on.
With Red Bull getting plenty of podiums and a win on merit already this year it'll be interesting to see if McLarens chassis hype pays off next season. They will be judged by their performance against Red Bull and the ever improving Renault. Nothing to hide behind any more and Alonso may have a chance to live up to his own ego.
Would be risky for him at the moment, we could be at a new age of all change, there's no reason why the Red Bulls can't come into their own. Unless he thinks he can get into Ferrari?
So does that mean Sainz is moving early? Also, Gasly still wants to race in Super Formula, which clashes with one F1 race. TR will bring back Kvyat, but who would race alongside him for that single race?
I don't think they pay Palmer a salary, it's more like he pays Renault for a seat. So he probably had a contract where he'd paid to race for the season. Renault have presumably bought their way out of that, or found another way to appease Palmer.
I thought I read somewhere that they offered him 4 mill to buy out his contract early , but he wanted 7 million . https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/231684/palmer-turns-down-offer-to-give-up-renault-seat