Rosberg Retires!!!

How long is Hamilton's contract? I've got a feeling that either he, or the team, won't renew his contract. If they already know what, it would make sense for Mercedes to go after a new number 1 driver now. But that does depend on if they can get him out of their current contract.

 

Why would they want to get rid of Hamilton though?

All top drivers are pains in the asses, so they just end up replacing him with another high maintenance person who wants to do nothing more than win every single race and gets annoyed when they don't.

Like him or loathe him, he is a marketing dream and earns them millions as a result. Mercedes are all about the money, so they'd have to be sure whoever they brought in would also be 'box office'. Remember, they are not a 'racing' team in the mould of Williams or McLaren.

 

Vettel for Hamilton swap at some future date....?

 

well, they've tried Alonso, and they're trying Vettel, so it makes sense from their point of view, but how does Lewis feel about Ferrari? I know a lot of drivers want to drive for Ferrari because it's Ferrari, he might prefer to go 'home' and replicate Senna by winning the WDC in a McLaren Honda.

 

If Alonso and Vettel can't win a title at Ferrari, I imagine Hamilton will look at them and step away as well. I don't think he's motivated purely by money, so can't see him doing a Schumacher and moving from a title winning team to one that hasn't won a bean for ages.

Ferrari have to completely restructure if they want to get back to the front. As romantic (and financial) an option as they are, anyone who seriously wants to win a title have to look at Mercedes or RBR at the moment. McLaren may get their stuff together at some point, but no one will touch them until Honda get their act together, Alonso wasn't to know what a dogs dinner of a powertrain they were going to produce when he signed up.

 

I don't think he's over attached. I think above all he just wants to win and will go wherever he thinks he can do that (assuming the team has a free spot and wants him of course).

 

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...ident-fernando-alonso-wont-leave-for-mercedes

They seem a little worried to me.

 

Ferrari's apparent disarray is a good point. Not like the good old days of Ross Brawn, Rory Borne et al is it?

 

I am almost certain Seb won't move, he won't bail on the Ferrari project. Fernando I am a little less certain on, Bottas even more so.

 

Looks like it's going to be Bottas which is going to leave Williams with a very inexperienced driver pairing.

 

There are still some possible replacements out there who can bring some experience with them, or Williams bring someone in with lots of backing, then with Stroll's, Mercedes and new guys money, they could really put in some development through the season and from the basis to sign better drivers for 2018 knowing they would have a strong car?

 

Bottas would be a dull choice.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38219533

well, there's Wolfe's thinking at least, he wants Alonso, and there will be no pecking order, music to fans ears, I'd take that. In exchange Mercedes can give Honda their 2015 engine to look at

 

Well, there's Benson spinning some quotes together into a non-story for the F1 'news' section of the BBC.... I'd love to know if those Wolff quotes were said at the same time, or whether he's cherry-picked them.

 

No way Mercedes would sign Alonso. I'd love to see it happen though, can't see Alonso doing the lap times Mercedes specify. Would be fun to watch both drivers ruining the teams idea of let them race.

 

Would be fun in a way to watch the world burn.

 

I think his humour would have a different effect on Lewis than when they were previously paired. It would be dynamite viewing.

 

If it's Bottas or Wehrlein.... then we have to pray that Red Bull can make the season even remotely watchable.

 

If Merc go with a rookie I can see RB being WCC.

 

I actually think Alonso has become much more mature and much more comfortable with himself now, especially I think because he has seen that Lewis was actually a brilliant rookie. The Alonso of 2007 was a bit embarrassed at heart in my opinion and he felt a bit stitched up by McLaren.

The fact he jumped from Ferrari to McLaren is a huge statement of who he is now- to bury the hatchet with Ron Dennis and go for an ambitious project but the only one he felt might get close to Mercedes.

He and Lewis would be fireworks but what we truly want is Alonso in a fast McLaren and Hamilton in a fast Merc, and those two speedballs in the Red Bull.