Adios, Nico!
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/127368
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I just read this and I was floored by it, but clearly understand where he is coming from. It takes courage and clarity of thought to take such a step and give up a winning cockpit. Godspeed to him!
I doubt Wehrlein will get it (but why not, when you get good talent for cheap $), Extracting Alonso or Vettel wont happen, because that would end up costing Merc big bucks! I also have a feeling, Vettel will retire too once his Ferrari Contract is over.
Poor Alonso would give an arm and a leg to drive for Merc - he just wants a 3rd title and he will be done with F1 too! All merc engined drivers will be considered surely Ocon and Wehrlein. OR may be Merc go for the bulls-eye and take Verstappen with them, this should be a good off-season!
Come on Toto and Nikki - give us Lewis vs Alonso OR Lewis vs Max
Last edited by Blanchimont; 12-02-2016 at 09:26 AM.
Not a bad move.
I can't even imagine who Merc will pick as Hammersmith's co-driver. All the other top drivers are already locked in.
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
Completely understand, but holy hell that was shocking to hear
RTR
http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/242...mpions-f1-exit
C'mon Brundle. Really? Dealing with the Hammalog for 4 years would push me to want to retire as well, especially if it were clear my teammate were faster than me on our respective best days. If he didn't retire, Rosberg would be effectively Webber with a championship for the foreseeable future..."I find it absolutely extraordinary, a big surprise," said Brundle. "I don't know what's tormented him that much to want to call it a day right now. It's obviously a personal decision and it's bad for Formula 1 because we haven't got a world champion through the winter and next season.
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
That's crazy. I'm shocked.
This was a shocking thing to wake up to.
Yeah, I was reading the news and just kept staring at that headline, thinking that it has to be a joke, and how did someone manage to pull that off on that news site? Then I looked for signs that it's one of those 'from elsewhere on the web' crap-links. Only then did I realise that it could be true.
Nico can do pretty much whatever he wants now, and as others have said: working hard as hell, having to deal with the king of douches regularly, etc. just probably isn't worth it to him. He has the money (and never had to race for the money in the first place), he has family he wants to focus on, and everything. Sure, this wasn't exactly 'dropping the mic' even though he might view it that way, but I somehow completely understand the decision.
The big question on my mind is whether he's really that much of a racer at heart that he'll do other racing events, like Le Mans? That's my immediate thought: the loads of other racing opportunities that he couldn't get involved in while bound to F1, but maybe not his?
My biggest hope is that Hammy will follow suit and pursue his 'rap career' and become a Kardashian or something. He seems to want to work as an F1 driver even less, I'm sure he'd be more happy to get the attention he so desperately is seeking from starting his own reality show.
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About the replacement: surely it's Wehrlein? How else is even on the list? Bottas signed with Williams already, right?
Last edited by MagneZium; 12-02-2016 at 11:04 AM.
BMWs are fun in the snow too...
Saw it on his insstagram this morning.
Initially reaction was shock.
But good for him. He has a family and seems to like classic cars a lot. I think he'll find what to do with himself.
No idea who they will line up beside Lewis. Maybe Wehrlein. But I'd personally love to see that be Max.
I kept on waiting to read it was a joke...but nope. Good for him....young..... rich.....and champ......not bad. Must be hard to walk tho....$$$$$$$$$$$
btw, Hammy is going to sign w/ JayZ...just read that as well...
not
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I have a fam...I loooooove classic cars.
I should retire too.....lol
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
Toto Wolff is the manager of both Wehrlein and Bottas, and both are 'Mercedes guys' sort of. Wehrlein also has a reputation of being 'difficult', plus hasn't got that much F1 experience. Bothe Wehrlein and Hammy in the same team might be a bit too much. Bottas' contract with Williams can easily be handled, especially since sliding Wehrlein into Bottas' slot and a bit of extra cash won't be a bad result for that team. Then again that would mean two 'new guys' at Williams, amidst a switch to a very new kind of car, which they might not find ideal at all.
But I have no info on how Mercedes team views Bottas, and naturally Merc would prefer a German.
Last edited by MagneZium; 12-02-2016 at 12:12 PM.
BMWs are fun in the snow too...
Amazing. He must be walking away from at least $30 million over the next few years, to say nothing of the opportunity to win another title. I used to think that Nico's problem was a lack of the ultimate competitive fire. Then he proved he had it - racing wheel to wheel with Lewis and winning. Now, absolutely at the top of his game he is walking away like he's got better things to do. Strange. F1 certainly has the capacity to surprise.
Please, racing gods, let it be Bottas. Max would be great, but that seems unlikely in the extreme, so please, let it be Bottas.
He was never able to do this. The only time he got the better of Hamnation was at the starts.
Nico caught his teammate "napping" at the beginning of the year, and it's a scenario Lewis is not likely to let happen again, so Nico would be looking at perennial underdog status whenever Lewis felt like actually driving his car.
As a Bottas fan, on the one hand I would love that, but it would suck for Williams, a team I like a lot.....Please, racing gods, let it be Bottas. Max would be great, but that seems unlikely in the extreme, so please, let it be Bottas.
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
Now everything makes sense. Rumor was that Hamilton quit Mercedes after Barcelona GP because it became obvious to him that Mercedes was supporting Nico 100% in 2016. Nico probably made it clear in advance that if he wins he will retire, so maybe that is what got Lewis back in. Mercedes also wanted to win with German driver. Why did Nico walk away from 18 million dollar contract for 2017? Because he is now F1 champ and his profile has risen and he can always make money doing something in motorsports. He won't starve that is for sure.
Another rumor is that Ecclestone admitted Mercedes may quit F1 because they achieved what they needed to do to promote Mercedes. There is no upside of them staying too long. Roumor is that Mercedes stopped spending money of engine development, so car may not be P1 in 2017. maybe because of that information Rosberg decided to go.
Last edited by hakentt; 12-02-2016 at 02:28 PM.
Yep, I was blown away when I heard the news.
But good for him. The stress must have been incomprehensible. Wish him the best with everything.
Suspect we're missing a variable.
Edit: Here's a wild idea... and a cheap one, too, on such short notice.
Why not ring Jenson and see if he's busy, next year?
Last edited by Stuttgart951; 12-02-2016 at 04:15 PM.
Current: '94 MX-6 V6/5 • '72 240Z • '10 Mazda5
Past: '02 330i/5 • '85 RX-7 GSL-SE • '95 540i/6 • '95 525i/5 • '86 635CSi/5 • '88 JZA70 • '86 4K quattro • '85 RX-7 S
Wish list: Type 44 • Manta • Pre-'85 CGT • 405 Mi16 • SVX • W123 Coupe
There was no wheel-to-wheel racing between them because pretty much every time there was about to be, Hamilton cheated by pushing Rosberg off the track as if his life depended on such a panic move, and wouldn't be able to fend Nico off for longer or with clean moves.
Nico ended last season by being dominant, and started this season that way too. Nico most probably was being conservative for the end of the season too, just to make sure he makes no mistakes and gathered the points needed. If Nico would've had motivation or need to go for the wins, and especially if the radio ban would've stayed I'm sure the points difference would've been even larger.
In the previous seasons too Nico was often the one with faster lap times and was catching Hammy, only to have the duel end in aero&Pirelli tires making it impossible to make the pass or Hammy pushing him off the track. Last season Nico suffered more from reliability issues too.
Last edited by MagneZium; 12-02-2016 at 05:18 PM.
BMWs are fun in the snow too...
Dude! Seriously....do you even WATCH Formula 1......the stuff you say is sooooo far from what has actually happened. I've gotta ask....!?! I don't think you've been watching for very long because what say is way off. Anyways, Nico is better off playing with his new kid and his hot wife than trying to defend that championship against a fuming and aggressive Hammer. If I were him I would have done the same damn thing. I'd turn to Hamilton and say "you can't catch me.... Nah nanana nah!" Then exit with my championship intact.
I wonder if he would like to try at Le Mans racing.
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