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Thread: The Official 2016-2017 F1 Offseason Thread

  1. #26
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    Rosberg's replacement: (caveat - the contract will probably only be for a year if they cannot get an ex-WDC) maybe.... Webber? He raced for Merc in the past and has "good" ties with them. He's even somersaulted one of their cars too.

    Toto has said that he's trying to "further" talks with Alonso. I doubt McLaren would let him leave without some serious penalty monies because they won't have a WDC in their car and therefore would not be as valuable to sponsors. And they really really NEED a primary sponsor. That's one of the reasons why Ron Dennis was kicked to the curb with Zak Brown taking his place. So I really doubt it'll be Alonso.

    Werhlein - nope - not ready - especially since OCON was on par with him - even not really fitting the car properly. And Ocon has just signed with Force India.

    Since we're just throwing names about: Di Resta? Could be a really small option since he drives Merc in DTM. Really slim chance or none at all but driver pickings are slim. 0.01%

    Bottas - Williams could do with the funding that Merc would need to pay to break the contract but since Williams is such a family oriented team I doubt Bottas would leave. Especially now that he's team leader after Massa's retirement. I don't think Bottas would leave just for a year. He would burn some bridges doing that.

    Massa - Probably more of a chance than Bottas - if it's just for one year - but I doubt Merc will want him unless they've no alternatives - they may just want a good 2nd fiddle driver and they may call him. Given that I don't think Massa will agree.

    Button - dunno - I don't think he'd want to be alongside Hamilton again because it prove to be very very stressful and he seems to want to relax and mellow for a year.

    Seb and Kimi will be with Ferrari. A new Hope and Marchionne making promises the team cannot keep thereby stressing out everyone but especially Arrivabene.

    If Hulk hadn't signed with Renault I think Merc would have called him. He's a solid driver and he's German. But since Merc cannot put any pressure on, or sweeten a deal with, Renault (unlike FI, Manor) I doubt this will happen.

    Daniel and Max are out - there's ZERO chance RB would let either of them out of their contracts.

    Perez? Better chance than average. He scored well this year and due to Nico's bad luck and shitty strategy he beat him solidly. He's also signed with FI but Merc could sweeten the deal with PU pricing etc. I think one thing that flags Perez was his "terrible" year with McLaren. It'll be hard to get a top team seat again, just yet, because of that.

    Kmag? Going to Haas next year but Merc wouldn't care about sticking a stick in the Haas (Ferrari) wheels. But doubt it.

    Maldonado without sponsorship money? Not even Merc can afford those repairs.

    So, at this point it's really anyone's guess. Would love to see how Hulk, Webber, PDR, Kmag, Bottas fair in equal cars alongside Lewis. However, Merc is likely to seriously ruffle some other team's feathers now due to this.

    Should be an entertaining off season

  2. #27
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    Do they have any reserve drivers like from GP2?



  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by auaq View Post
    Do they have any reserve drivers like from GP2?
    I think their reserve drivers were Wehrlein and/or Ocon.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RidgeBack View Post
    Rosberg's replacement: (caveat - the contract will probably only be for a year if they cannot get an ex-WDC) maybe.... Webber? He raced for Merc in the past and has "good" ties with them. He's even somersaulted one of their cars too.

    Toto has said that he's trying to "further" talks with Alonso. I doubt McLaren would let him leave without some serious penalty monies because they won't have a WDC in their car and therefore would not be as valuable to sponsors. And they really really NEED a primary sponsor. That's one of the reasons why Ron Dennis was kicked to the curb with Zak Brown taking his place. So I really doubt it'll be Alonso.

    Werhlein - nope - not ready - especially since OCON was on par with him - even not really fitting the car properly. And Ocon has just signed with Force India.

    Since we're just throwing names about: Di Resta? Could be a really small option since he drives Merc in DTM. Really slim chance or none at all but driver pickings are slim. 0.01%

    Bottas - Williams could do with the funding that Merc would need to pay to break the contract but since Williams is such a family oriented team I doubt Bottas would leave. Especially now that he's team leader after Massa's retirement. I don't think Bottas would leave just for a year. He would burn some bridges doing that.

    Massa - Probably more of a chance than Bottas - if it's just for one year - but I doubt Merc will want him unless they've no alternatives - they may just want a good 2nd fiddle driver and they may call him. Given that I don't think Massa will agree.

    Button - dunno - I don't think he'd want to be alongside Hamilton again because it prove to be very very stressful and he seems to want to relax and mellow for a year.

    Seb and Kimi will be with Ferrari. A new Hope and Marchionne making promises the team cannot keep thereby stressing out everyone but especially Arrivabene.

    If Hulk hadn't signed with Renault I think Merc would have called him. He's a solid driver and he's German. But since Merc cannot put any pressure on, or sweeten a deal with, Renault (unlike FI, Manor) I doubt this will happen.

    Daniel and Max are out - there's ZERO chance RB would let either of them out of their contracts.

    Perez? Better chance than average. He scored well this year and due to Nico's bad luck and shitty strategy he beat him solidly. He's also signed with FI but Merc could sweeten the deal with PU pricing etc. I think one thing that flags Perez was his "terrible" year with McLaren. It'll be hard to get a top team seat again, just yet, because of that.

    Kmag? Going to Haas next year but Merc wouldn't care about sticking a stick in the Haas (Ferrari) wheels. But doubt it.

    Maldonado without sponsorship money? Not even Merc can afford those repairs.

    So, at this point it's really anyone's guess. Would love to see how Hulk, Webber, PDR, Kmag, Bottas fair in equal cars alongside Lewis. However, Merc is likely to seriously ruffle some other team's feathers now due to this.

    Should be an entertaining off season
    I have a feeling it will go to Werhlein

    Alonso - as race fans we all hope THIS really happens, but I do not see it
    Bottas - wont happen, because i read somewhere that his and the teams (especially) contract requires him to be there - but you never know
    Rest of the drivers are moot point!

    So Werhlein - everyone knows Force India picked up Ocon, because over a race he is able to execute the strategy better then Werhlein. Werhlien is good in quali and initial race starts, but over a distance he tends to fade away. Cant blame him his is a Young driver though, the craft can come later. But, Merc is also saving money with him, and they are also validating their young driver development program with him, else they would look foolish if they were to put anyone else and not promote one of their own.

    He is German too, so no rocket science there. Hamilton will beat him for sure, but he can be there and learn and support him, and may be in 2018 he is ready for the assault who knows. He can get a great learning year alongside Hammy, and when the "Star" leaves, he is there ready to take on, and can be joined by Ocon too down the road.

    So: German + saving HUGE money (which can be used for car dev) + Merc young driver protege + he has done plenty of 2017 tire tests with the merc car + they need someone who can jump in and go and he is familiar with the factory etc + only 2 or so months left before pre-season testing starts in Feb

    so the logical choice is Werhlein!


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    Good points except one that I kept hearing over the FP sessions for the last 3-4 races:

    Pascal has a serious issue with authority. He has gone against, or ignored, explicit instructions multiple times this season, and previously in DTM too. The last one I recall was during an FP session when his engineer told him to stop the car immediately due to imminent engine failure and he didn't he started driving back to the pits. His engineer ended up shouting at him to stop the car immediately but he still refused.

    From reading more about this it seems like he's prone to just ignoring messages from his engineer and does his own thing. I think that's why his strategies don't work so well.

    If Merc does put him in Rosberg's seat I will be very surprised because I don't think anyone in F1 thinks he deserves it.

    On a side note: When he joined I was very supportive of him. After this year though, with his ignoring of orders, the way he handles himself with regards to the team, and the way Ocon drove, my estimate of him and his abilities have seriously diminished.

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by RidgeBack View Post
    Good points except one that I kept hearing over the FP sessions for the last 3-4 races:

    Pascal has a serious issue with authority. He has gone against, or ignored, explicit instructions multiple times this season, and previously in DTM too. The last one I recall was during an FP session when his engineer told him to stop the car immediately due to imminent engine failure and he didn't he started driving back to the pits. His engineer ended up shouting at him to stop the car immediately but he still refused.

    From reading more about this it seems like he's prone to just ignoring messages from his engineer and does his own thing. I think that's why his strategies don't work so well.

    If Merc does put him in Rosberg's seat I will be very surprised because I don't think anyone in F1 thinks he deserves it.

    On a side note: When he joined I was very supportive of him. After this year though, with his ignoring of orders, the way he handles himself with regards to the team, and the way Ocon drove, my estimate of him and his abilities have seriously diminished.
    Right - because Hamilton has always obeyed team orders!
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  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by RidgeBack View Post
    On a side note: When he joined I was very supportive of him. After this year though, with his ignoring of orders, the way he handles himself with regards to the team, and the way Ocon drove, my estimate of him and his abilities have seriously diminished.
    In light of that, what's your opinion of Max? Does his talent trump his anti-authoritarian mindset on the track?
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  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by m3fuz View Post
    Right - because Hamilton has always obeyed team orders!
    Hamilton is a proven winner. Pascal doesn't have the history of success that Lewis does. So a little (read a lot) of leeway is given to Lewis.

    Quote Originally Posted by BoldUlysses View Post
    In light of that, what's your opinion of Max? Does his talent trump his anti-authoritarian mindset on the track?
    I have a like/dislike thing going with Max. I like that he's a racer but I don't like some of his moves this year. The defending by forcing the attacker to take evasive actions at the last second - those actions IMO showed a distinct lack of respect for the health and safety of the other drivers.

    I like that he's challenging but somethings (I think due to lack of maturity and I say that because when I was his age I too thought I was indestructible) go beyond a reasonable driver's actions.

    I absolutely am in wonder of his car control and think he's enormously talented - more so than any driver under 30 currently on the grid. I also think he's a little bit too arrogant for a person his age. I saw the same things in Senna (although Senna was worse because there were not so many rules back then but the same disrespect was shown to other drivers).

    Note that I'm now 50 years old and my mindset has changed markedly since I was a teenager.

    I also understand that these drivers are like rock stars/movie stars etc. They have huge egos that are constantly stroked by the media and people around them. I therefore feel that they handle things like teenagers too but I also think they do a better job of coping with the enormous stresses than I would have done at that age.

    I think that he'll only get better as a racer as he matures a little bit more.

    Example: Ricciardo. In the past year Dan has shown remarkable maturity when racing and makes decisions as a racer respecting those around him. However, at Monaco you can see his emotional immaturity stand out when he sulked on the podium after losing the win.

    If I was a teen I know I'd have a different opinion of Max. I would love the risk he takes and the way he forces himself upon the old school. So I completely understand why some love him for his on-track actions. Fortunately/unfortunately as we get older we are often exposed to experiences that are sharp reminders that we're not invincible and that death or serious injury can easily be a consequence.
    Last edited by RidgeBack; 12-07-2016 at 04:30 PM.

  10. #35
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    Will merc give Hammy a heads up on anything? I imagine he won't be too happy about them even courting Alonso after their relationship in the single year they were team mates.

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    I'd imagine Toto and Lauda would inform Lewis but I don't think Lewis would have much of a say. They would discuss it and I think if Lewis had an issue Lauda and Toto would convince him that it was for the best. I also think that when Lewis and Alonso were team mates Lewis was very young and likely would not act the same today. So I think, having read what Alonso had said about Lewis since then that it would be a moot point and that both drivers would be okay - just thinking they were both in one of the best cars on the grid. Alonso also pulled some "childlike" moves on Lewis during their stint together but I think it's all water under the "racing" bridge. (Much like Ron Dennis getting Alonso back to McLaren after their serious falling out during the Lewis/Alonso teammate year).

    Alonso has praised Lewis in the media since then and vice versa too. (although I believe the things Alonso and Lewis say rather have hidden meanings. Like Alonso saying Lewis is the best driver - is also a huge dig at Vettel because Alonso really hates him).

    - - - Updated - - -

    Just saw this regards Toto and Pascal:

    http://f1insider.net/2016/12/07/toto...scal-wehrlein/

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    @RidgeBack - I agree about Werhlein and him ignoring orders, we will see.

    Max - I think will have a more steady head down the road, its just boiling young blood right now ready to take on the world no matter who it is, but its definitely refreshing to see him. I also do not recall seeing him locking brakes this season, in wheel to wheel racing. I think his brake pedal feel is right there with Lewis - they are the two stand out drivers for me when it comes to braking!

    Ricciardo - has surprised me a lot, its crazy how much he has improved and digged within himself to match and at times surpass Verstappen over a race weekend. A top bloke for sure, and right up there with the best on the grid, in a way its good for him that Max gets all the attention so he can focus all his energies into the most important task at hand!


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    Yeah, Max's car control (braking included) is phenomenal. But he pushes it (takes bigger risks) than the other top drivers while fortunately none have come to bite him in the ass, yet.

    It's like during the FP sessions they always replay a wheel lockup and make out like it's an error on the driver's behalf. During FP sessions it's not truly an error because the drivers are looking for and pushing the limits to judge what can and cannot be done during Quali and the race. When a car goes off track because they missed the corner in FP you know those drivers are hunting for every single advantage.

    But it should also be noted that for 90% of the race the drivers are driving to set lap times. These times are gained from all the testing they do in the FP sessions. They try to understand how the tire compounds react and will drive to make the tires last the necessary length.

    If Max has a fault it's that he doesn't always obey the designation lap times for the tires he's on. This leaves him will really effed up tires before he's due to come in for a fresh set. Other drivers, like Pascal, are guilty of this too.

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    Alonso is NOT going to Mercedes, that's now confirmed (other sources and now Briatore himself).
    BMWs are fun in the snow too...


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    Quote Originally Posted by MagneZium View Post
    Alonso is NOT going to Mercedes, that's now confirmed (other sources and now Briatore himself).
    What does Flavio have to do with any of it? Is he Alonso's manager or something?
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    Quote Originally Posted by BoldUlysses View Post
    What does Flavio have to do with any of it? Is he Alonso's manager or something?
    Yep, the "cheater" still managers a bunch of drivers.

  17. #42
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    BBC says Mercedes has made an offer to Williams for Bottas. Williams didn't accept, and Mercedes is likely to make a revised offer. They offered a discount on engines. But then again, it's the BBC so not certain to be true...
    BMWs are fun in the snow too...


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    So if Bottas goes to Mercedes, who could Williams replace him with? Someone up and coming? Could be risky with the new cars next year. But the latest crop of younger drivers seem to be quite exceptional. Regardless, I would really would like to see them get back into the fight.

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    Well it would really suck for Merc to pass their driver crisis on to Williams, which is exactly what would happen if they poach Bottas.

    I agree with this analysis:

    https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2016/...o-williams-f1/
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    Tricky as hell. Two young drivers is definitely not ideal for Williams. Some talk has been going around that they'd actually try to get someone else to Williams in exchange for Wehrlein. Someone with at least a bit more experience. So things are getting really complicated.

    Then again I really don't see anyone else then Bottas being the right choice for Mercedes.

    But one kicker is that some sources say that Stroll's contract with Williams specifically demands that Bottas is the teammate, though I'm not sure if he is named or that it has to be someone very good and very experienced. They want someone who can set the car up really well, and they don't want Stroll to lose to a rookie. He can lose to an experienced teammate as that's not so bad, but if he loses to a rookie teammate then that would seriously hurt his reputation.
    BMWs are fun in the snow too...


  21. #46
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    I haven't seen this posted here. I enjoyed it

    http://www.formula1.com/en/video/201...on_Review.html

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    yay

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    Pretty good clip of all the top team bosses shooting the breeze:

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    Quote Originally Posted by Def View Post
    I haven't seen this posted here. I enjoyed it

    http://www.formula1.com/en/video/201...on_Review.html
    bwoah

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