Continue discussion here of Hungary test, silly season rumors, gossip, etc etc.
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
I think K Mag made a funny
Kubica flying around the Hungaroring. Good signs for his return. I would kick Palmer to the curb and get him in the cockpit ASAP.
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
http://www.thedrive.com/start-finish...-board-in-2018
The future of Ferrari's driver team has caused speculation among Formula One fans since the start of the season. With the contracts of both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen expiring, many have rumored that they could be on the move or that Ferrari has plans of replacing them completely. However, a recent news report said the Maranello team expects the two former champs to return for the 2018 season, putting talks of relocation on hold.
As Autoweek reports, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne released a statement on the situation claiming that he believes his team has good relations with the pair.
"They are great together so it would be a risk to change the game now," Marchionne said. "Let's see if we can keep them for 2018. I think they want to stay. We should be able to announce our drivers at Monza. Nothing is signed yet but we are talking to the drivers and the agreement may be close."
Vettel was reportedly offered a three-year, $138.5 million contract extension, though he has not accepted it yet. Additionally, Vettel added that he wishes for Raikkonen, his longtime friend, to be given a contract as well.
Team lead Maurizio Arrivabene mentions that this is a good idea as the duo have worked well in the past.
"Do not forget that he is the last Ferrari world champion and today he showed that," Arrivabene said of Raikkonen. "Only a champion like him could defend his teammate like a Viking, with no tricks and no deception."
Kimi showed a strong example of teamwork at Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, agreeing to follow team orders and work in cooperation with Vettel.
Rumors swirled that Vettel had signed a "pre-agreement" to drive for Mercedes Benz in the future, to which Marchionne replied, "If he does not want to stay, then we will find a different solution and life goes on, because this is Ferrari. But if I look at Sebastian, then in a lot of ways he is already more Italian than many of us."
Vettel and Raikkonen are yet to release a response to this, and as the season reaches the halfway point, it's unlikely we will hear anything from the two until later on in the year. As Vettel leads the drivers' championship by 14 points over Lewis Hamilton, he will certainly be focused on returning strong at the end of this four-week break.
I'll buy that. That jives with a theory I've had that all the Vettel outbursts over the past year or so have been him intentionally playing to his primary audience. I'm not Italian at all, but I feel like the press there is forgiving as long as you show some passion and panache while driving.
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
Personally, I love what Vettel is doing at Ferrari (shocking, I know), and I say that as someone who was never a fan of Ferrari before he joined the team.
ive always been a fan of the underdog team, but currently ferrari has my favorite drivers, a car that i find good looking (I like outlandish F1 cars) So ive been converted. Hope that rumor comes out true, and glad to see a driver asking the team to keep the second driver, really shows a maturity level with vettel in wanting whats best for the team.
I'm onboard the Vettel train. Suppose that's supposed to mean something considering I hold both Mark and Kimi in very high esteem.
Dear Renault Sport F1 team - Palmer has warmed the seat enough - about time to hand it over to Kubica for the rest of the season. Judging by the times and laps - he definitely looks ready to be BACK! This would such an EPIC story if it happens, I've always considered him to be a top pilot - on par with Alonso, never giving up, pulls out good results from sub-par chassis, and always on it like a bloodhound when it comes to his overall race-pace!
Painful:
Worse than the Mercedes one... They just don't give a rip and it shows.
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
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
These are the times.... Even the BMW chief designer(if I am not mistaken) gave interesting statement: "The real luxury is to offer to the customers options that they still dont know they want"
Change for the sake of change is what ruins everything nowadays, from software to car design and whatnot. So called upgrades are very often downgrades, but there is no rolling back.
Like no one saw this coming:
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...talks-collapse
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
To be fair, if you only watched 10 minutes of an F1 GP in the past x years you'd also be totally bored.
The Buemi DiGrassi battle has been quite good the past couple of years. Rosenqvist, Bird, etc, have also made it pretty exciting. There are some good drivers in FE.
Looks like Kimi will be back next year.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/r...i-deal-943426/
'14 Evora S - Chrome Orange/Ebony
'02 M5 - Carbon Black/Silverstone
'15 M235i xDrive - Mineral Grey/Black
Spa is coming up. Will make a new thread tonight.
Seb and Kimi have similar driving styles. Thus both Seb's and Kimi's inputs advance the car toward what they both like and the team does better overall because of it.
Also, they are good friends and don't sabotage each other or create extra drama within the team. Seb will most likely sign for another year. I think that they make a great team and compliment Ferrari a lot more than 2 drivers who are at war with one another. Especially with it being at Ferrari.
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