The F1 thread

fretmeister

There is sod all chance of LH leaving.

It's his team by default now. If there is a rookie team mate the team might even give him official No1 status.

Fretwired

fretmeister said:

There is sod all chance of LH leaving.

It's his team by default now. If there is a rookie team mate the team might even give him official No1 status.

Wolff won't want a rookie. Next year is like the old days - there will be major performance increases throughout the year. Mercedes are only signed up until 2018 and may quit. A rookie makes no sense. Alonso is looking like the favourite to partner Hamilton.

paul_c2

Its certainly made things easier for Mercedes now. I can't see one of the "top" drivers such as Vettel or Verstappen getting out of their contract, or wanting to, to move over to Mercedes. So it will be a lesser driver, and a clear #1 and #2 in the team. It might be a much closer battle in 2017 with the regulation changes, it would be much easier if Merc can get on the radio to their #2 driver to instruct him to let Hamilton past, if needs be.

It was a bit of a shock - didn't expect Rosberg to retire quite so soon - but personally can't blame him. Hamilton's a complete pain-in-the-arse as a teammate etc

fretmeister

Fretwired said:

fretmeister said:

There is sod all chance of LH leaving.

It's his team by default now. If there is a rookie team mate the team might even give him official No1 status.

Wolff won't want a rookie. Next year is like the old days - there will be major performance increases throughout the year. Mercedes are only signed up until 2018 and may quit. A rookie makes no sense. Alonso is looking like the favourite to partner Hamilton.

And you think McLaren will let him be bought out?

Leaving them with 2 rookies?

Not happening.

FX_Munkee

My money is on: Bottas to Mercedes, Wherlein to Williams and a discount on Merc engines for Williams.
Woolf manages Bottas

Fretwired

fretmeister said:

Fretwired said:

fretmeister said:

There is sod all chance of LH leaving.

It's his team by default now. If there is a rookie team mate the team might even give him official No1 status.

Wolff won't want a rookie. Next year is like the old days - there will be major performance increases throughout the year. Mercedes are only signed up until 2018 and may quit. A rookie makes no sense. Alonso is looking like the favourite to partner Hamilton.

And you think McLaren will let him be bought out?

Leaving them with 2 rookies?

Not happening.

McLaren are in financial difficulties and Alonso earns more than Hamilton. Besides it would be Alonso wanting to move not McLaren throwing him out.

Wolff wants Mercedes to win the Constructors Championship. Both Red Bull and Ferrari have decent driver line-ups that can get podiums and score points. A rookie would be an unknown for Mercedes. Maybe a driver from a midfield team or maybe they could lure Button out of retirement for a year with the thought he could win some races.

Fretwired

FX_Munkee said:

My money is on: Bottas to Mercedes, Wherlein to Williams and a discount on Merc engines for Williams.
Woolf manages Bottas

A conflict of interests. Hamilton wouldn't be pleased and I bet Wolff is currently leading a charm offensive in his direction. I wonder if Hamilton will be on the phone to Button? They got on pretty well at McLaren and Button would keep him honest. Hamilton will miss Rosberg. He needs a teammate who can push him.

FX_Munkee

Fretwired said:

FX_Munkee said:

My money is on: Bottas to Mercedes, Wherlein to Williams and a discount on Merc engines for Williams.
Woolf manages Bottas

A conflict of interests. Hamilton wouldn't be pleased and I bet Wolff is currently leading a charm offensive in his direction. I wonder if Hamilton will be on the phone to Button? They got on pretty well at McLaren and Button would keep him honest. Hamilton will miss Rosberg. He needs a teammate who can push him.

Conflicts of interest? in F1?
Yeah, you're right that could never happen....

fretmeister

Fretwired said:

fretmeister said:

Fretwired said:

fretmeister said:

There is sod all chance of LH leaving.

It's his team by default now. If there is a rookie team mate the team might even give him official No1 status.

Wolff won't want a rookie. Next year is like the old days - there will be major performance increases throughout the year. Mercedes are only signed up until 2018 and may quit. A rookie makes no sense. Alonso is looking like the favourite to partner Hamilton.

And you think McLaren will let him be bought out?

Leaving them with 2 rookies?

Not happening.

McLaren are in financial difficulties and Alonso earns more than Hamilton. Besides it would be Alonso wanting to move not McLaren throwing him out.

Wolff wants Mercedes to win the Constructors Championship. Both Red Bull and Ferrari have decent driver line-ups that can get podiums and score points. A rookie would be an unknown for Mercedes. Maybe a driver from a midfield team or maybe they could lure Button out of retirement for a year with the thought he could win some races.

Alonso wanting to move still needs McLaren to agree to release him, no doubt for a massive payment.

With the new boss wanting to get a title sponsor asap Alonso is the only big draw they have.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to see Fred in that car. But it's not happening.

sinbaadi

I think it's a bit weak, myself, but Nico probably has not enjoyed F1 for a long time.  The only joy that he could attain was to win the title and by hook or by crook he did.  Can't take it away from him but it doesn't reflect well on the sport if the guy simply doesn't want to do it anymore.

Garthy

Heartfeltdawn said:

stickyfiddle said:

Again, Hamilton won't leave. Why would he?

Given that a week old world champion has just retired out of the blue, it would be foolish to write off anything at this moment in time. 

If Mercedes have any sense, then a straight Hamilton-Vettel swap should be explored and they get Jenson Button in as number two. Wehrlein is not ready and not big enough from a PR point of view. After the dumping of the German GP, F1 in Germany needs a boost and having homeboy Vettel the homeboy and the best guy in F1 in terms of media and PR in Button would be a good move. JB handled working with Hamilton in the past and so wouldn't have any trouble coping alongside a similar "mememe" type teammate in Vettel. 

Vettel instead of Hamilton makes no sense what so ever, nothing changes except paying LH $66m to vacate the seat.

sticker

sinbaadi said:

I think it's a bit weak, myself, but Nico probably has not enjoyed F1 for a long time.  The only joy that he could attain was to win the title and by hook or by crook he did.  Can't take it away from him but it doesn't reflect well on the sport if the guy simply doesn't want to do it anymore.

I dunno - he has an infant daughter and has had to focus intensely to get the championship this year - and even then needed some luck from mechanical failures to succeed . If I were him and thinking that It may be another 4 years (if ever) that I get that chance and miss my child growing up , I'd probably make the same decision .

He has managed to do what his father did by winning the championship and not even being the best driver that year .

fair play to him .

stickyfiddle

Right now, Nico has a hot wife, infant kid and fuckloads of money. He's finally reach the top after 10 years of trying, all the time watching most of his contemporaries struggle to repeat past glories (Raikkonen, Alonso, Button, even Vettel). Next year he's unlikely to defend the title, between having Hamilton as teammate and the likelihood of RB building a showstopping car for the new rules.

He knows he's already too late in his career to become one of the all time greats, and he doesn't crave the spotlight, so why not stop now and enjoy life while he's still young enough to make the most of it? 

It's a classy move imo. 

hotpot

Freds started a queue.  

Fretwired

Garthy said:

Vettel instead of Hamilton makes no sense what so ever, nothing changes except paying LH $66m to vacate the seat.

I think the theory (Sky) goes Wolff and Hamilton's relationship has broken down, Arrivabene has issues with Vettel so they could just do a 'swap'. Ferrari have made no secret of their desire to sign Hamilton. I doubt it will happen - Hamilton will no doubt be making sure he gets top dog status.

stickyfiddle

stickyfiddle

https://twitter.com/Max33Verstappen/status/804720896367849476

https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/804724300230049792

Heartfeltdawn

Fretwired said:

I think the theory (Sky) goes Wolff and Hamilton's relationship has broken down, Arrivabene has issues with Vettel so they could just do a 'swap'. Ferrari have made no secret of their desire to sign Hamilton. I doubt it will happen - Hamilton will no doubt be making sure he gets top dog status.

Which he would get at Ferrari. Signing Hamilton would mean Kimi going by the end of 2017. 

Heartfeltdawn

Garthy said:

Vettel instead of Hamilton makes no sense what so ever, nothing changes except paying LH $66m to vacate the seat.

If things have broken down between Hamilton and Mercedes, then a straight swap and some agreements in place could work. It would make sense from the perspective of trying to revive F1 in Germany and Mercedes will see the bigger picture. A F1 championship team without a home grand prix doesn't happen too often. Can you imagine Ferrari taking the title and then not going to Monza the next year? Vettel and Wehrlein together (although I would relish Vettel and JB far more) would really spark a few things back home. 

Garthy

Heartfeltdawn said:

Garthy said:

Vettel instead of Hamilton makes no sense what so ever, nothing changes except paying LH $66m to vacate the seat.

If things have broken down between Hamilton and Mercedes, then a straight swap and some agreements in place could work. It would make sense from the perspective of trying to revive F1 in Germany and Mercedes will see the bigger picture. A F1 championship team without a home grand prix doesn't happen too often. Can you imagine Ferrari taking the title and then not going to Monza the next year? Vettel and Wehrlein together (although I would relish Vettel and JB far more) would really spark a few things back home. 

RBR didn't have an Austrian GP for 2011, 2012 or 2013. If Vettel hasn't won over the German crowds by now he is never going to. The Germans followed Micheal and their crowds have dwindled since his first retirement in 2006. Vettel was a 4 time champion in 2014 when Hockenheim had less than 60,000 fans on Sunday.

A Vettel/Hamilton swap makes no sense for Mercedes or Hamilton and nothing you have said has even acknowledged the point let alone challenges it.