The F1 thread

fretmeister

Seidl going to Alfa apparently too - to deal with the transition to a full factory Audi team.

markr76

stickyfiddle said:

And Vasseur is confirmed at Ferrari.

I've seen comments suggesting Williams' statement says Capito is retiring but actually they say “We’re grateful that Jost postponed his planned retirement to take on this challenge and now he will pass the reins on for the next part of this staged process."

Which absolutely isn't saying he's back to gardening and G&Ts next year.

I know Toto is friends with Vasseur and he rates him too. So Ferrari might be in good shape with his signing. 

stickyfiddle

Yeah, he's a well respected guy. The biggest question is whether Ferrari will ever let him fix the real issues

Cols

Andrea Stella replacing Seidl as McLaren team principal.  Gosh, they do move fast.

stickyfiddle

So James Vowles going from Merc to head up Williams.

In other hopefully-related news, Porsche has deleted everything from it's Formula E instagram and put up a TV screen with todays date and a fuzzy image...

Caption is "16.01.23 – Start your engines. Something big is coming.  #WelcomeHome "



Looks a hell of a lot like Frank Williams in his familiar headset, no? I mean.. what else could they be announcing?

stickyfiddle

Apparently rumours are that Gulf is going to become Williams’ main sponsor as well, having not renewed their McLaren deal for this year…

DesVegas

The TV also looks like a Daft Punk video so maybe a move in that direction too?

Cols

Hopefully Vowles fares better than the last chap to jump from Merc to a more senior role at Williams…

…and hopefully the Porsche news is true.  It’s been mooted for a while, and might explain why Williams were in no rush to announce a new team principal after Capito’s departure.  Best to leave the decisions on new senior staff in the hands of the new owners/major stakeholders.

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

So James Vowles going from Merc to head up Williams.

In other hopefully-related news, Porsche has deleted everything from it's Formula E instagram and put up a TV screen with todays date and a fuzzy image...

Caption is "16.01.23 – Start your engines. Something big is coming.  #WelcomeHome "

"Logan, It's James. Alex is faster than you. As is everybody else."

stickyfiddle

Cols said:

Hopefully Vowles fares better than the last chap to jump from Merc to a more senior role at Williams…

…and hopefully the Porsche news is true.  It’s been mooted for a while, and might explain why Williams were in no rush to announce a new team principal after Capito’s departure.  Best to leave the decisions on new senior staff in the hands of the new owners/major stakeholders.

It all feels quite well thought out if it's true. I guess we'll find out later today! 

I might even buy some merch if it's Gulf-Williams-Porsche...

fretmeister

I quite fancy that merch as well.

Will go very nicely with my mid-life crisis!  

euan

Only a month gardening leave feels weird if Vowles is going to somewhere that isn’t Mercedes backed

i imagine if true Gulf will be a branding sponsor only and Porsche continues to use Mobile1

stickyfiddle

euan said:

Only a month gardening leave feels weird if Vowles is going to somewhere that isn’t Mercedes backed

True, though Williams aren't going to be a threat to Merc inside 2 years. Could also be that Porsche has bought a stake but will keep running Merc engines until 2026 when the new engine regs come in - same as Audi

Boromedic

Vowles isn't on the tech side either is he? So that could explain it, although he would be party to meetings and inside info of course. 

chillidoggy

fretmeister said:

I quite fancy that merch as well.

Will go very nicely with my mid-life crisis!  

I've long since realised that I'm never gonna look like Steve McQueen. Not unless he had a beer gut, anyway.

fretmeister

chillidoggy said:

fretmeister said:

I quite fancy that merch as well.

Will go very nicely with my mid-life crisis!  

I've long since realised that I'm never gonna look like Steve McQueen. Not unless he had a beer gut, anyway.

There's an image to stop any 'confusion' I might have felt about the coolest man on earth! :d 

chillidoggy

I'd have needed a much longer run-up to clear the fence on that motorbike.

Brio

Could be interesting...

https://thejudge13.com/2023/01/16/porsche-buys-williams/

euan

The Judge 13 is often spectacularly wrong. Porsche wouldn’t be posting about Williams if they were in the process of buying the team 

fretmeister

Judge13 are usually so wrong that I suspect it’s run by Eddie Jordan and JV.