McLaren Duet 2015

[Kewee]

The Artist..... Not sure what your problem is. We appear to be in agreement regarding the $40 million, i actually stated "close" to $40 million. My figure was exactly as it was reported.
Yes some teams do announce individual drivers, as McLaren have occasionally in the past, "if they are just replacing one driver",
but if the team is starting a new season with two new drivers it is often the norm to confirm a pairing with a single announcement.
My comment was not what Alonso said to the King of Spain but what the King of Spain actually said. The King stated that Alonso was going to be driving for McLaren next season. In honesty it was not very wise to do so and he probably wouldn't have let it slip had he realised the implications, but by then it had become common knowledge though and Alonso's reply was the King is never wrong.
You wait until you see Alonso wearing McLaren colours by all means, but to be honest so much has been said by reliable people including Sir Jackie and many other past greats that most are happy to accept Alonso will be driving for McLaren in 2015.

 

[The Pits]

Kewee

The "Unfounded Conjecture" that you call out is from the same or similar sources to those who are reporting that the deal is concluded and close to $40m. Nothing has been announced formally by the employer, therefore, whilst the world and his wife are saying that they believe it to be a done deal, none of us truly knows. The fact that no announcement has been made yet will lead to speculation, some more wild than others, however, I would personally state that as this is F1, until anything is formally stated by all those involved, a case which has not happened, it may not prove to be correct.

At the moment, everything is conjecture, some more wild than others, but I do not know what Alonso has signed, and I would suggest that you do not either, nor does the king of Spain. Nor do any of the reporters who are merrily regurgitating the same conjecture.

Alonso knows, and he is not saying much at the moment. Ron knows, and neither is he.

I fully agree that on balance it would be a shock if Alonso was NOT unveiled as a McLaren driver for next season, but that does not make it a certainty that you seem to believe it to be.

 

[Kewee]

The Artist..... Just a little follow up. Mephistopheles hauled me up on a posting I made that he disagreed with. I simply followed up by providing the reports I had based my posting on. I'm sure Meph didn't take offence, I certainly didn't.
This is what a forum is all about, discussing things we often have different opinions on. It has nothing at all with anyone having to be right, though I do have my own points of reference as do other members.
What I don't understand is your need to have a poke at me whenever you misinterpret or disagree with something I've said. If we agreed with everyone all the time we'd have nothing to discuss.

 

[Kewee]

The Pits ...... Here's a little wild conjecture Pits. There doesn't appear to be much activity in Alonso's life since the season ended.
I would suggest if the McLaren drive was not a done deal he would be working furiously at developing other options for 2015 and the motorsport press would be reporting his every move. Just food for thought, others may think it means nothing, I think it means everything.

 

[The Pits]

Vettel was in the Ferrari pits in the Abu dhabi test.

"I would suggest"

"I think it means"

Indeed.

Fill your boots

 

[The Artist.....]

The Pits
And has since driven a 2012 Ferrari...

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

If Alonso was 100% guaranteed a drive at McLaren next year, surely they'd have announced it? Do McLaren really only ever confirm both their drivers at once?

 

[F1Yorkshire]

It's possible that Alonso's potential salary could still be under discussion, if McLaren haven't received Danish backing for Magnussen then they could be trying to knock Alonso's price down in order to afford Button too.

 

[The Artist.....]

rufus_mcdufus

No they don't. The last time there was a chance of both drivers changing was prior to 2007. Alonso was announced as a McLaren driver at the end of 2005, whereas Hamilton was announced in (about) November.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/4541884.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6179704.stm

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

I think you've probably hit the nail on the head F1Yorkshire.

 

[Bill Boddy]

So Magnussen could still bring home the (Danish) bacon.

 

[Kewee]

rufus_mcdufus ..... No they don't. Obviously if they are only replacing one driver they normally announce that driver at the time of signing. No need to announce a driver who is just continuing on an existing contract. If they are replacing two drivers, in the case of Jenson for example, if they keep him it will mean a new contract. They have said they won't make an announcement until their driver pairing is decided. They clearly want to announce both drivers together complete with photos, probably including the car, as they sometimes have in the past.

 

[Kewee]

There's no set rules. When McLaren signed Senna they made an announcement of the Senna/Prost pairing at the same time complete with interviews despite the fact Prost was already under contract.

 

[Incubus]

Or maybe it's actually all about Alonso, who according to Autosport has already signed his contract months ago, but maybe now has had second thoughts and trying to get out of it?
There were some rumours in the spanish and italian press that Alonso was indeed having second thoughts now that after having jumped ship in a team in the midst of a power struggle has just walked into an even bigger one?

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Sniff at it again

 

[Il_leone]

I've already said it the drivers would want to work with Honda as soon as possible and get involved in building a good working relationship

The other issue is the physical difference in the height of the drivers adds further complication in building the cockpit - one year Mclaren just made sure they had a car for Berger that passed the crash test but it meant he was squashed inside being much taller than Senna

Alonso's salary - only reason to do that is if wants to throw a clause in that he can go after 1 season if another top team made an offer

That would mean Mclaren would need to keep Honda happy that they have a proven driver of quality and in Button someone who can hold the ship together than the mercurial Alonso

Hamilton's situation - I don't think he wants to come back seeing how much he has enjoyed himself and is not kept in a bottle by Ron Dennis and Mclaren policies

One other suggestion is that the board meetings are about challenging if Ron is the right man to lead Mclaren as Ojjeh and the Bahraini's are at loggerheads with him

I have to say Ron must be getting desperate if he is getting a toymaker to sponsor Mclaren

 

[teabagyokel]

Toymaker? I think that undersells them somewhat.

They're one of the biggest companies in the world, with a multi-national theme park franchise, video games and a series of future films to sell.

I don't think it is desperation to court LEGO.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Lego is only worth $14.6 Billion teabagyokel, Can't really afford to mix it with the big money of F1

 

[Mephistopheles]

I have to say Ron must be getting desperate if he is getting a toymaker to sponsor Mclaren

I don't believe who sponsors a team makes much difference after all teams have been sponsored by everyone from Johnny Walker to Johnny Durex

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Andrew Benson ‏@andrewbensonf1 2 minutes ago
Seems like the long wait for a McLaren driver announcement may be about to end. Invite to a media event at the factory on Thursday

Sniffs opinion on the wait:

http://sniffpetrol.com/2014/12/10/mclaren-taking-a-long-time-says-gestating-elephant/#.VIg9YzGsU8S