I do believe I warned you about this - https://thesportsrush.com/lawrence-stroll-wants-lance-at-force-india-from-spa/
Things ... Welcome to the Future (2018 - 2019 Silly Season)
- Thread starter Rutherford
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- 2018 2019 f1 silly season
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
That is my understanding too....but the market is in flex, I am not so sure how secure that is. If Ocon and Leclerc are available, how secure are their seats?
I guess part of hesitation over Magnussen is that I consider Grosjean faster on a good day (and we have seen a lot of his bad days recently). I find it hard to believe that they will keep Magnussen and dump Grosjean. Therefore, if Ocon or Leclerc (with Ferrari encouragement) become available, do they dump Grosjean?
I think Grosjean's time might be coming to an end. The difference between him and KMag is that KMag is just hitting peak time in his career whilst Grosjean may have past his.
I also don't think Haas will risk switching both drivers for next year given they've just established themselves as top of the midfield pack.
I also don't think Haas will risk switching both drivers for next year given they've just established themselves as top of the midfield pack.
Ocon is a Mercedes man, but I fear the way situation is developing, unless McLaren hires him, he might end up just like Wehrlein. Grosjean is on the bubble; Steiner has done a lot of finger-pointing, therefore I doubt this situation will end up well for Romain. Ocon to Haas would be a good fit.
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
Well, this is the weirdness of the situation. Leclerc is a Ferrari man, so if he is not at Ferrari, then he will be at Sauber or Haas. Ocon is a Mercedes man. It appears he is going to be bumped at Force India by Lance Stroll (which is beyond weird....it is embarrassingly comical). The only other Mercedes team available is Williams. So, he could be parked at Williams or join the free market. I gather the free market puts him in competition for the other seat at McLaren or one of the Haas seats. I think he is stronger than all the candidates (including those currently seated there) except maybe Leclerc.
It was my impression that Haas was going to keep both drivers until Ocon and Leclerc suddenly came on the market.
It was my impression that Haas was going to keep both drivers until Ocon and Leclerc suddenly came on the market.
F1Brits_90
World Champion
Has the perez to haas gone quiet then
I thought Magnussen was confirmed too, thing is we've all seen scenarios where drivers have been signed/confirmed before and not ended up in the seat after all. As Bill Boddy reminded us in the other thread Sauber signed four drivers for two seats the other year. Contracts always seem to have a get out clause that either side can use if they need to.
So yeah, it could potentially go either way yet still.
Silly Season Latest: Stroll to Toro Rosso and other bullsh!t | GRAND PRIX 247
That's what we need; more confusion.
Latefi hasn't got his super licence yet and needs to finish at least 5th in F2 championship to get it.....something that is a big ask from his current position.
There are clearly more drivers than seats available at this point, so who is going to end up sitting on the sidelines and watching next year? I think Grosjean is a likely candidate, Kimi might decide to call it quits and retire, Vandoorne might have been saved by Alonso but that will only push someone else out the door. Hartley knows he's on the way out I assume, only a miracle can save him now sadly. Anyone else?
Il_leone
World Champion
If Ocon does not get a seat there is always Merc 3rd driver. I wonder if Merc will offer more support to Force India to get Ocon a seat for next year.
Grosjean - Most people think some of his early season calamities has finished his season.
kimi for 2 more years?? You can say Vettel and Ferrari will have no more excuses if they win nothing
Grosjean - Most people think some of his early season calamities has finished his season.
kimi for 2 more years?? You can say Vettel and Ferrari will have no more excuses if they win nothing
When Ferrari made excuses you are referring to after 3 years of racing in series heavily skewed regulations (and some dubious race calls by stewards) in favor of MB?
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
Well, the thing that started all the turmoil was DR going to Renault, Stoll's daddy buying Force India and Marchionne passing away. This set Sainz and Ocon or Perez adrift (I gather it is Ocon) and left Leclerc on the market or at Sauber. Right now, is there anyone on this board who would choose Magnussen over Ocon or Leclerc?
Il_leone
World Champion
I don't think JEV will be on the F1 grid in 2019 unless Sauber do a swerve and pick him using his Ferrari connections or Renault were considering him being French if they could not get Ocon before Ricciardo threw a blinder
Izumi
We know that Marchionne was in favour of pushing for LeClerc but it seems like the two new guys at the top of Ferrari do not want to ruffle Vettel's ego by keeping Raikkonen on board.
My view is Ferrari have had the same driver combination with Vettel as No 1 and Raikkonen as No 2 since 2015 and last year was the closest they got with Vettel to securing the drivers title. Really Ferrari drivers have a five year window at the longest to win the drivers title before they are ditched. The only saving grace will be that Ferrari are getting closer every year and this is the year they will succeed sort of excuse.
So if its the same driver pairing again and they fail to deliver then normally you would ask questions - we've done everything else but change the drivers combination. The two new guys might get an initial period where they are new to their roles and feel they don;t want to change too much before they get their feet under the table in their roles but Marco Mattiaci the previous team principal was sacked 7 months into his job. So Ferrari/FIAT are known to be impatient and there will be knives out at Maranello at those who felt Raikkonen deserves another few years and Vettel should still be No 1
Izumi
We know that Marchionne was in favour of pushing for LeClerc but it seems like the two new guys at the top of Ferrari do not want to ruffle Vettel's ego by keeping Raikkonen on board.
My view is Ferrari have had the same driver combination with Vettel as No 1 and Raikkonen as No 2 since 2015 and last year was the closest they got with Vettel to securing the drivers title. Really Ferrari drivers have a five year window at the longest to win the drivers title before they are ditched. The only saving grace will be that Ferrari are getting closer every year and this is the year they will succeed sort of excuse.
So if its the same driver pairing again and they fail to deliver then normally you would ask questions - we've done everything else but change the drivers combination. The two new guys might get an initial period where they are new to their roles and feel they don;t want to change too much before they get their feet under the table in their roles but Marco Mattiaci the previous team principal was sacked 7 months into his job. So Ferrari/FIAT are known to be impatient and there will be knives out at Maranello at those who felt Raikkonen deserves another few years and Vettel should still be No 1
joking if Latefi is in F1 - just look at his position in comparison to his teammate in F2 who has won races and put the car on pole and has not been mentioned in getting a seat in F1 - Toro Rosso take note
Il_leone
World Champion
The Ocon situation is going to give Toto a serious headache because you've got 3 young drivers all of whom want to do F1 ( Ocon, Rusell and Wehrlein). Normally he would put them in mercedes customer team but pretty much Williams and FI are dead set against Wehrlein who has a bad attitude despite backing from the top brass and Germany wanting him to be the next German world champion.
You got Ocon who Mercedes a few seasons back actually refused to lend him to Renault before Hulkenberg was signed on the basis he would drive for the main team. He is liked by Force India more than Wehrlein but could be frozen out because of the sponsorship situation although I think Perez might take his Mexican pesos elsewhere given Lawrence Stroll wants a Mercedes B team.
Then you have Russell who would either get a seat at Williams or FI although he admits that winning F2 is not critical to landing an F1 seat , it certainly would strengthen his case.
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The Kubica come back - it would be a remarkable story and it would be amazing if he outqualified Force Indias and Sirotkin at Spa which would leave a lot of people - Claire Williams , Lawrence and Lance Stroll with egg on their faces
You got Ocon who Mercedes a few seasons back actually refused to lend him to Renault before Hulkenberg was signed on the basis he would drive for the main team. He is liked by Force India more than Wehrlein but could be frozen out because of the sponsorship situation although I think Perez might take his Mexican pesos elsewhere given Lawrence Stroll wants a Mercedes B team.
Then you have Russell who would either get a seat at Williams or FI although he admits that winning F2 is not critical to landing an F1 seat , it certainly would strengthen his case.
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The Kubica come back - it would be a remarkable story and it would be amazing if he outqualified Force Indias and Sirotkin at Spa which would leave a lot of people - Claire Williams , Lawrence and Lance Stroll with egg on their faces
http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/650064/Wolff_Hamilton_is_the_quotmost_successful_modern_F1_driverquot_/
Wolff: Hamilton is the "most successful modern F1 driver".
Is this supposed to be a grass straw to support Hamilton's fragile ego and mental well being in second half of this season?
Back in my zone on mother earth most successful contemporary driver is Vettel. Someone should take Mr. Wolff on the side, and explain to him what competition is, just as 2014 regulatory restrictions created racing conditions which actually offended some of us.
Teams did not started from the same creative baseline. MB was on the job good 2 to 3 years (Ecclestone spilled) before anyone else, including later allegedly conducting series of bilateral meetings with FiA. (Writing specs(?), we will never know.) It will be undoubtedly a dark point in annals of F1 history, that FiA was unable or unwilling to step in by mid summer 2014 and immediately correct what needed to corrected to make sure racing remains fair and on the level.
Instead, they let it go for too long for benefit of one team only. Hamilton, loosing 2016 did not improve his image as a racer, and as Tony Kanaan so ever subtly observed later in 2016, Hamilton managed to loose a series with two drivers participating.
It is obvious, that not everyone will agree with Mr. Wolff.
Wolff: Hamilton is the "most successful modern F1 driver".
Is this supposed to be a grass straw to support Hamilton's fragile ego and mental well being in second half of this season?
Back in my zone on mother earth most successful contemporary driver is Vettel. Someone should take Mr. Wolff on the side, and explain to him what competition is, just as 2014 regulatory restrictions created racing conditions which actually offended some of us.
Teams did not started from the same creative baseline. MB was on the job good 2 to 3 years (Ecclestone spilled) before anyone else, including later allegedly conducting series of bilateral meetings with FiA. (Writing specs(?), we will never know.) It will be undoubtedly a dark point in annals of F1 history, that FiA was unable or unwilling to step in by mid summer 2014 and immediately correct what needed to corrected to make sure racing remains fair and on the level.
Instead, they let it go for too long for benefit of one team only. Hamilton, loosing 2016 did not improve his image as a racer, and as Tony Kanaan so ever subtly observed later in 2016, Hamilton managed to loose a series with two drivers participating.
It is obvious, that not everyone will agree with Mr. Wolff.
