Things ... 2015 - 2016 Silly Season. The Drivers Market.

[RasputinLives]

Manor won't of been offered the Honda engine? Thought they were sticking with just Mclaren next year.

Lowden was reported as saying they'd been offered the chance to use all engines in F1 but there are two obvious favourties and one which is probably the one to have in F1 at the moment.

That suggests they've at least had talks with Honda (which I think read somewhere else anyway). The talks probably went like this.

Honda: Hey Manor guys do you want to use our engine to get you up the grid?

*Guys at Manor roll around on the floor laughing*

Honda: (sigh) Tell our media consultants to put out a press release saying we don't want to supply anyone else.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives I guess Honda did not mention that they offered a good deal to Manor ( cheaper than everyone else) to get them to use the engines

Its actually odd that Ferrari and Mercedes are somewhat desperately wanting Manor to use their engines

 

[Il_leone]

Horner: VW scandal sends Audi deal 'up in smoke' | F1 Fansite

 

[Il_leone]

Horner hints Verstappen to have Red Bull future | F1 Fansite

 

[Il_leone]

Wild rumours link Alonso to Red Bull-Ferrari | F1 Fansite Well this is somewhat surprising twist

 

[Bill Boddy]

It would be a mighty gamble for any driver to think about going to an F1 team which may not even have an engine next season.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Great interview with Ron on Sky. Money and contracts not an issue. He wants both drivers to stay.
Just up to Fernando and Jenson to say if they have had enough then.

Ron Dennis says Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will race for McLaren in 2016

 

[Bill Boddy]

So Ron Dennis says the same to Sky and the BBC. Might it be possible that he means it.

What did disappoint me was the lack of Ronspeak.

 

[Il_leone]

well it looks like the drivers market may not be dead yet as we thought

 

[sobriety]

What did disappoint me was the lack of Ronspeak.

I'm not convinced that wasn't an imposter or a mk1 Ronbot with a slight glitch in its vocal communication module...

 

[Olivier]

Horner: VW scandal sends Audi deal 'up in smoke' | F1 Fansite

Pun intended?

 

[Greenlantern101]

RoGro now confirmed in live stream on Haas website. No 2nd driver as yet.

 

[Il_leone]

Greenlantern101 That is interesting that the 2nd driver has not been announced . Now everyone thinks its Gutierrez


So I think Haas might be playing poker for two reasons

i) Announce him later this month at the US GP and Mexican GP to generate even more PR and get the sponsors from both countries

ii) Are there other contenders involved now ? We are not talking about Magnussen, Van Doorn or JEV but the problems at Mclaren might suddenly throw a curve ball in that both drivers are available to Haas to have a world champion driver

 

[Il_leone]

Jenson Button could be offered Renault drive amid £6m McLaren F1 dispute

This has to be a windup surely but he has driven for Enstone before and Prost knows him and he's a world champion which would convince the Renault chiefs to be serious in signing a world class driver

I don't think Renault want Alonso given his past association with Flavio and how they felt they were being played with as a stop gap for his move to Ferrari

Notice on the article that 60% of voters think Mclaren will be fielding Van Doorn and Magnussen next season

I think this silly season has suddenly come alive now that Mclaren may not have either driver in their line up next season and is delaying the announcement for Haas and Renault

 

[gethinceri]

I would wet myself if that happened, esp if it were a 2 yr deal.

 

[Il_leone]

gethinceri so that is why they wanted Pastor to stay on so to pay Button's wages

You know it would not be a bad way to end his career if he were to lead Renault to the glory days.

Pitpass though have rubbished the idea

 

[Olivier]

It'll probably be Gutierrez -> Haas 2nd driver. there is just too much at stake not to choose the Mexican. He tweeted recently that "the best is yet to come" it could mean nothing but I don't think that's the case, he probably has already signed and it'll be announced when F1 gets to Mexico.

 

[Il_leone]

Olivier Pretty much a nail on then and I would think Haas would make the announcement in between Austin and Mexico to get all the sponsorship sorted then

 

[Titch]

Horner hints Verstappen to have Red Bull future | F1 Fansite

I thought Red Bull were going to leave?

 

[Il_leone]

Titch They are playing devil's advocate with Bernie and Ferrari at the moment for 2016 but then Max would be snapped up in no time if they did . The feeling is until Red Bull definitely confirm Kyvat and Ricciardo then Verstappen could still fill one of the seats