2021 Silly Season
- Thread starter Ruslan
- Start date
Il_leone
World Champion
Ruslan It's all well saying that but if he is the best driver around Ferrari have never been afraid to pay over the odds for a driver
Hamilton is their target notice how people at Ferrari talk about Hamilton in a more endorsed way now than see him as public enemy No 1.
If its not Hamilton, Alonso or Verstappen then they need to look at the next tier of drivers
Bottas - safe bet but has races where he is really poor
Ricciardo - Italian heritage and a proven race winner at the front in the right car
Sainz - regarded by some as good as Verstappen although his record does not show it
Perez - he is contracted to Racing Point to 2022 but I am sure his sponsors and Ferrari will work things out so he can be bought out of the contract
Stroll -
I know he went to their young driver school but seriously
In regards to their academy drivers
Giovinazzi - was rated by Ferrari but needs to do a lot better than this season
Schumacher - the pressure will be colossal and he might wilt under the burden as his F2 season was not great
Illott - Needs to do a lot better in F2 as well
Schwartzmann - Ferrari are not known to throw someone that inexperience into their team
Hamilton is their target notice how people at Ferrari talk about Hamilton in a more endorsed way now than see him as public enemy No 1.
If its not Hamilton, Alonso or Verstappen then they need to look at the next tier of drivers
Bottas - safe bet but has races where he is really poor
Ricciardo - Italian heritage and a proven race winner at the front in the right car
Sainz - regarded by some as good as Verstappen although his record does not show it
Perez - he is contracted to Racing Point to 2022 but I am sure his sponsors and Ferrari will work things out so he can be bought out of the contract
Stroll -
I know he went to their young driver school but seriouslyIn regards to their academy drivers
Giovinazzi - was rated by Ferrari but needs to do a lot better than this season
Schumacher - the pressure will be colossal and he might wilt under the burden as his F2 season was not great
Illott - Needs to do a lot better in F2 as well
Schwartzmann - Ferrari are not known to throw someone that inexperience into their team
The answer is LeClerc and a number 2. Kimi will probably still be around.
By the way you can always tell it's the off season when a "Hamilton to Ferrari" story gets printed
By the way you can always tell it's the off season when a "Hamilton to Ferrari" story gets printed
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
Well, a lot of great drivers never drove for Ferrari, for example Moss, Clark, Stewart, Senna, etc. It is not that unusual for the top drivers in F1 to not drive for them. I won’t speculate as to the reasons for this.
Agree with you on Bottas and Sainz. Ricciardo would look like a perfect choice except....somehow I don’t think he would fit well there, and I suspect they think the same thing. This pretty much leaves Perez or someone like George Russell as the rest of the options, as you point out, don’t quite measure up.
As I don’t think Hamilton or Verstappen are moving, then this become a very interesting question.
No one has mentioned Lando Norris yet.
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
I suspect he is under contract for 2021 and Mclaren will probably want to hold onto him. Same scenario with Ocon.
Big team wants Norris then they'll find a way to get him.
However having said that I think it's an outside bet that Merc might pull out the sport and with McLaren having signed up for Merc engines again that would bump them up the front. So Norris might do well to sit where he is as he has time on his side right now.
However having said that I think it's an outside bet that Merc might pull out the sport and with McLaren having signed up for Merc engines again that would bump them up the front. So Norris might do well to sit where he is as he has time on his side right now.
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
Well contract do matter and I am sure it will be expensive to buy him out. Not sure he is a Ferrari-type driver.
Well no. They have LeClerc and they'll stick with him for at least another 5 years. Probably means they are looking for a Gerhard Berger type number 2.
I'm sure this will be shouted down but putting Grosjean, and ace on set up, alongside LeClerc would be a Schumacher/Barrichello style dream team for Ferrari.
I'm sure this will be shouted down but putting Grosjean, and ace on set up, alongside LeClerc would be a Schumacher/Barrichello style dream team for Ferrari.
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
Well, Berger was a really good driver who could work with anyone and work well in any environment. There ain’t too many Berger’s in the field right now (George Russell comes to mind).
Well, I am a big fan of Grosjean, but his inconsistency is his undoing. A Ferrari #2 has to be consistent.
It really is a short list of options if Hamilton and Verstappen are not available.
F1Brits_90
World Champion
but as we know things can change very quickly in f1. just take vettel in dec 2013. he delighted with red bull. after 4 titles, 9 months later he signed for Ferrari. if vettel gets beaten like he should've this by 50/70pts. & these Hamilton rumours persist who knows
ferrari wont take verstappen because he cheated. F1 is very fickle in 2008 who saw Alonso rejoining McLaren
Yeah but that only happened because no one else would have Alonso and Mclaren couldn't get anyone else.
F1Brits_90
World Champion
RasputinLives GROSJEAN
this is guy that shouldnt even be in F1. you want to put him in 1 of big 6 seats. i could think of 11 drivers i would put in that ferrari seat before grosjean
but i sure there are many people at McLaren in 2007 & 2015. that alonso wouldve angered & you know the British we like to hold a grudge
this is guy that shouldnt even be in F1. you want to put him in 1 of big 6 seats. i could think of 11 drivers i would put in that ferrari seat before grosjean
but i sure there are many people at McLaren in 2007 & 2015. that alonso wouldve angered & you know the British we like to hold a grudge
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Romain Grosjean has one skill that sets him above the majority of other drivers in F1 and that is set up and developing cars. This is why he is still in the sport and will keep picking up drives. Unfortunately it's also where people get the perception that he moans and complains all the time. In GP2 DAMS said that all their champions post Grosjean were using Grosjean's set ups. Even Haas with all their troubles can't help but compliment him on his car knowledge skills. The whole team make a very public apology to him just last season when he kept complaining about something wrong with the car they insisted wasn't an issue, then when they stripped it down they found he was exactly right.
I guess it all really comes down to the fake belief their are 6 top seats. There are not, there are 3. We've seen time and time again that if you put two top drivers in a team, and you're not far enough in front of your rivals, then you don't win anything. IMO Grosjean would be a perfect foil for someone like LeClerc. He may not get the results the car should but his knowledge would make dam sure LeClerc would.
I guess it all really comes down to the fake belief their are 6 top seats. There are not, there are 3. We've seen time and time again that if you put two top drivers in a team, and you're not far enough in front of your rivals, then you don't win anything. IMO Grosjean would be a perfect foil for someone like LeClerc. He may not get the results the car should but his knowledge would make dam sure LeClerc would.
F1Brits_90
World Champion
i don't doubt he is fantastic at setting up a car. but he has been for majority easily beaten by Magnussen for the last 2 years. he doesn't have the pace he used to have when he was most weekends 2nd best driver on the grid in 2013 in the lotus. ferrari got rid of kimi because they had enough of teammate lagging behind. complacency creeping in. how vettel thought he didnt need to be at 100% to beat kimi
if you want grosjean quality in set up you hire him as a development/sim driver. mercedes say davidson is 1 of the car set up people they know. he can remember such detail & feel from a run, weeks ago. mercedes arent clamouring for davidson to replace bottas
if you want grosjean quality in set up you hire him as a development/sim driver. mercedes say davidson is 1 of the car set up people they know. he can remember such detail & feel from a run, weeks ago. mercedes arent clamouring for davidson to replace bottas
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Il_leone
World Champion
I just went on Crash.net who highlighted some rivalries over the last 10 years which might explain a few things
Hulkenberg vs K Mag - the "Suck my balls! " quote - these two could have been teammates but surprisingly Haas kept Grosjean so clearly Romain has some key skills the engineers like and they have less faith in KMag's abilities to set up or there is a sponsorship pressure to do so. I am not aware they are Swiss or French cheese backers to the team so I am inclined to believe the former
Verstappen vs LeClerc - its obvious these two will be the dominant forces in years to come and there is no way they can be in the same team given their past history pre dating F1. Ferrari will not sign Verstappen if LeClerc is in the team - he is clearly Ferrari's future. Signing Hamilton is more likely if Ferrari will they need someone who is still amongst the best to lead the team
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Norris to Ferrari - there is enough of an age gap between him and LeClerc to make that transition . I did not think about the fact Mercedes have more young drivers to tap into adding Mclaren back into the fold. It makes easier for them to get Ocon into a decent team Merc team
I mention Stroll to Ferrari - I wonder if Lance does have the balls to tell his Dad he will seek his fortune elsewhere to be successful in F1
Hulkenberg vs K Mag - the "Suck my balls! " quote - these two could have been teammates but surprisingly Haas kept Grosjean so clearly Romain has some key skills the engineers like and they have less faith in KMag's abilities to set up or there is a sponsorship pressure to do so. I am not aware they are Swiss or French cheese backers to the team so I am inclined to believe the former
Verstappen vs LeClerc - its obvious these two will be the dominant forces in years to come and there is no way they can be in the same team given their past history pre dating F1. Ferrari will not sign Verstappen if LeClerc is in the team - he is clearly Ferrari's future. Signing Hamilton is more likely if Ferrari will they need someone who is still amongst the best to lead the team
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Norris to Ferrari - there is enough of an age gap between him and LeClerc to make that transition . I did not think about the fact Mercedes have more young drivers to tap into adding Mclaren back into the fold. It makes easier for them to get Ocon into a decent team Merc team
I mention Stroll to Ferrari - I wonder if Lance does have the balls to tell his Dad he will seek his fortune elsewhere to be successful in F1
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
Interesting post. I think you are correct in that you cannot mix Verstappen and Leclerc on the same team. On the other hand I think Haas could of taken Hulkenberg, but I think they are still very wedded to Grosjean. When the guy is having a good day, he is really fast. Hard to ignore that.
Anyhow, I suspect Norris will be securely held at Mclaren for a while and in a couple of years, Lance Stroll will move to a management role at Racing Point, especially if the team turns into Aston Martin and really grows.
F1Brits_90
World Champion
another nail in vettel/Ferrari coffin, because they have picked their driver, Leclerc is at Ferrari from 2024. but vettel finishes this season in 2020
Ruslan
Podium Finisher
Well, that is pretty significant. There is no way that Leclerc and his management would agree to a five year contract without some clarity as to fair treatment. I suspect:
1. Vettel has to match or outperform Leclerc the first half of next season, or it is his last season at Ferrari.
2. Hamilton stays at Mercedes with Bottas.
3. Verstappen stays at Red Bull with #2 teammate.
4. If Vettel leaves Ferrari, the new Ferrari teammate will be a clear #2
5. Vettel may not have a major team to go to. Mclaren or retirement may be the only options.
Should we start a 2022 Silly Season thread now?
1. Vettel has to match or outperform Leclerc the first half of next season, or it is his last season at Ferrari.
2. Hamilton stays at Mercedes with Bottas.
3. Verstappen stays at Red Bull with #2 teammate.
4. If Vettel leaves Ferrari, the new Ferrari teammate will be a clear #2
5. Vettel may not have a major team to go to. Mclaren or retirement may be the only options.
Should we start a 2022 Silly Season thread now?
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