2024 silly season

[Il_leone]

the more i think about it the more i think Verstappen will head to aston martin. just because of logistics. heres my logic that may or may not age very badly

- the last time Mercedes changed very on their terms & was 2012. (because they schumacher 2nd retirement decision for him by signing hamilton) they will not drop Russell & certainly wont drop Antotelli after the effort to getting him there. so for me that mercedes locked until 2027 at the earliest

- mclaren are locked for the foreseeable, there are concerns about Red Bull into 2026 with the ford engine & how they will cope post newey

- now Ferrari have Lewis Hamilton i dont see him going anywhere quickly, earliest he would announce any retirement is start of 2027. (id guess at 2028 being his final year) & does Verstappen want to wait til at the earliest 2028 most likely 2029 to leave red bull & drive for ferrari. i doubt it

- which leaves a potential adrian newey led aston martin team with deep pockets. that need a new superstar driver after the retirement of 45yr old fernando alonso as he finishes the 2026 abu dhabi GP, as the oldest driver since graham hill in 1975 to start an F1 race & the oldest driver since Maurice Trintignant in 1964 to score a point

If you put that way clearly then it would be to replace Alonso not Lance Stroll which I would love to see Jos and Lawrence Stroll go at it about who's son is more important to the team

I think if Russell has a shocker in 2025 then it is not beyond the realms of possibility he would be replaced then in 2026 but then Verstappen may not like the idea of the upstart Antonelli could topple him

 

[F1Brits_90]

I think if Russell has a shocker in 2025 then it is not beyond the realms of possibility he would be replaced then in 2026 but then Verstappen may not like the idea of the upstart Antonelli could topple him

You would assume that with his vast experience, Russell should outperform Antonelli over a season. I hadn't considered that Verstappen, like Schumacher, would likely want the undisputed number 1 in his contract, which makes sense from a team's perspective. However, as viewers, we prefer the 2 drivers in McLaren rather than a 1 in Red Bull. Verstappen won't find that competitive environment at McLaren, Ferrari, or Mercedes. The Verstappen vs. Antonelli rivalry is reminiscent of Alonso vs. Hamilton in 2007.

 

[Il_leone]

The inevitable is coming

Aston Martin: Adrian Newey will join in £30m-a-year deal

Leading F1 designer Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin in a deal worth up to £30m a year.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Il_leone]

Paddock whisper that “everybody is expecting” Daniel Ricciardo to lose F1 seat

Fresh suggestion that Daniel Ricciardo's days in Formula 1 are numbered

www.crash.net

So does Perez stay then because Lawson has to fit to somewhere and probably explains Hadjar's recent shocking form if Red Bull already got him locked in

 

[F1Brits_90]

The inevitable is coming

Aston Martin: Adrian Newey will join in £30m-a-year deal

Leading F1 designer Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin in a deal worth up to £30m a year.

www.bbc.co.uk

so smug i called this in april

there have been rumours Lawrence stroll is chucking money at him almost money no object & ferrari have been after him for 30yrs. why i think he could be off to aston martin is unlike ferrari, moneys no different. he will still having your wages double or triple what he gets at RB but you dont have to move house, move country or learn Italian. its just the same job 20 miles up the road

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on Riccardio i think he's known it was an inevitability. because Toro rosso alpha tauri RB is a youth team. its for blooding new inexperienced talent. & i dont see how they justify keeping a guy who will turning 36 next season. instead of a Lawson or a Hadjar

 

[Il_leone]

so smug i called this in april


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on Riccardio i think he's known it was an inevitability. because Toro rosso alpha tauri RB is a youth team. its for blooding new inexperienced talent. & i dont see how they justify keeping a guy who will turning 36 next season. instead of a Lawson or a Hadjar

Not an April fool's joke then

 

[Il_leone]

This a rumour about Red Bull and Vcarb for 2025