2023-24 Formula 1 Off-season thread

  • Thread starter Jimlaad43
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toastet
his contract already ends after 2025
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Odds are however, he likely looked for a exit clause in the contract that allowed him to exit out earlier (Something that Hamilton did with his Mercedes exit and something I would not at all be shocked at if Verstappen ends up doing)
 
Veinz
Maybe the engine program isn’t doing very well and he doesn’t want to relive the RBR-Renault hyrbid era.
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That's something I've been wondering about lately. Honda's residual influence on RBR's engines is only going to be relevant for a short time longer, and presuming they don't bounce out entirely from all the drama it's looking like Ford's involvement might be more of a rebadging exercise. If they're not already putting a heavy focus on getting that department sorted for 2026, I dunno how well that's going to end for them.
 
Rossell2
So who does he replace? And is Sainz joining and the first question is irrirrelevant?
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Well to me if Sargeant is under pressure constantly for his performances then Zhou has to be, I like the guy but Bottas has the measure of him and his performances this season haven't been good enough. I'd be surprised if it was anything other than Hulk and Bottas next season. Bottas is too good to let go, even with the possibility of Sainz. Hulkenberg has already beaten Sainz in team mate head to head at Renault and held his seat ahead of Sainz when Ricciardo came in.
 
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RACECAR
Realistically looking at it:

Ferrari: The only viable option (something I would not have said 3 years ago, but here we are). We've got a no nonsense leader in Vasseur, we all know #blessed is already over there (someone he's expressed interest in working with) and its Ferrari. You're really gonna turn down a rare Second offer from Ferrari (Especially one that isn't run by clowns this time)? And there's the fact that Elkan is very much looking like he very much wants to create the closest thing to the Todt-Brawn-Schumacher era (Something Vettel tried to do, but he didn't quite have the reach or pieces to do so). This is the one team on the grid that has the best of both worlds and is regularly THE closest to Red Bull (With Mclaren sorta trying to squeeze in there), why not fulfill the dream and become THE guy that returns a world title back to Maranello. And should he decide he's done with F1 but not with Ferrari, there's that Hypercar program that isn't too bad either...

Aston Martin: While he does have familiar company in Dan Fallows, I can't imagine he'll thrive at a team who's owner is the only reason one of those drivers has a seat (And am willing to bet doesn't take even constructive criticism of his son too well). For someone who wants the team to compete for wins and championships, Lawrence sure doesn't seem willing to make the sacrifice and I don't think that's ideal for Adrian (Or for Honda, who has already shown they are willing work with Alonso but I guarantee they would prefer a certain RB driver over Lance).

Audi: Both too risky and odds are, Audi already have what THEY want and likely won't give Newey the room and freedom (the thing that drove him away from Williams AND Mclaren, both run by Old men who reek of "My way or the Highway").
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I agree that Ferrari are the most likely option. But time at Ferrari can also be a poisoned chalice. If Newey isn't given the freedom he needs and the right people around him, he isn't guranteed success there. Not the end of the world as i'm sure he will be well paid and his legend in the sport is already secure, but you don't want to be (probably) ending your career on a controversial low.

Aston and Audi appointments would also no doubt pay him finely, but with the added bonus of possibly dragging a middling or nowhere team into the sharp end and possibly getting wins. Ferrari are already there or thereabouts so anything other than fighting for titles would be seen as a failure. Aston with Stroll money are already on that trajectory and a Newey appointment added to their recent facility upgrades might just be the final piece of the puzzle. Audi/Sauber are more of an unknown, but maybe its that clean-sheet challenge that Newey finds more interesting at this stage in his career?
 
RACECAR
Realistically looking at it:

Ferrari: The only viable option (something I would not have said 3 years ago, but here we are). We've got a no nonsense leader in Vasseur, we all know #blessed is already over there (someone he's expressed interest in working with) and its Ferrari. You're really gonna turn down a rare Second offer from Ferrari (Especially one that isn't run by clowns this time)? And there's the fact that Elkan is very much looking like he very much wants to create the closest thing to the Todt-Brawn-Schumacher era (Something Vettel tried to do, but he didn't quite have the reach or pieces to do so). This is the one team on the grid that has the best of both worlds and is regularly THE closest to Red Bull (With Mclaren sorta trying to squeeze in there), why not fulfill the dream and become THE guy that returns a world title back to Maranello. And should he decide he's done with F1 but not with Ferrari, there's that Hypercar program that isn't too bad either...
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According to the man himself it's actually the even rarer 4th offer:

“During the IndyCar days, which probably don’t count, then in ’93, and, as is now known, in 2014. The offer in ’93 was very tempting.”
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TheCracker
I agree that Ferrari are the most likely option. But time at Ferrari can also be a poisoned chalice. If Newey isn't given the freedom he needs and the right people around him, he isn't guranteed success there. Not the end of the world as i'm sure he will be well paid and his legend in the sport is already secure, but you don't want to be (probably) ending your career on a controversial low.

Aston and Audi appointments would also no doubt pay him finely, but with the added bonus of possibly dragging a middling or nowhere team into the sharp end and possibly getting wins. Ferrari are already there or thereabouts so anything other than fighting for titles would be seen as a failure. Aston with Stroll money are already on that trajectory and a Newey appointment added to their recent facility upgrades might just be the final piece of the puzzle. Audi/Sauber are more of an unknown, but maybe its that clean-sheet challenge that Newey finds more interesting at this stage in his career?
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I highly doubt Newey would go anywhere where he would potentially be given limited freedom, so if it is Ferrari, I don't think freedom will be an issue.

You're definitely right with the other 2, I guess it just depends on how much time he wants to spend working from effectively ground zero with Audi, which I'm sure would be an exciting prospect but maybe would require too much time and is a real risk for him. Or if he wants to reunite with Fallows at Aston Martin, which is of course a designer/aerodynamicist combo that has had a fair bit of success, 9 world titles or something with both of them at Red Bull? Might very well be that final puzzle piece as you say.
 
MagpieRacer
I highly doubt Newey would go anywhere where he would potentially be given limited freedom, so if it is Ferrari, I don't think freedom will be an issue.
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It's not so much that i think he could be, or would let himself be, contractually restrained from the freedom he'd require to get the job done, but Ferrari hierarchy have that knack of interfering with things because they always think they know best.
 
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