The 2017 F1 driver transfer discussion/speculation threadFormula 1

[prisonermonkeys]

Palmer offers up an explanation for his performances - he was "distracted" by Hülkenberg's form.

Now I know I'm liable to go off on an anti-Palmer bender, but putting that aside, let's be honest: as far as excuses go, it's pretty pathetic.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Palmer offers up an explanation for his performances - he was "distracted" by Hülkenberg's form.

Now I know I'm liable to go off on an anti-Palmer bender, but putting that aside, let's be honest: as far as excuses go, it's pretty pathetic.

Yes. Very. Now be a good chap and watch Le Mans.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Le Mans bores me.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Cyril Abiteboul says Renault aren't considering Robert Kubica for 2018, but they do have several drivers in mind:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130238/kubica-not-on-renault-2018-list

He does emphasise that they have a contract with Jolyon Palmer "for 2017, and all of 2017", a distinction that he does not make for Nico Hülkenberg. At this point, I think it's pretty clear that Palmer is done and the only reason he's going to see the season out is because of his contract.

 

[Liquid]

@prisonermonkeys I'm not trying to throw vodka onto the sauna, this is a genuine curiosity:

Whom do you think is/was a worse F1 driver, Jolyon Palmer or Max Chilton?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Whom do you think is/was a worse F1 driver, Jolyon Palmer or Max Chilton?

They're both pretty horrible. I'd give it to Palmer; while he has been outqualified by Hülkenberg and Chilton by Bianchi, Chilton was performing on the level that could be expected of the car.

 

[Jimlaad43]

At least with Chilton you knew he would get the car home.

However, neither are as low on the level as someone like Yamamoto or Karthikeyan.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

Yuji Ide takes the prize for me in recent memory. DNF in first 2 races, finished 2 laps down in his third, and then caused a hefty crash with Christijan Albers. He was replaced by Franck Montagny after the FIA got involved and revoked his license!!!

 

[Jimlaad43]

Yeah, but we know Ide was incompetent. The others, including Palmer and Chilton, have at least sometimes shown flashes of competence at some point.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Of the three, Ide probably had the best pedigree. He'd placed twice in the Formula Nippon championship, and he had experience in a wide range of cars. But he was incompetent and nobody expected much of him.

Chilton was probably the most competent. He never got in the way, didn't cause problems and only made a handful of silly mistakes; he actually had a pretty good finishing record. But his junior record wasn't great, and everyone knew he was there for wish fulfilment.

Palmer had the most expectation piled on him. He qualified seventeenth on début, and got a lengthy interview on Sky; by comparison, Nico Rosberg qualified on pole and had a twenty-second interview. His career has been plagued by stupid mistakes and he has been soundly out-performed by Magnussen and Hülkenberg. And while he is a GP2 champion, he won the title in his fourth season after his main competition - the likes of Ericsson and Nasr - had either graduated or left.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Of course he had a long interview on Sky. It was his first qualifying sessions, and he is British. Of course the British broadcaster is going to spend ages talking to him, to get his opinion on his first qualifying session and allow the public to properly hear the new home driver for the first time. I feel like you're making a mountain out of a molehill here. We've heard plenty of interviews from Rosberg near then, especially with him near the front, so why spend an extra minute listening to the same phrases we've heard for 2 years by then.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

We've heard plenty of interviews from Rosberg near then, especially with him near the front, so why spend an extra minute listening to the same phrases we've heard for 2 years by then.

True, but it was the first race of the season and he was expected to be a title contender.

Of course the British broadcaster is going to spend ages talking to him, to get his opinion on his first qualifying session and allow the public to properly hear the new home driver for the first time.

For one, they oversold him. They touted him as the reigning GP2 champion, and he was. But they didn't go into the circumstances behind it. It took him four years to win, and that was mostly because the competition left.

 

[Tired Tyres]

True, but it was the first race of the season and he was expected to be a title contender.


For one, they oversold him. They touted him as the reigning GP2 champion, and he was. But they didn't go into the circumstances behind it. It took him four years to win, and that was mostly because the competition left.

Like anybody would undermine one of there own countries drivers in their first season in F1 in an interview like that. Additionally you can only beat what is put in front of you which he did regardless of how long it takes.

His first season looked reasonable overall. Some good, some bad (too much) some indifferent. Overall not too shabby for a first season. The problem is his teammate was clearly not as good as people have taken him to be and that may have been the reason Renault kept him on. It's taken someone like the Hulk to show the difference.

That's why they are ultimately going to have to replace him. The question is who with? Do they want a driver of proven capability to compete with his teammate for the points or are they still looking backwards to drivers who can bring the most money.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Admittedly not a driver personality... but Ron Dennis is to sell his MTG stake. The definite end of a long road that's had, well, several endings.

 

[Liquid]

The Ronglish version:

Ronald has come to the conclusion of the period of deliberation whereby he has conceded that the necessary panacea for the immediate future of Project Four McLaren can only be remedied by the dissolution of his legally equitable guarantees in the wake of an irreversible shift in corporate structuring.

He's had a good run. With him, Montezemolo and Briatore gone that leaves only Frank Williams as the last 'old guard' supremo.

 

[psychoazubi]

"He is motivated, we are motivated" says Niki Lauda to Lewis Hamiltons request for a new contract at Mercedes for 2018. One option less for Alonso

 

[EngieDiesel]

"He is motivated, we are motivated" says Niki Lauda to Lewis Hamiltons request for a new contract at Mercedes for 2018. One option less for Alonso

Well let's be honest, unless Mercedes suddenly morphs into Andrea Moda and collapses on itself or Hamilton just finally gets fed up with F1 and quits entirely, I wouldn't see him going anywhere else for a while yet.

 

[TenEightyOne]

With...Briatore gone...

Although he is still hanging around the paddock like a very expensive smell.

 

[Liquid]

Although he is still hanging around the paddock like a very expensive smell.

Money sure has an odd smell.

 

[psychoazubi]

Well let's be honest, unless Mercedes suddenly morphs into Andrea Moda and collapses on itself or Hamilton just finally gets fed up with F1 and quits entirely, I wouldn't see him going anywhere else for a while yet.

Yeah but this was the first "official" statement that they are working on a new contract

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Robert Kubica gives himself an "eighty or ninety percent" chance of returning to Formula 1 in the near future and says that most of the questions he had about his ability to drive a Formula 1 car have been answered:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/07/05/kubica-rates-formula-1-return-chances/

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Renault are now openly talking about giving Kubica a full-time drive:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/07/07/renault-evaluating-kubica-possible-f1-return/

Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz says that it's unlikely that he will stay at Toro Rosso for a fourth season:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/07/07/sainz-unlikely-remain-toro-rosso-2018/

But where would he go? Red Bull seems unlikely unless someone (Ferrari?) digs Ricciardo out or Verstappen jumps ship. McLaren might be possible if Alonso leaves, but it would be a huge leap of faith for Sainz. The only other option I can think of would be Williams if Massa re-retires.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Renault are now openly talking about giving Kubica a full-time drive:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/07/07/renault-evaluating-kubica-possible-f1-return/

Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz says that it's unlikely that he will stay at Toro Rosso for a fourth season:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/07/07/sainz-unlikely-remain-toro-rosso-2018/

But where would he go? Red Bull seems unlikely unless someone (Ferrari?) digs Ricciardo out or Verstappen jumps ship. McLaren might be possible if Alonso leaves, but it would be a huge leap of faith for Sainz. The only other option I can think of would be Williams if Massa re-retires.

Huge leap for who? Alonso seems very likely gone from McLaren, even if they left Honda behind. The options seem to be Ferrari which is distant, McLaren, FI (if Perez were to go to Ferrari), Williams. Renault are evaluating, but that doesn't mean he has the job. They still have the young Russian, also it's not like rumors of Alonso's potential return have died.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Huge leap for who?

For Sainz. If he went to McLaren, there's no telling what he'd be walking in to.

 

[TenEightyOne]

...Williams if Massa re-retires.

Interviews with Rob Smedley and Massa (separately) at the last race gave the impression that 2018 may well be on the table if Massa wants it. The decent thing might be to wait a couple of seasons before retiring again

 

[mustafur]

For Sainz. If he went to McLaren, there's no telling what he'd be walking in to.

If he can't get a Ferrari, Mercedes or Redbull seat the only teams that really have the resources for a future winning car down the line would be either Renault or Mclaren, Mclaren will have to change engines though to make this possible, while Renault are a full blown works team(even though their engine has been slightly uncompetitive for some time now even before the current engines).

It's a tough decision for him, considering if he does stay at STR he will likely get a Redbull seat(Redbull really only have Gasly in their current ranks that would be in their plans for a future F1 drive in the near future) but that could be years away(for Ricciardo or Verstappen to leave as both are contracted till atleast 2018).

Personally I would be looking at Renault because atleast then you have a car that can leap you more forward if it doesn't work out as the engine future is in their hands.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Personally I would be looking at Renault because atleast then you have a car that can leap you more forward if it doesn't work out as the engine future is in their hands.

Renault have made it known that they're assessing Kubica for a potential return. Plus there's the ongoing rumours that Alonso will return to the team, and they have Sirotkin as reserve who has said that he's doing everything he can to show Renault that he's ready. While it pretty much seems to be a given that Palmer is out, the Renault seat is going to be hotly contested.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

There's also a rumour going around the paddock that Max Verstappen has asked to leave Red Bull when his contract expires at the end of next year. If true, that might explain why Red Bull are going to make Sainz see out his contract. If Verstappen leaves, they'll look to Toro Rosso for their next driver. Sainz is out-performing Kvyat, so he seems the natural choice; if Sainz leaves Toro Rosso, they'll have a choice between Kvyat and most likely Pierre Gasly. Their experiences with Kvyat will likely warn them off promoting Gasly too soon.

 

[Vinylshark]

Just talked about it with a friend, what about Alonso joining Force India?
Mercedes: -Bottas, +Ocon
Force India: -Ocon, +Alonso
Williams: -Massa, +Bottas.
McLaren: -Alonso, +Button/+X
I don't think that Mercedes will be interested in Fernando. Ferrari surely won't sign him again and RedBull surely continues with Max and Dani. So I'd say the Force India should be the best car that he could get.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Just talked about it with a friend, what about Alonso joining Force India?

By all accounts, Force India are happy with Pérez and Ocon despite their tangles.

Mercedes: -Bottas

... Why?