The 2017 F1 driver transfer discussion/speculation threadFormula 1

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

They're not going to go for Verstappen or get him. Also it'd be a waste to not use Giovanazzi if they're that keen on replacing a driver, and Leclerc would be an even more unrealistic step than Verstappen. Kimi seems he'll most likely keep his seat, as he's better than what Massa was when in the same position of his career.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Why should Ferrari keep Raikkonen. Mercedes have shown with Bottas that you can promote someone from the midfield and they'l do a good job. Bottas is behind Lewis, but when Hamilton has a bad patch, Bottas pops up and scores a load of points or wins. When Vettel has struggled, where has Kimi been for the past few years? Nowhere is the answer. Perez or Grosjean would have won at least 1 race since 2015 in Ferrari next to Vettel. Kimi is past it, and a 1 year contract for a front running midfielder will keep their options open for 2018 while having a backup driver that will be slower than Vettel, but can pick up the scraps when it goes wrong.

 

[mustafur]

Perez is better then Bottas when Bottas was at Williams imo, so at Ferrari he should be pretty close to Vettel.

 

[DesertPenguin09]

But Perez is a stubborn asshat so...

 

[prisonermonkeys]

But Perez is a stubborn asshat so...

... So he'd fit right in?

 

[Bram Turismo]

But why get Perez when you can get Ocon?

He has proven to be a talent, and so far he has been just as fast as Perez has been.

 

[Jimlaad43]

But why get Perez when you can get Ocon?

Mercedes

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Mercedes

Who cannot control what he does. If they offer Bottas a contract extension and Ocon is out of contract, they cannot force him to stay to prevent a rival team from getting him. The FIA's Contract Review Board would scupper it.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Oh, my mistake, I had no idea Ocon was connected to Mercedes.

 

[Dennisch]

Herr Marko has spoken. Max will not leave RBR, not even for €100 million.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Herr Marko has spoken. Max will not leave RBR, not even for €100 million.

That still assumes that Red Bull will fulfil their end of the deal. If there's a performance clause in there and they're aren't satisfying it because the car isn't performing, it doesn't matter what Marko says.

 

[EngieDiesel]

That still assumes that Red Bull will fulfil their end of the deal. If there's a performance clause in there and they're aren't satisfying it because the car isn't performing, it doesn't matter what Marko says.

Of course if there are no suitable seats open for Max at the end of the year, the performance clause is a bit of a moot point as well. I highly doubt Max's management team will accept any offers from the bottom half of the field, they can't exactly force Mercedes or Ferrari to vacate a spot for him, and obviously they're not going to tell him to sit out for a year and hope something better comes along.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

McLaren reckon Alonso will stay in 2018:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/130739/mclaren-very-good-chance-alonso-stays-in-f1

 

[mustafur]

I guess they promised him Merc Power next year.

 

[CinnamonOD]

Rumours say Sainz could replace Palmer as soon as the Hungarian GP

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Rumours say Sainz could replace Palmer as soon as the Hungarian GP

I suppose that makes sense:

1) After his comments in Austria, Sainz probably isn't totally trusted by Red Bull.

2) When Kvyat's future was in doubt, one of the major criticisms of Red Bull is that drivers don't have a future in Formula 1 if they're let go by the team.

3) Sainz wasn't getting along with Verstappen when they were at Toro Rosso. Even if he gets promoted, there's no guarantee he'll have a better relationship with Verstappen.

4) Gasly is struggling in Super Formula. The longer he stays there, the harder it will be to justify bringing him to Formula 1, but none of Red Bull's other juniors - Kari, Leeds, etc. - are anywhere near ready for Formula 1.

5) Toro Rosso use Renault engines, so by sending him to Renault, there's no chance he could pass his knowledge of the engine's design on to another rival.

That said, Renault have repeatedly pointed out that Palmer is under contract until the end of the year.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Oh, my mistake, I had no idea Ocon was connected to Mercedes.

Both Ocon and Wehrlein are Mercedes junior drivers, that's why when the Bottas deal went down many questioned if it was because Mercedes didn't think Esteban and Pascal were ready.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

No hiding for Kubica and Renault during the official test next week....
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/kubica-drive-renault-hungaroring-test-933962/

 

[TenEightyOne]

No hiding for Kubica and Renault during the official test next week....
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/kubica-drive-renault-hungaroring-test-933962/

I'd love to see Palmer's face if Kubica's faster

 

[EngieDiesel]

I'd love to see Palmer's face if Kubica's faster

He'll probably be wishing that he had burned his underpants sooner if that happens.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I'd love to see Palmer's face if Kubica's faster

Shouldn't be too hard for Kubica to be as fast if not faster than Palmer.

 

[TheElbows]

I'm more curious what changes they'd make to an F1 car to accommodate Kubica's injury. He has some unique designs in his rally cars to work with his hand. They're careful to never show it, so I assume it's quite messed up? Seems like a nice enough guy - though he crashed a lot of rally cars.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I'm more curious what changes they'd make to an F1 car to accommodate Kubica's injury. He has some unique designs in his rally cars to work with his hand. They're careful to never show it, so I assume it's quite messed up? Seems like a nice enough guy - though he crashed a lot of rally cars.

He wouldn't be the only well known name to crash a lot in rallies. Also they must have already made these changes, since he's driven an F1 car a couple times since the accident.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I'm more curious what changes they'd make to an F1 car to accommodate Kubica's injury. He has some unique designs in his rally cars to work with his hand. They're careful to never show it, so I assume it's quite messed up? Seems like a nice enough guy - though he crashed a lot of rally cars.

It was his upper arm that was almost completely severed, I believe the reduction in manual function is secondary to that rather than from manual damage.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

From what I remember of an article about his limitations, he can't shift gear with one of his hands. It might even be his left hand due to having to maintain full grip on the wheel, but I need to find the article again....

EDIT:
From this link:

"Renault has adapted the steering wheel of Kubica's car to facilitate the changing of gears with his left hand only, but Whiting said there will be no dispensation from the mandatory cockpit exit test."

 

[desmodan]

Whatever the result of this test , I say good luck to the guy !
He's a fine example to all of us , and should be commended for not giving up when it would be so easy to just sit at home feeling sorry for himself .

 

[TenEightyOne]

Vettel is currently running around 0.9s off his quali pace. Kubica is running around 1.2s off Palmer's qualifying pace after only 40 laps in the 2017 car. Very interesting!

 

[Lord Kacperov]

Vettel is currently running around 0.9s off his quali pace. Kubica is running around 1.2s off Palmer's qualifying pace after only 40 laps in the 2017 car. Very interesting!

 

[TenEightyOne]

Times at the lunch break: 1) Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1:17.124, 40 laps; 2) Lando Norris, McLaren, 1:17.894, 57 laps; 3) Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:18.237, 20 laps; 4) Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, 1:18.850, 68 laps; 5) Lucas Auer, Force India, 1:19.242, 49 laps; 6) George Russell, Mercedes, 1:19.499; 36 laps; 7) Robert Kubica, Renault, 1:19.681, 74 laps; 8) Pierre Gasly, Red Bull, 1:20.337, 60 laps; 9) Luca Ghiotto, Williams, 1:20.414, 67 laps; 9) Santino Ferrucci, Haas, 1:21.235; 57 laps; 10) Nobuharu Matsu****a, Sauber, 1:23.133, 45 laps.

Kubica's covered 74 laps and has set Renault's best time of the test. As with all testing times these aren't necessarily representative and it would be great to have a direct Palmer benchmark

 

[mustafur]

So Lando Norris just matched Vandornes best Qual lap and only 3 tenths off Alonso.