The F1 driver transfer discussion/speculation archiveFormula 1 

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GOTMAXPOWER
Gutierrez is a actually a good driver, he was just too young for GP2 and F1 when he got there (ART and Sauber were both off-form when he was there too), I think the year at Ferrari will have helped him a lot like it did for Massa in 2003.
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Well Max Verstappen is only seventeen and has shown not only great speed, but great race craft as well. During his two years with Sauber Gutierrez showed neither of these two attributes. Even Massa in 2002 as erratic as he was, showed he had the pace. In the end age is no excuse. You've either got it, or you haven't.
 
"Lotus F1 Team has confirmed that Pastor Maldonado will remain at Enstone for the 2016 season."
This could turn to a "Dear Pastor, we're closing the team, but you can stay here if you want, good luck.
PS: we kindly let you a box with spare carbon pieces and a hammer in case you miss racing."
 
Radio Le Mans said Renault won't buy Lotus until they go belly up. Then they can get them cheap. They also said that the final decision rests on if Renault can at that point claim Lotus's championship prize money.
 
Milouse
Nico Rosberg is both Finnish (by father) and German by mother (i had to check this online to be honest)
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I didn't, but despite the nationalities of his parents, he has lived his entire life in Monaco so I think it's only fair to call him Monegasque.
 
Legro
I didn't, but despite the nationalities of his parents, he has lived his entire life in Monaco so I think it's only fair to call him Monegasque.
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No, despite where he's lived (this is argued too often really), he holds dual citizenship. So he does have two home tracks.
 
Legro
Now, with the German GP gone for an indefinite time, this isn't strictly true, but by the actual count of what nationalities he can be said to be, he could have 3 home GPs.
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What would be the third? And yeah I know Germany is gone but I'm saying in what is usually a normal season (since the last time Germany wasn't on the calendar was 2007) he had two home races.
 
BRRT_Angel
Honestly, if Haas actually picked up Gutierrez, then they've already showed the destination this team will be going, and it isn't good. Vergne obviously couldn't commit because of the pending Renault show, but it isn't worth picking up Gutierrez. He's less dangerous than Maldonado, but he's about as effective as Chilton. I would have honestly made a move for Perez. He has sponsorship, and he's been capable of success. A Perez/Grosjean pairing would have worked. Now that Perez is all but confirmed for Force India next year, Grosjean will the the team leader with at best someone who can't survive mid pack. Not liking the odds.
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There's talk that Ferrari are interested in supplying Red Bull and Toro Rosso with engines because they want Max Verstappen. If that's true, Haas might not feel like he needs to take a Ferrari development driver, in which case he could opt for Grosjean and Magnussen.
 
So that's it, Jenson Button's off. That's a real shame if today's newspaper reports are true. Supposedly he'll make an announcement at Suzuka. I really hope they're wrong.

NOVOCAINE
Well Max Verstappen is only seventeen and has shown not only great speed, but great race craft as well.
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And some atrocious, downright dangerous racecraft. Which he's lied about. Great potential for sure, just not the full package yet.
 
I would much rather see Button actually racing competitively and truly enjoying himself with something fresh. World RX seems his likeliest option after the JRM test, which would be a great boost for both British and international rallycross - F1's loss is wider motorsport's gain.
 
That would surely open the seat up for Vandoorne next year. He's been too dominant in GP2 to not move him up to F1.
 
Magnussen is still deserving of it in my eyes.

Magnussen race seat, Vandoorne third driver, de Vries in Super Formula? Sounds reasonable.
 
I really hope Vandoorne gets the seat rather than Magnussen, simply because Magnussen has had time in a McLaren already. I think Magnussen might enjoy spending the 2016 season at Haas anyway...
 
Pezzarinho17
I really hope Vandoorne gets the seat rather than Magnussen, simply because Magnussen has had time in a McLaren already. I think Magnussen might enjoy spending the 2016 season at Haas anyway...
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If anything I think Magnussen should go to Haas. But if not he should get the seat at McLaren still, I don't see Vandoorne really being much better. And the fact that Alonso a 2 time WDC was on the free agent list, is all the reason why K-Mag was side lined. Even Vandoorne would be looked over for Alonso who is still got much drive in him as Ferrari showed. He just needs the car as well as the team and the rest will be history.
 
Keep in mind Magnussen was the one that beat Vandoorne in F3.5 in 2013 which warranted his promotion over him.
 
hsv
I would much rather see Button actually racing competitively and truly enjoying himself with something fresh. World RX seems his likeliest option after the JRM test, which would be a great boost for both British and international rallycross - F1's loss is wider motorsport's gain.
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I agree with your first point. Button deserves better than McLearen right now.

However, I'd can't say I'd like to see him in WRX. As others have mentioned, I too think it would be good to see him in a WEC car. Personally, I would love to see him in a British built GT3 car of some sort...Bently, Aston, Jag, McLearen :lol: Ideally it would be awesome to see him run a combo of WEC, Tudor, and BlancPain. Back when he took his McLearen to Bathurst, he seemed to really enjoy the track, so I wouldn't be all that suprised to see him in the Bathurst 12hr.

It would be sick to see him as a co-driver in V8 Supercars. BTCC would be epic too.
 
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Didn't McLaren say the final decision would be seen next month? So like the title sponsor that never appeared, does that mean they're official driver line up for next year wont appear?
 
But as several have mentioned in the MWM collective, for every big ex-F1 driver getting into the WEC, another big star/young talent has to get kicked off the team. He's also stated before that he doesn't enjoy multi-class racing.
 
mustafur
Keep in mind Magnussen was the one that beat Vandoorne in F3.5 in 2013 which warranted his promotion over him.
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Magnussen was in his second season of F3.5, but it was Vandoorne's first. That is a huge difference in the lower formula classes.
 
Another piece falls into place?



Checo at the revived Renault factory team, with historical payments, a way bigger budget, but no star engineers that I know of. I love this! But is it a safe bet for Perez? Maybe this can be James Key's shot to run his own big team finally, after doing so well with Sauber, FI, and STR, so his whole career really. Oh wait, this was driver speculation.

Seems perhaps Renault could've gone after JEV or Magnussen, but they are keeping Maldonado onboard for his money, what else right? So is this the reasoning behind picking up Checo as well with his ties to Telmex, Banamex, the Slim family? Are they just trying to stock up on cash for an extra development fund boost in the short term in order to gain long-term traction in the nearer future?

But there's also the idea that JEV should stay loyal to Ferrari and Magnussen could be close to getting that Haas seat.

So who's gonna fill that FI seat, if this deal goes through that is.

FI seems to have an explosive package in their current test driver lineup: Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon.

Pascal Wehrlein is the silent 20 year old German who is Mercedes' F1 reserve driver and junior program star. He currently has a good lead in DTM in his first full season with Mercedes.


Esteban Ocon is Mercedes' new French junior driver who is 19 years old. He beat Max Verstappen in Euro F3 (Max's first car series) in his rookie year and is currently fighting for the GP3 championship in his rookie year on a roll with consistent podiums.

These guys are only doing the YDT for FI, so the titles aren't quite as meaningful in this age of F1 where testing is so restricted. But test drivers they are. They are also quite tied to other teams but those teams know any seat available for developing a junior driver is too good to pass up, especially with a team like FI.

Can't think of anyone else really.
 
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