The F1 driver transfer discussion/speculation archiveFormula 1

[prisonermonkeys]

That's just Villeneuve peeing in someone else's pool because he can.

Adam Cooper is Twittering about Sauber's situation with Sutil, and reckons that a) it's a repeat of the Marussia/Glock "we'd love to keep you, but we can't afford you" scenario (which is weird, since that would require Sauber to rate Sutil), and that b) it's going to get messy.

 

[mustafur]

Sutil has money don't be fooled.

 

[zippy_the_cat]

That's just Villeneuve peeing in someone else's pool because he can.

You're not wrong, but I'd also note that Villeneuve isn't necessarily wrong about the point he was making, not even in the stopped-clock-being-right-twice-a-day sense. There's every reason to think Alonso and McLaren will end up working about as well as it did the first time, minus the title contention.

 

[mikeerfol]

http://blog.axisofoversteer.com/2014/11/alonso-drops-bombshell-ferrari-might-be.html

Alonso drops a bombshell: Ferrari might be best option.

 

[TenEightyOne]

http://blog.axisofoversteer.com/2014/11/alonso-drops-bombshell-ferrari-might-be.html

Alonso drops a bombshell: Ferrari might be best option.

How many lawyers does it take to change an Alonso? Ferrari could be about to find out.

Interesting that Vettel still isn't confirmed to Ferrari yet (the market isn't going to settle until the Mercedes seats are settled after Adu Dhabi, imo). IRBR were quick to announce that Vettel had gone... at the time it was thought that Alonso was "on the back foot" while Vettel had stolen a march (team unrelated). Maybe it's the other way around now?

 

[craigatm]

How many lawyers does it take to change an Alonso?

Three. One to pay him off, and another two to get him to leave-a-the-space!

 

[SagarisGTB]

Jenson to Toyota in WEC?

Obviously questionable source, but it makes sense if he was leaving F1. Toyota has the best car in WEC at the moment, they have his friend Ant Davidson and Toyota offers opportunities in Japan. The source says it will be announced after the GP on Sunday.

 

[Legro]

http://blog.axisofoversteer.com/2014/11/alonso-drops-bombshell-ferrari-might-be.html

Alonso drops a bombshell: Ferrari might be best option.

The question is: does Ferrari think that Alonso is their best option?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Sutil has money don't be fooled.

I'm not. Which is why the "we'd love to keep you, but we can't afford you" scenario doesn't make much sense.

That said, Sauber are getting Banco do Brasil with Nasr, and the company logo will appear on their sidepods, which is prime real estate. So it seems that no matter how much money Sutil has, Nasr has more.

 

[SagarisGTB]

Nasr also offers more promise behind the wheel. If they offered equal funding, it would still be a no brainer.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

And there has never been any suggestion Sutil was on a multi-year deal. I bet it was one year with an option. If they really had signed him for a second season, why didn't they announce it?

 

[TenEightyOne]

Jenson to Toyota in WEC?

Obviously questionable source, but it makes sense if he was leaving F1. Toyota has the best car in WEC at the moment, they have his friend Ant Davidson and Toyota offers opportunities in Japan. The source says it will be announced after the GP on Sunday.

That would make sense. And good luck to him... we don't know what's said behind the McLaren tech-centre doors but from the outside it looks like Button's been left in limbo somewhat.

 

[TheBook]

Button to Toyota, Vettel ends up at McLaren instead of Ferrari, Alonso stays put?

 

[Legro]

Or Vettel and Alonso to Ferrari and Raikkonen to wherever he ends up.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Is it true that Ferrari want to run a prototype in the WEC? If so, that's what Raikkonen could end up racing.

 

[Brutaka]

Is it true that Ferrari want to run a prototype in the WEC? If so, that's what Raikkonen could end up racing.

It's a rumor

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Button to Toyota, Vettel ends up at McLaren instead of Ferrari, Alonso stays put?

Or Button stays at McLaren, Vettel moves to Ferrari and Raikkonen is out of F1?

 

[mastretta_mx]

Perez confirmed to stay with FI in 2015 and team looking to keep him until 2016

http://m.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116680

Gutierrez definitely out, I think his remain chance is to bring loads of money to Lotus (then poor Lotus with Crashtor and Gufailrrez)

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Or Vettel and Alonso to Ferrari and Raikkonen to wherever he ends up.

Sadly it seems even Ferrari have a place in there heart for Kimi, the type that PM hates to see on certain F1 sites.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/11/07/raikkonens-problems-can-solved-ferrari/

Now why would Ferrari say this, well simple they think that Kimi could be the top order driver they hired him to be and they plan to deliver on this with a car his style (since he's has a year in one that supposedly isn't) and then build from there.

I'm with those that are anti-Kimi is all good group, I like Kimi to a degree but not to the point where I think that his WDC should retain him a seat for a "potentially better" car. That is more to his liking. It seems that this proves him not to be adaptive but linear or fixed type driver like other WDC that aren't Alonso and Hamilton. Though I will say if KR should get to keep his seat then so should Button since it can be argued he did a much better job in just as bad of a car.

Lucky for him (Raikkonen) Ferrari is into vintage products and not fresh blood, and history shows this, however if roles were switched and he was back at Woking he'd be gone 2015.

As for Sutil being dropped, I'm glad he didn't provide anything that will greatly be missed, and his failure to find the grid a couple years back to me should have been permanent for reasons of racing and beyond.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Now why would Ferrari say this, well simple they think that Kimi could be the top order driver they hired him to be and they plan to deliver on this with a car his style (since he's has a year in one that supposedly isn't) and then build from there.

I remember when, once upon a time, Ferrari hired drivers and those drivers were the drivers they expected to have hired in the first place.

 

[GTPorsche]

So, in some crazy twist that Ferrari do indeed retain both Alonso and Raikkonen... (which I see as unlikely)

Where does that leave Vettel to go?

 

[TenEightyOne]

I remember when, once upon a time, Ferrari hired drivers and those drivers were the drivers they expected to have hired in the first place.

But they have had a habit of holding more grid-suitable drivers than they're going to field.

So, in some crazy twist that Ferrari do indeed retain both Alonso and Raikkonen... (which I see as unlikely)

Where does that leave Vettel to go?

Perhaps Ferrari will have all three with Alonso on gardening leave. Perhaps that's what his "long term" comment means. It's crazy but not without precedent.

 

[Imari]

It seems rather more like musical chairs than ever this year. Usually it's just the little fish who are in danger of being left without a seat when the music stops, but it seems like there's a real chance at least one big name gets the "thanks but no thanks" treatment.

Perhaps Ferrari will have all three with Alonso on gardening leave. Perhaps that's what his "long term" comment means. It's crazy but not without precedent.

That'd be a funny way to win. Hire all the good drivers and put them on gardening leave so that even if your car isn't great at least you're racing against Maldonados, Gutierrezes and Chiltons. Tad expensive, but if anyone can do it Ferrari can.

 

[TenEightyOne]

That'd be a funny way to win. Hire all the good drivers and put them on gardening leave so that even if your car isn't great at least you're racing against Maldonados, Gutierrezes and Chiltons. Tad expensive, but if anyone can do it Ferrari can.

I was half-joking when I said it but if the McLaren-Honda/Alonso thing didn't happen I could see him staying there.

What if (I know, I know ) Luca Di Lizard's parting gift to Alonso wasn't a contract separation (seems now that it wasn't) but was in fact a piece of advice on how Alonso could screw the board too? And now the plan is in action.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I remember when, once upon a time, Ferrari hired drivers and those drivers were the drivers they expected to have hired in the first place.

I remember when Ferrari were a good team...actually I remember when people could say a lot of good about Ferrari, but that hasn't been the case for quite some time. I'm just a bit sore on the idea that Kimi stays and Jenson goes. I love WEC but when you're three drivers it's hard to stand out.

 

[Tired Tyres]

WEC is easily my favourite series now. I'd like to see him at Toyota. He'll feel spoiled by having proper tyres. He might have trouble with proper blue flag rules though.

As for F1, unless there is a sudden brakeout of common sense, I see it struggling to survive in the next couple of seasons in anything like its current form.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

So Autosport are now suggesting the long awaited Alonso to McLaren deal is finalised, with the announcement being made ahead of Abu Dhabi and once the second driver is selected.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116713

I thought the second seat was comfortably Magnussen's for a few races, but I'm now starting to question that. Meetings being held in Woking this week to determine which it will be.

 

[Famine]

Jenson to Toyota in WEC?

Obviously questionable source, but it makes sense if he was leaving F1. Toyota has the best car in WEC at the moment, they have his friend Ant Davidson and Toyota offers opportunities in Japan. The source says it will be announced after the GP on Sunday.

I've been hearing about Button driving Nissan's LMP1 at Le Mans since June.

 

[Liquid]

I've been hearing about Button driving Nissan's LMP1 at Le Mans since June.

You've been hearing, but are you any closer to believing?

 

[SagarisGTB]

In a third car I would assume? Though doesn't that depend on who McLaren chooses for their race seats? I would be surprised if Jenson's future was sorted before McLaren make their choice.