The F1 driver transfer discussion/speculation archiveFormula 1 

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I guess I am the only one who thinks that I've not seen anything yet from Hulk to conclude he deserves a drive with a top team.

Then again, I never thought anything of Ricciardo, and he's done alright.
 
The German media are reporting that Ferrari have already made Bottas an offer for 2016. Can't verify it myself, since I don't read German.
 
prisonermonkeys
The German media are reporting that Ferrari have already made Bottas an offer for 2016. Can't verify it myself, since I don't read German.
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Well, I have A1 level German, so I might give it a try :)
 
James Allen calls BS on Red Bull's threat to leave Formula 1:

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/...red-bull-is-committed-to-f1-to-december-2020/

The short version is that, with the new generation of engines coming into play, Bernie built insurance into the commercial agreement - any team that agrees to compete until 2020 gets a larger cut from FOM, but if they break that contract, then they're liable to pay the money that they would have been entitled to.
 
According to Ted Kravitz, the Italian media are reporting that Kimi Raikkonen has two races to prove himself if he wants to keep his seat for 2016 - and that the order has not come from Maurizio Arrivabene, but from Sergio Marchionne himself. Kravitz is also under the impression that Ferrari want to buy Valtteri Bottas' contract out for $5 million.

David Croft and Anthony Davidson were also reporting that Esteban Gutierrez is firming up for a Haas seat next season.
 
Pointless fact of the day.

Apparently Grosjean can become the driver with the most points without winning a race if he finishes in the top 7.

That spot currently belongs to Heidfeld.

Edit.

I could have sworn that this was the Silverstone thread.
 
Maurizio Arrivabene says that Raikkonen is not fighting for his seat, but fighting for results, and that Mercedes - rather than Vettel - is his reference point.
 
jake2013guy
Do they even have any motorsport drivers? If so, are they actually decent?
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None that I know of. But give them time.

One of the main arguments against new races is that there will be no fans because there is no domestic motorsport scene. But that is a (deliberate, I suspect) Catch-22, because how can you develop a domestic motorsport scene without exposure to the international scene?
 
prisonermonkeys
None that I know of. But give them time.

One of the main arguments against new races is that there will be no fans because there is no domestic motorsport scene. But that is a (deliberate, I suspect) Catch-22, because how can you develop a domestic motorsport scene without exposure to the international scene?
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That is very true. If there is a good street circuit that produces a good international presence among locals and internationals, it may work. I don't think it will happen though.
 
jake2013guy
That is very true. If there is a good street circuit that produces a good international presence among locals and internationals, it may work. I don't think it will happen though.
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I could see them putting their name to a team. They already sponsor major sporting teams, like Barcelona, and during the first half of last year, Stefano Coletti carried the "Azerbaijan - Land of Fire" name on his car in GP2. With the FIA opening up the grid to new entries again, speculation has variously linked ART Grand Prix and Carlin to bids. Azerbaijan has oil money to burn, and so could easily bankroll one of them and enter them under the Azeri flag.
 
prisonermonkeys
But that is a (deliberate, I suspect) Catch-22, because how can you develop a domestic motorsport scene without exposure to the international scene?
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Same way that motorsports started in the first place. People have cars, people like driving fast, people are competitive. People challenge other people to race. Eventually, this becomes popular enough that purpose built facilities are made, and media coverage and sponsorship becomes a thing. From grassroots motorsport to national level competition in 10 easy steps.

You don't need exposure to international level soccer to start a local soccer league, you just need a bunch of people who enjoy kicking a ball around. I don't see motorsport as really being any different, you just need a bunch of people with cars who like to go fast.
 
Imari
I don't see motorsport as really being any different, you just need a bunch of people with cars who like to go fast.
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But given how expensive motorsports can be, I think burgeoning championships need exposure to the top tiers of motorsport to furl domestic interest.
 
prisonermonkeys
Journal L'Équipe is reporting that Lotus has gone bankrupt.
Um, again.
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They wrote it as a reminder, not a news. Their news is about a strong multi-sourced rumor about Renault being in a takeover process of Lotus. Prost would be involved in the project, somehow.
 
Milouse
They wrote it as a reminder, not a news. Their news is about a strong multi-sourced rumor about Renault being in a takeover process of Lotus. Prost would be involved in the project, somehow.
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Which might explain why Red Bull have been linked to Mercedes through Aston Martin - if Renault buy Lotus, Mercedes lose a customer team, and they apparently want three customers to offset the costs of development.
 
prisonermonkeys
Which might explain why Red Bull have been linked to Mercedes through Aston Martin - if Renault buy Lotus, Mercedes lose a customer team, and they apparently want three customers to offset the costs of development.
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A bloke in the pub (always a marginally better source than YobTub commentaters) said he'd heard that STR might take a Mercedes lump if the whole Audi-sale-rumour didn't go through. Mind you, he also believes that 11/9 was a hoax perpetrated by America's anti-muslim agenda.
 
TenEightyOne
A bloke in the pub (always a marginally better source than YobTub commentaters) said he'd heard that STR might take a Mercedes lump if the whole Audi-sale-rumour didn't go through.
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That would further complicate things because a manufacturer can only supply a limited number of teams. If Mercedes were to pick up Red Bull and Toro Rosso, they would need to let two teams go.

Meanwhile, Adrian Newey is working with Aston Martin on a road car project, although it does not have anything to do with the team (for now). And Lotus have been on the receiving end of a wind-up notice from some of their suppliers, though they claim that it's a preventative measure brought about by suppliers concerned by what happened to Marussia and Caterham.
 
Kind of off-topic but I'd personally love Kimi if he became a little patient and came to run NASCAR full-time. He did really well in the two races he did a couple of years ago for Kyle Busch and Nemechek, considering he had never run anything like a stock car before.
Only problem is that he probably wants a full time Cup ride year one, and that just won't happen without a full time Xfinity season. I could totally see him in a Ganassi car if he could just do a single year of Xfinity.
 
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