Vettel and Hamilton to trade places?

[Scott]

Now that would be interesting and maybe more appropriate. 

The story below only suggests that Mercedes has made an offer to Vettel, but at the moment considering there is no place available on the Mercedes team and their German driver is driving brilliantly, perhaps Hamilton is more of a Red Bull kinda guy, and maybe RBR would let Vettel go in exchange for Hamilton who may better represent the Red Bull way.

I am not so sure Mercedes would let Rosberg go, as he has performed perfectly so far this year (though not much to fault Hamilton with either...he has just had the crappy luck).

Anyhow, something to chew on, and I for one would look forward to the switch, as Hamilton would get a big change, and maybe things would work out for him, and Vettel would once again be challenged by a strong teammate and we could perhaps finally close the argument of was it the car or the driver over the past 4 years...

http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-news/f1-sebastian-vettel-refuses-to-stamp-out-mercedes-rumours?artid=169648

...or maybe Vettel is running these rumours to negotiate a bigger renewal salary.

[John S]

I see the silly season has come really early for 2016.     

Both Seb and Nando would be mad to ink any deal with any team until we see the pecking order in 2015. Will Red Bull or Ferrari bounce back, will McLaren make the new Honda power unit a winner and will Williams spectacular rise this year be sustained next? 

I pretty sure Lewis will sign on again for Merc and I see Macca very much in the running to sign one or even two big names for 2016. I'll also stick my neck out and say Ferrari and Red Bull will have one definite 2016 driver each, Bianchi and Ricciardo respectively. 

[Scott]

Lewis may not like how things are shaking out at Merc, and at some point will put his bad luck in the blame it on the team column.  Should that happen, he will not hesitate to look for another team, and if Red Bull comes calling, I can see him there.  Vettel on the other hand may be looking for a good German team to hang his hat after Daniel has beaten his reputation into the ground at Red Bull (it really WAS the car, wasn't it for the last 4 years).

I'm not so sure Alonso is up for another team move before he retires.  I think he'll stay another season or two (even 3 if he keeps putting it on the podium) at Ferrari and then that will be it for him.  I don't see him moving anywhere.

[Vince]

As I've already said on another thread, my prediction is as follows for 2016...
McLaren - Alonso + 1 (Button retires)
Red Bull - Ricciardo and Vergne
Mercedes - Rosberg and Vettel (all German team)
Ferrari - Hamilton and Bianchi (Kimi retiring)
Williams - Bottas +1 (I see Massa retiring too)... 

[cosworth151]

Massa might well choose to go out on a high note. By the same logic, I think Button won't want to leave after a bad season. He'll stay one more year in the mistaken hope that the Honda lump will move McLaren back to the front.

[Scott]

With the same thinking, I don't know that Alonso would move to Mclaren just because Honda is joining.  In fact it might be a good move to NOT go to Mclaren for that very reason.  Better see how that all plays out.  Honda could just as easily come with a dog as Renault did this year. 

[Jericoke]

I don't believe that Mercedes will go for an 'all German' team, thus if they're keeping a driver and adding Vettel, then Rosberg is the one to go.

We saw from the German grand prix attendance that Germans aren't enamoured with F1.  Doubling down on the German fanbase doesn't seem wise, especially since Mercedes is a global brand.

Ferrari has avoided using Italian drivers as a way of extending their fanbase, and that seems to work.  (I would guess there would be hell to pay if they didn't try hiring a WDC who was Italian, but they haven't had that problem)  Mercedes would be wise to follow.

Although if we want to invoke another thread:  perhaps Mercedes is betting on the 3 drivers per team rule going through, and are simply preparing to have three roosters in the henhouse.

[Monty]

Jeri has hit on a point that I have been making when discussing with friends. Why would a Global brand like Mercedes want an all German driver line up. They don't even do this in DTM.
They went to massive efforts to persuade Hamilton to join (I'm assuming this wasn't solely led by Brawn), they are getting good results, Hamilton has a good fan base and handles the Corporate PR very well. To be honest, I can't see why they would take Vettel in place of either of their existing drivers. This season has proven what I have always felt, he is only good when the car is perfect. Considering that Vettel demands one of the highest salaries in F1 what can he offer over Rosberg and Hamilton?

[Vince]

Well, my prediction on Vergne becoming a Red Bull driver has already stumbled somewhat with Verstappen replacing him at Torro Rosso... I still see Vettel leaving though... Hmmm... Vettel and Hamilton at Ferrari? That would be interesting.. Maybe Red Bull could tempt Bottas from Williams....

[Dare]

Why  not Bottas to Ferrari?Fellow Fin Kimi
won a WDC there.

Hamilton and Vettel at Merc would be better
for selling their cars worldwide......with Rosberg's
smug snobbish manners he'd be better at peddling
Rolls Royces.

[Scott]

I'd love to see the two Fins at Ferrari.   

[Vince]

I'd love to see the two Fins at Ferrari.   

As they say - 'To have more Finnish racing at Ferrari, Ferrari has to learn to Finnish more races'!