Alonso:I can decide my own future

[Dare]

A few weeks ago I would have said no way Alonso
to McClaren......now I think he'll be there and probably
Vettel will have a seat at Ferrari.If Lewis doesn't win the
title he'll be at Red Bull


http://www.auto123.com/en/racing-news/f1-fernando-alonso-says-he-can-decide-formula-1-future?artid=171725&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=racing

[Jericoke]

So who fills the gap at Mercedes?

Hmmm.  I was going to rule Button out... but he DID win the only championship for the Brackley outfit.  He might be a good fit.

[Scott]

I don't think Lewis is going anywhere.  Nor do I think Vettel is.

Bianchi will take the 2nd seat at Ferrari and Magnussen will be out at Mclaren.  Otherwise the top teams will stay the same - just my prediction.

[Irisado]

I still can't see Alonso going to McLaren.  There's too much history between him and Ron Dennis, and the Honda engine package is too much of an unknown quantity.

[Dare]

I still can't see Alonso going to McLaren.  There's too much history between him and Ron Dennis, and the Honda engine package is too much of an unknown quantity.

Maybe that was one of Alonso's requirements for coming to
Mclaren.....it's either me or Ron

[Ian]

Official, Alonso leaving Ferrari and Vettel leaving Red Bull.

[Scott]

And Ron still avoiding the question as best he can...

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/9502382/ron-dennis-denies-that-mclaren-have-already-signed-fernando-alonso-for-2015

[Irisado]

Yep, I got this one a bit wrong !

[Jericoke]

Yep, I got this one a bit wrong !

Would have been more fun if they let us spend more time guessing!

[lkjohnson1950]

OK, this is off the wall stuff, but I read an article that suggested Merc is not happy with Lewis. I have searched and searched, but I can't relocate it. The rumor is that he has not been as fast as they expected. They thought he would be clearly quicker than Nico and that hasn't been the case. They are also not pleased that he has blown off team orders to let Nico by on more than one occasion. In particular, they felt Nico had a good shot at winning in Hungary if Lewis had slowed and let him by as directed. If forced to choose, they would keep Nico over Lewis. So how about this, Lewis is handed his hat and packed off to Macca while Ferd becomes a Mercedes driver. Long shot, but possible.

[Scott]

OK, this is off the wall stuff, but I read an article that suggested Merc is not happy with Lewis. I have searched and searched, but I can't relocate it. The rumor is that he has not been as fast as they expected. They thought he would be clearly quicker than Nico and that hasn't been the case. They are also not pleased that he has blown off team orders to let Nico by on more than one occasion. In particular, they felt Nico had a good shot at winning in Hungary if Lewis had slowed and let him by as directed. If forced to choose, they would keep Nico over Lewis. So how about this, Lewis is handed his hat and packed off to Macca while Ferd becomes a Mercedes driver. Long shot, but possible.

That would be an exciting prospect, but I think so much in the media linking Alonso to Honda makes that scenario less likely.  Would be interesting to see him driving the Merc though.

[Jericoke]

OK, this is off the wall stuff, but I read an article that suggested Merc is not happy with Lewis. I have searched and searched, but I can't relocate it. The rumor is that he has not been as fast as they expected. They thought he would be clearly quicker than Nico and that hasn't been the case. They are also not pleased that he has blown off team orders to let Nico by on more than one occasion. In particular, they felt Nico had a good shot at winning in Hungary if Lewis had slowed and let him by as directed. If forced to choose, they would keep Nico over Lewis. So how about this, Lewis is handed his hat and packed off to Macca while Ferd becomes a Mercedes driver. Long shot, but possible.

I get the feeling that with Mercedes there's a strong 'what have you done for me lately' attitude.  The article might have been 'true' when written, but with the fans turning against Nico, that would make Lewis the Golden Boy.

Truly, I think that Nico has been in the shadows of F1, and the fact that Lewis isn't faster is a testament to Nico's true skill, not a deterioration of Lewis's.  (Surely they noticed that Nico was faster than Michael Schumacher?  That has to count for something.)

[Ian]

Jeri, I think the only reason Nico is faster than Michael is the fact that it's a totally new and better car than what Michael had.

[Scott]

No, I think she means when they were together in the team, Nico beat Michael more often than not.

How's this for a rumour - heard it from an F1 fan in Zurich.  Alonso is buying Sauber 

Personally, I doubt it.   

[Jericoke]

No, I think she means when they were together in the team, Nico beat Michael more often than not.

How's this for a rumour - heard it from an F1 fan in Zurich.  Alonso is buying Sauber 

Personally, I doubt it.   

Yes, that is what I meant.  Even conceding Michael's 'declining years', I think Nico proved himself a top flight driver in search of a top flight car.  Now he's got it, and proven himself to be Hamilton's equal in many ways (I think that Hamilton's experience with Alonso and his own WDC give him an edge in mental toughness over Rosberg, but once this season is done, Nico will have that as well)

The best rumours are the feasible ones.  Not many former drivers run successful programmes, but then again, there are very few successul F1 programmes in general.