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Author Topic: Silly Season  (Read 8728 times)

Offline Steven Roy

Silly Season
« on: September 02, 2007, 12:39:50 PM »

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19559.html
There is much talk in Holland that Nelson Piquet Jr will replace Giancarlo Fisichella at Renault next season. Piquet is half Brazilian and half Dutch and while Renault has yet to confirm its driver line-up for 2008, the team has obviously been holding out a hope that Fernando Alonso would leave McLaren and go back to his old team. The fact that BMW re-signed its two drivers suggests that he is not available.

Renault was caught on the hop by Alonso’s decision to quit the team back at the end of 2005 and was not able to sign a top star for the 2007 season as all the big names were under contract elsewhere. Team boss Flavio Briatore reckoned that Heikki Kovalainen would grow into a replacement for Alonso but, despite many thousands of kilometres of testing, his progress has been disappointing although he has now finally overtaken Giancarlo Fisichella in the Drivers' World Championship.

Other sources say that McLaren is going to be willing to release Alonso, but this seems unlikely as it makes no sense for McLaren to free one of its biggest assets to a rival team, thus making life difficult for itself. The team has said that Fernando has a contract and hopes that he will honour it. If he does not, it is likely that he will have to sit out 2008 unless some kind of swap could be arranged with another team which would give McLaren a suitable team-mate for Lewis Hamilton. The only driver likely to fit the bill would be Nico Rosberg. Williams would not say no if Alonso came knocking on the door.

Keeping Fisichella in 2008 makes little sense for Renault. He is a solid driver who scores points when he can but he still makes mistakes - as was seen in Turkey. Signing Piquet is a risk but Briatore may be hoping that he will become the star that Kovalainen was supposed to be.

The key issue at Renault, however, is not the drivers because they can do little without a good car. An average driver in a great car can win races in F1, but it is a lot harder for a great driver in an average car. The other point is that Renault has made no secret of the fact that it wants the F1 programme to be cost-effective and thus paying millions for Fernando Alonso makes little sense, unless Briatore can find someone else to pay the Spaniard's salary.


So Fisico, Kovy, Piquet and or Alonso.  Who drives for Renault next year and if it is Alonso who gets the other silver car?



Offline johnbull

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2007, 03:11:50 PM »
Do you think Ron could be very clever and move Alonso sideways - into Dave Richards Mc Laren perhaps?
Joe M. Anastasi.
JOHN BULL RACING.   MALTA.
www.johnbullmalta.com

Offline cosworth151

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2007, 03:34:34 PM »
Do you think Ron could be very clever and move Alonso sideways - into Dave Richards Mc Laren perhaps?

Alonso at Prodrive - I like it! No doubt he would be #1 driver there, and future McLaren drivers might learn not to mess with Ron Dennis.

As for Alonso going to Williams in a swap for Nico, I don't see the finances working out. If Frank parts with Nico, it will be for a large basket of cash. I don't think there is any way Williams could afford Alonso.
“You can search the world over for the finer things, but you won't find a match for the American road and the creatures that live on it.”
― Bob Dylan

Offline johnbull

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2007, 05:01:22 PM »
I can't see Frank paying the sort of money Alonso would expect either.

Sell Niko to make a packet, yes. Spend more than the bare minimum to have a whinger like Alonso - out of the question.
Joe M. Anastasi.
JOHN BULL RACING.   MALTA.
www.johnbullmalta.com

Offline raindancer

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2007, 10:20:30 PM »
I think Alonso has a water tight contract with Mclaren and there is no question of Mclaren fiddling with Alonso without some serious financial dmamage not to mention sponsor issues. I think

Fisi is on his way out.
Ralf is on his way out
Barrichello& Button are still under contract for Honda but we could some surprises there.
Torro Rosso could have some changes.
Expect changes at Spyker.
Wurz's seat is in doubt at Williams. Nico is safe and I don't think Frank Williams will release Nico. They need a strong driver particulalrly with their new car.

Ferrari can spring a surprise if both the titles elude them.
Don't Fight Forces ! Use them

Offline Dare

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2007, 12:02:37 AM »
Raindancer,what changes do you exspect at Spyker?
driver and personal
Mark Twain once opined, "it's easier to con someone than to convince them they've been conned."

Offline Chameleon

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2007, 04:19:27 AM »
Next year the Spykers will be green, white and orange, Dare.  :D
Never mind me - read http://f1insight.madtv.me.uk/ :D

Offline Dare

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2007, 04:33:32 AM »
Next year the Spykers will be green, white and orange, Dare.  :D

If we could only have Eddie and his yellow
Jordon's back again
Mark Twain once opined, "it's easier to con someone than to convince them they've been conned."

Offline Alianora La Canta

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2007, 11:54:05 AM »
That would be wonderful, dare, but I don't think Eddie wants to return to the fray. As for expected changes, I think Sutil will stay (he's contracted, quick and half of the consortium that's about to take possession of the team is Dutch) and Karthikeyan will join him (he's enthusiastic, quick and half of the consortium that's about to take possession of the team is Indian). Personnel will probably stay the same about that - the key players holding them together are Ian Phillips, Mike Gascoyne and (appropriately) James Key. Yet another change of management is unlikely to affect things, particularly as Michel Mol only stepped down as Spyker F1 CEO a few weeks ago and will surely become joint CEO again.
Percussus resurgio
@lacanta (Twitter)
http://alianoralacanta.tumblr.com (Blog/Tumblr)

Offline raindancer

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2007, 05:17:09 AM »
Karthikeyan is tipped to drive for Williams next year and there is a healthy rivalry between his Corporate Sponsors and Vijay Mallya.
Don't Fight Forces ! Use them

FW14B

  • Guest
Re: Silly Season
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2007, 09:37:09 PM »
Raindancer, where have you heard that information from?  Karthikeyan would do a solid job for Williams but I worry it could be a purely financial decision as he has not raced for two years now so I do not see whether he would be in a stronger position than Wurz.  Still, I did like Karthikeyan's style when he was in F1.  I guess it seems he and Liuzzi could be fighting it out for the second seat at Williams.

Offline raindancer

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2007, 05:52:00 AM »
Yes L0cool. Apparently karthikeyan hasn't done too badly in whatever little testing he did for Willaims. But I agree it will be a financial decision. If Williams makes substantial improvements with their car than Karthikeyan may not have a chance. Its also being said that Karthikeyan passed out the Spyker drive primarily because he has been assured of a drive next year. Lets see
Don't Fight Forces ! Use them

FW14B

  • Guest
Re: Silly Season
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2007, 08:28:45 AM »
It is interesting, thanks for the information.  Yesterday Wurz said he basically knows what he is doing next season but has sworn a pact with Sir Frank Williams to not talk about it, which to me seems like he could be on his way out.  It certainly will be interesting to see who gets the second Williams seat for 2008, as there are many positive sounds coming out of the team over the prospects of the FW30.

Offline raindancer

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2007, 12:23:11 PM »
Yep ! Wirz definitely seems to be on the way out. The key is Rosberg and if he can get a competitive drive next year. There are not many options. Renault have a seat coming up, Fisichella is out, Toyota have a seat but I don't know whether they will pay so much for Rosberg. But at the same time I don't expect Toyota to make a quantum jump in 2008 more like 2009 when they may be competitive.
BMW , Ferrari and Mclaren are full and that leaves Red Bull and Honda.
Spyker also is likely to have a new driver line up next year.
Don't Fight Forces ! Use them

Offline nightfly56

Re: Silly Season
« Reply #14 on: September 29, 2007, 05:31:25 PM »
"Other sources say that McLaren is going to be willing to release Alonso, but this seems unlikely as it makes no sense for McLaren to free one of its biggest assets "

I would hardly call someone who shops the team and whinges about No1 status an assett. thinking along those lines would you want to employ him?????

sideways to prodrive mclaren hmmmm I like that idea



Mick
schizophrenia means you are never alone



Mick

 


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