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If accurately reported, not the most gracious comments from Lewis though they are probably valid.
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/rosberg-s-retirement-no-surprise-says-hamilton-856219/
Has Button written all over it.
Why on earth would Merc want to put Button in the car? He has never been good enough for a top drive as his career has shown. The only possible reason is if they want a 'safe pair of hands' to be the number 2 driver.
Don't be ridiculous, Button has clearly shown his worth, if not up to the level of the very best.
But he wants to stop F1 so he won't be signing up for Merc.
Hamilton is the match of anyone so Merc will just want to ensure that they have a team mate to push him but to ensure team harmony. A bit like Nico, come to think of it (but maybe without the history)
Rather than throwing names around, has anyone identified a reason why they wouldn't use Pascal Wehrlein?
Premise A: They have the guy who can win the DWC so they need someone who can help them win the Manufaacturers. Preferably without fighting too much with LH
Let's start discounting the drivers so we have a smaller pool of names to play with.
[b]NOT[/b]
Rosberg - Retired
Button - Retired
Barrichello - Retired
Alonso - See Premise A
Vettel - See Premise A
I would like it to be Max but that isn't going to happen either
Yeah as I said way back earlier today, I'd love it to be Verstappen too - I think he has the skill to challenge Hamilton much more than Rosberg ever did and to see two very determined racers who won't give an inch fighting toe to toe in the same car would be a delicious thought for next season.
But of course the risks far outweigh the potential rewards as neither one of them would rarely give an inch on the track and they would spend more time in the walls& gravel traps than racing 🙂
The problem is, will PW be good enough to secure the constructors? (which let's be honest is the one Merc are interested in). I'm not so sure with a resurgent Red Bull team with two exciting young drivers.
That's the dilemma they face.
If the car is as dominant as it was this year they can pick whoever they like and the constructors title is in the bag.
I'd like to see Carlos Sainz in there. Great driver, comes across as a really sound bloke, definitely deserves a shot at the big time which is unlikely to happen at Red Bull with Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen sitting in the big seats 🙂
Buy out Bottas? Nasr and his money to Williams. Bernie gets his Brazilian.
(stolen from Twitter but a credible scenario I reckon)
Pasta Maldonado is free?
what a laugh they're having 😆
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https://mobile.twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/804724300230049792
Actually, what engines are Red Bull running next year?
Aston Martin.
You do wonder if Lewis has put his foot down and asked for more assurances at the expense of Rosberg and hence orchestrating an ruse of Rosberg retiring ( didnt Rosberg sign a 2year deal a little while ago?)
Could he be back in 2018 after the cars have had the shakedown and everyone is more comfortable with the new rules.
How about Alonso to Merc and Button back at Mclaren? Maybe Massa having the shortest retirements ever! If Werhlein doesn't get it he should be asking questions.
You do wonder if Lewis has put his foot down and asked for more assurances
Only tinfoil hat people do. Sensible folk think it's purely down to Rosberg.
Going back a few pages:
I'm not totally convinced by McLaren being that much behind - they've been so crippled by the engine performance that they've been running lower downforce and on occasions it's been clear that the chassis is actually very good.
Not really on two counts. The rear suspension of the car looked to be a problem. The drivers frequently spoke of getting the tyres to work in the temperature range, and getting the mechanical grip from the rear to desired levels proved difficult. This resulted in much higher levels of down force being used than anticipated to get the rear to work.
Mclaren did not run a low down force set up.
This in turn required more than anticipated adjustments to the front to offset increased under steer. If the back of the car wasn't right, it would also show up at the front of the car. People think that the "pace of development" in view of the numerous front wing changes made from race to race shows how aggressive and progressive McLaren was...but sometimes the opposite is true.
Once again both drivers complained about under steer issues, and the numerous wings were trying to compensate for this.
While Honda's engine wasn't ripping up trees, they cannot solely be to blame for a slow car, as the chassis was also a problem, hence high down force and higher drag.
If you remember in 2014 they had the "butterfly" suspension blockers on the car, that suspension was going to be carried over to the 2015 car.
I suspect PP stopped that from happening, but the rest of the suspension was set, and putting a new suspension design on the car would result in a totally new car built from the ground up, which can't really be done during the season, hence it is critically important to have the chassis sorted right from the start as everything else, good or bad stems from it.
MClaren only resorted to a "conventional" rear suspension for 2016, but it may take a while for them to optimize it. Hopefully for 2017.
I'm glad Rosberg has retired. JB back to Mercedes would be good, or take a punt on someone from GP2/formula renault 3.5?
Has anyone else just experienced a complete change of mind about the character of Nico Rosberg?
Very much so. Weird too, I have spent the last few years thinking he's a complete ****. Good on him.
Has anyone else just experienced a complete change of mind about the character of Nico Rosberg?
Absolutely not, always thought he was a very solid guy doing his best, talented and professional. You could see the pressure taking it's toll in his driving sometimes especially last season.
Think more of him as a man. Less of him as a sportsman. Probably the best way round.
Think more of him as a man. Less of him as a sportsman. Probably the best way round
+1
Takes some conviction to do what he's done but it does taint his sporting achievements IMHO
Has anyone else just experienced a complete change of mind about the character of Nico Rosberg?
Not me. I think he's welched out on the real challenge - defending his championship. If he'd done that and [ever] beaten the competition in a straight fight I might have changed my mind.
His asking Lewis to move over in Abu Dhabi pissed me off. Barcelona showed he couldn't cope with pressure.
That said, as a parent of two young boys, if i made all the money i would ever need by the time i was 31, I'd probably quit.
Seeing as Hamilton's Captain slow tactics are still fresh in the mind of the management we could well see the direction of his infractions in the form of who takes the 2nd drive. Either reinforce Hamilton's number 1 status or make him equal status with another driver. I've no doubt the rumours of Hamilton's threat of leaving are true so how could they cover it in the future. Two of your most recent WDC retiring would be a PR disaster
Has anyone else just experienced a complete change of mind about the character of Nico Rosberg?
These, basically:
Think more of him as a man. Less of him as a sportsman. Probably the best way round.
I think he's welched out on the real challenge - defending his championship.
Throws a huge spanner in the driver market though! Depending on how Merc play it we could end up with 2 top drivers in the team, if the field is more competitive then it'll create fireworks. If they go safe for a no.2 or rookie then it could create a Lewis superteam or relegate him to a lacklustre season depending on the car.
Still think it'll be a Merc/RedBull year though with Merc excelling on the power circuits and RedBull dominating the handling ones. But then it all depends upon Pirelli getting the tyres right for once, if they end up with tyres that can't be pushed consistently again then all these new rules and regs will be for nothing.
I must admit asking LH to move over in the circumstances was a career low. Why the **** would you even think that? It says something about the way Merc viewed Lewis, not by his talent or standing. Secondbergs quiting slapped his boss in the face too though. Backed the wrong horse there fella as it destroys alot of the Merc PR sponsors roadtrip post win.
I just hope Merc treat Lewis properly this year. They don't come across as a nice business.
fair play to him 😀
he's reached the pinnacle of his sport, winning against one of the greats in equal equipment. Probably won't ever feel as good again. I've always though the public underestimated Rosberg.
What if this is just a ruse? He's no real intention of retirement just wants to be offered more money..
Yes he won fair and square. It was just luck how Lewis had such an unreliable car to Nico's. Same factory; one looked after, one not. Teams say it's only about the constructors but they and their sponsors revel in a win and the promotional run. I bet if they knew what NR had been thinking they would have given Lewis an equal car. ..
He's probably bored.
It was just luck how Lewis had such an unreliable car to Nico's
They both suffered 3 reliability issues throughout the season, you could argue that Hamilton's were more ill timed, but the idea that he had more isn't a real one
German company funding a predominantly British based and developed team ( IIRC, the PU's are Ilmor?) and more than likely, the head nacho's of the Mercedes wanted a German champion driver.
After all, if it wasn't for the previous team boss, Ross Brawn, putting in place the development strategy for the PU, then Merc would not have enjoyed their period of superiority. It could all lead to a sour taste in the mouth's of the paymaster's and purse string holders.
Hence the garage team swap, unreliability issues experienced and race orders. Job done.
Perhaps NR is aware or has an inkling of this and perhaps this his his way of undermining the fat cats? In which case, fair play to him.
None of this matters in the great scheme of things, regulation changes next year could well prove to end the dominance and give rise to many toys being thrown from the silver pram's
What about Hamilton's terrible starts ? Had the Merc not been such a dominant car he'd have been far behind in the Championship.
Hamilton flounce rumours well I'd have called his bluff on that but then again Imwouod not have resigned him at more money a couple of years ago. I hope Merc get a top driver in, if they just go #2 then 2017 will be so boring as not to be worth watching or even reading about. I don't follow F1 as closely as most here but I see few signs of another car challenging Merc in 2017
Jamby I wouldn't write it off just yet.
The cars should be more interesting, Ferrari, and Red Bull (maybe even Maclaren) will give the Mercedes a run for their money, driver market's all tumbled around (Rosberg effect will cascade down the grid)
Could be one of the best seasons in a while...
They don't come across as a nice business.
None of the F1 teams do; Williams was notorious for treating a championship winner like crap. He called drivers lightbulbs; you just change them for a new one.
All the conspiracy theories above are pure cobblers; NR is going because he wants to. He claims to have put his entire life to one side to make this his best season. Yet Lewis runs him to the wire with his so-called party lifestyle. That must sting.
Merc [u]need[/u] Ham next year. He'll get everything he wants to get the championship. That will include a no. 2 team-mate who will happily come second.
Backed the wrong horse there fella as it destroys alot of the Merc PR sponsors roadtrip post win.
I would imagine Nico will have to do some sort of PR work for sponsors as a way of getting out of his contract AND keeping some money coming in. If anything it's probably better as they're not constrained by racing etc; he could be a "brand ambassador" easily.
@atlaz I am sure he'll have millions worth of endorsements / brand ambassador stuff to do plus managing his investments.
Any decent driver in a 2017 Merc will be world champion, as above Williams (and other teams know this) its mostly about the car.
Lets see nick, tbh 2016 was interesting to me as Hamilton didn't win. Watching him win every race by miles having qualified P1 holds no interest for me, I should say in all honesty I didn't watch a single whole GP live on TV this year or go to a race - it wasn't a compelling season.
Williams was notorious for treating a championship winner like crap. He called drivers lightbulbs; you just change them for a new one
Williams were dropped in it by Alan Jones when he retired at the end of '81 without notice and too late in the day for them to get an established name. That was when, Williams said, drivers just became employees.
What about Hamilton's terrible starts ? Had the Merc not been such a dominant car he'd have been far behind in the Championship.
Australia, Hamilton starts from pole, 6th at end of first lap, ends up second to winner Rosberg.
Bahrein, Hamilton starts from pole, 7th at end of first lap, ends up third to winner Rosberg.
Italy, Hamilton starts from pole, 6th at end of first lap, ends up second to winner Rosberg.
ergo, Hamilton's poor starts cost him the title.
Interestingly, this year only 3 fastest laps for Hamilton in racing.
A one year sabbatical?
German company funding a predominantly British based and developed team ( IIRC, the PU's are Ilmor?)
PU's are from Mercedes AMG HPP. Used to be Ilmor, but now a Mercedes company that do other development work for Mercedes.
Alonso camping out for Monday morning opening!...
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https://twitter.com/SomersF1/status/804701178596651008?lang=en
I reckon either Valtieri Bottas or Pascal Wehrlein
Apparently Lauda took it badly. He thought he'd go for a second title.
Backed the wrong pony there sweetie.
It's a kind of mixed up Lauda v Hunt :). The party boy is multiple champion and committed to more. The hard working clean living family man has won and leaves as his goal is achieved.