Silly Season 2011/2012

[zeph]

I think Rosberg is under contract until end of 2012, and I doubt MercedesGP would let him go as he is currently the only one getting results. I think Schumacher is out after this season, unless miracles happen and he wins a few.

[ESPImperium]

First stab of they year, ill go on a wing and a prayer on this one;

01/02: Red Bull-Renault = Vettel/Massa TD = Vergne
03/04: McLaren-Mercedes = Hamilton/Button TD = De La Rosa/Paffett/Turvey
05/06: Ferrari = Alonso/Perez TD = Fisichella
07/08: Renault = Webber/Petrov TD = Senna
09/10: Mercedes = Rosberg/Di Resta TD = Bird
11/12: Sauber-Ferrari = Kobiyashai/Bianchi TD = Guiteriez
14/15: STR-Ferrari = Buemi/Riccardo TD = Vergne
16/17: Force India-Mercedes = Hulkenberg/Alguersauri TD = ???
18/19: Williams-(Cosworth/Renault) = Sutil/Maldanado TD = Bottas
20/21: Team (Lotus/Caterham)-Renault = Kovalinenn/Chandhok TD = Texeria/Razia/Valsecchi
22/23: Hispania-Cosworth = Liuzzi/Karthakeyan TD = Mondini
24/25: Virgin-Cosworth = Glock/Grosjean TD = ???

[andrew]

^Pretty much agree but there are 3 seats that I think will go to other drivers. If Webber is not driving for Red Bull I doubt he will be in F1 next year. I have also assumed that Kubica makes a full recovery.

01/02: Red Bull-Renault = Vettel/Massa TD = Vergne
03/04: McLaren-Mercedes = Hamilton/Button TD = De La Rosa/Paffett/Turvey
05/06: Ferrari = Alonso/Rosberg TD = Fisichella
07/08: Renault = Kubica/Petrov TD = Senna
09/10: Mercedes = Schumacher/Di Resta TD = Bird
11/12: Sauber-Ferrari = Kobiyashai/Bianchi TD = Guiteriez
14/15: STR-Ferrari = Buemi/Riccardo TD = Vergne
16/17: Force India-Mercedes = Hulkenberg/Alguersauri TD = ???
18/19: Williams-(Cosworth/Renault) = Sutil/Maldanado TD = Bottas
20/21: Team (Lotus/Caterham)-Renault = Kovalinenn/Chandhok TD = Texeria/Razia/Valsecchi
22/23: Hispania-Cosworth = Liuzzi/Karthakeyan TD = Mondini
24/25: Virgin-Cosworth = Glock/Grosjean TD = ???

[vall]

Today LdM more or less confirmed Massa will stay at Ferarri next year.

[ESPImperium]

^^^ Pretty much means nothing at the moment.

[bot6]

OK, here's my predictions.

Red Bull: Vettel / Webber. Webber will come back later in the year and will hold on to his seat.

McLaren: Hamilton / Button. Works well, both drivers are happy there and get along, no need for change.

Mercedes: Rosberg / Schumacher. Both are under contract until the end of 2012, both will stick around.

Ferrari: Alonso / Massa. Again, both under contract.

Sauber: Kobayashi / Perez. Sauber needs Perez' money, and Kobayashi has nowhere better to go at the moment.

Torro Rosso: Alguersuari / Ricciardo. Buemi will score more points than Alguersuari but will still be dropped. Because Alguersuari is "more exciting".

Renault: Petrov / Kubica. Kubica will come back, and Heidfeld will be dropped. Even though he will score more points than the Flying Russian this season, Renault needs Petrov's money. Plus, Kubica does not want to work with Quick Nick.

Williams: Heidfeld / Some unknown pay driver. Williams will need Heidfeld's experience and technical expertise, and he will replace Barrichello well in that respect. Barrichello will go to IndyCar. And Williams will need some more money and will therefore hire a pay driver. Or maybe Buemi if they get good sponsorship money, but don't count on it.

Team Lotus: Kovalainen / Trulli. They will stick to their guns, two experienced and capable drivers who can help with car development.

Force India: Hulkenberg / Di Resta. A bit of wishful thinking here, but this would be the best lineup for the team. Two very quick drivers for what is becoming the Mercedes farm team.

HRT: Liuzzi / Maldonado. Maldonado will ultimately have disappointed at Williams, and will bring his money to HRT (or possibly Virgin). They will keep Liuzzi as he brings experience to the team.

Virgin: Glock / Sutil. Sutil will find sponsorship and will get a seat at the desperate Virgin, which will have a hard time qualifying for races. Virgin will have two experienced drivers in order to try to pull a Team Lotus... But they will have no success because of a subpar technical team.

[vall]

just read that Alonso has extended his contract with Ferrari until the end of 2016

[andrew]

Or until he doesn't get his way you mean!

Not so good for Massa. He's out at the end of this year I think. Hopefully he will take Smedley with himj to Red Bull, and then run rings round the reds!

[vall]

Or until he doesn't get his way you mean!

Not so good for Massa. He's out at the end of this year I think. Hopefully he will take Smedley with himj to Red Bull, and then run rings round the reds!

This is not what LdM said a few days ago!!! Besides, whom are the going to bring in to replace Massa?

[lotus7]

just read that Alonso has extended his contract with Ferrari until the end of 2016

oops ! now the thread title has to change

[andrew]

This is not what LdM said a few days ago!!! Besides, whom are the going to bring in to replace Massa?

Massa has been told he has to have an exceptional season this year or he is out. An exceptional year would be finishing well ahead of Alonso, but we all know this will nott be allowed to happen.

My money is on Rosberg replacing Massa.

[vall]

This is not what LdM said a few days ago!!! Besides, whom are the going to bring in to replace Massa?

Massa has been told he has to have an exceptional season this year or he is out. An exceptional year would be finishing well ahead of Alonso, but we all know this will nott be allowed to happen.

My money is on Rosberg replacing Massa.

for all my respect, Alonso is faster than Massa. Period. No need to allow or disallow anything. Alonso beats Massa on regular basis, bar accidents during races, ect.

I also seriously doubt Merc will let Rosberg go

[FrukostScones]

Time for ROSBERG to move to Ferrari. I think we will see him there the next year for 100%!
First they gave him Schumacher as a No1 Teammate then they gave him the W01, which was ok, but now with this W02 piece of crap I don't see him staying there. Red maybe doesnt suit him, but Ferrari knows how to build good cars. Yes, even if their cars are bad they are still better than most of the other cars.
Or if Kubica comes back really strong we might see this:

RedBUll: VET/HAM but VET/WEB
Ferrari: ALO/KUB ALO/ROS
McLaren: ROS/BUT HAM/BUT
Mercedes: DIR/SUT DIR/MSC
Sauber:KOB/PER KOB/PER
Lotus: KOV/WEB KOV/GLO
RENAULT:GROSJEAn/SENNA KUB/senna.grosjean
Virgin: out of business ...
HRT: Liuzzi/? Liuzzi/D#ambrosio
ForceIndia: Hulk/Bird Hulk/Sutil
ToroRosso:Bue/Ricc Bue/Ric
Williams:Maldonando/Massa Mal/Massa

[Tozza Mazza]

Branson, out of business? are you joking?!?! he may sell, but it won't go bust.
My predictions
Red Bull: Vet/Web or Vet/Kob
Ferrari: Alo/Ros or Alo/Kob or Alo/Per or Alo/Bianchi (the new Alesi)
Mclaren: But/Ham
Renault:Kub/Pet or Kub/Grosjean (he's real good now, it was too early for him before)
Mercedes:Ros/Msc or Ros/DiR or Ros/Hulkenberg
Sauber:Kob/Per or Kob/Bianchi or Kob/Gutierrez or Perez and Bianchi/Gutierrez or even Massa.
Force India: Sut/Hul or DiR/Hul
Williams: Maldonado/Massa or any other hopeless driver on this teams sad sad demise
STR: Buemi/Ricciardio or Alguesari (hopefully not)/Ricciardo, or Vergne/Ricciardo
Lotus:Kov/Mas or Kov/Webber or Kov/Bar or Kov/Per or Kov/Kob or Kov/Glock
Virgin: DAM/that canadian chappy
HRT:Liuzzi/Alg or Liuzzi/Spanish driver.

[bot6]

If everyone has 15 different predictions, then everyone will have been right at least once.