2014/15 Silly Season

[zeph]

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/report/220 ... 217-s-land

Good summary.

[ScottB]

I suppose that's a point, if the contract is with Honda, and not Mclaren, does that mean he could drive for any team with their engine during the contract?

Is that an easy escape if him and Dennis don't get on again?

[Fulcrum]

There is one obvious option that people don't seem to think is realistic. Vettel to Ferrari, in place of Raikkonen, and Alonso stays put.

I am a Raikkonen supporter, but if I were his team principle I wouldn't keep him around any longer. He's giving the impression of simply going through the motions. Yesterday he was absolutely diabolically slow, even by this season's standards.

Alonso has painted himself into a bit of a corner, but the reality is (given his remaining career) Ferrari gives him the best option for further titles. The problem is that ego can't be easy to deal with, and maybe Ferrari are just glad to be shot of him.

[iotar__]

Alonso "pushed"? So what exactly is this master Ferrari plan that doesn't include best F1 driver for at least couple more season (even if diminishing) and the only element that was keeping the team from total embarrassment? Hiring two experts of 2014+ rules? Alonso too old for their 5 year plan from rumours? That's why they intend to keep 35 year old half a second slower Raikkonen. Who is responsible for it? Montezemolo that just was fired? Temporary corporate Mattiacci and Marchionne that doesn't have time for Ferrari F1 nor experience? Alonso is not untouchable as Massa showed on several occasions but still the driver making a difference in F1.

The only thing that may suggest that is that the contract is not signed and no announcement made. Weird but Honda can't afford to pass on Alonso and he himself can't afford to take a season off. Just negotiations (even if both parties are 100% sure they pretend they have other options) or Dennis-Honda-Bahrain decision making chaos.I may be wrong, I didn't expect him leaving at all. If Alonso is not hired that would be the last evidence needed for pathetic driver choices logic in F1 these days, perfect.

Vettel leaving is the surprising one not Alonso especially if it was his choice. I have no idea why he would do that apart from fear of being beaten by Ricciardo again and lack of special treatment from Marko/Mateschitz.

[Richard]

Surprised? Alonso and Vettel moving has been signalled for 18 months.

[mcalex]

I think the paople at Ferrari finally realised that making a car that suits Alonso 100% is NOT the way to make the car as fast as possible. Kimi and Seb have similar driving styles which are completly opposite to the one Alonso has.
+ Seb a 4-time WDC surely knows form his Red Bull era how a car needs to perform to make it a winner

[Vasconia]

I am not surprise at all.

Vettel has claimed more than once that winning a WC must be the biggest thing, and when he won i Monza he was shocked about how big was to win in front of the tiffosi. Obviously this season and Ricciardo´s competence has accelerated the process but Vettel leaving RB to sign with Ferrari was more than a real chance. And of course he wants to emulate Schumacher.

Alonso was more than tired with Ferrari and the relation between the team and the driver was not that good after some public complains of the Spaniard, and we all know how bad Ferrari has reacted to those sort of reactions. And time goes forward, Alonso cant wait more than two seasons to win again, he is becoming old and his time will be over in 2-3 years.

[mika vs michael]

I think Newey's retirement or lets say his more detached involvement with F1 played a big role in Vettel's choice. He needs a new challenge. He has won 4 titles...more that Ayrton Senna, equal to Alain Prost...the only thing bigger than that is to make Ferrari the way it was in the Schumacher era and win another 4 titles. I think for sure there must have been a pre-contract since last year. especially when Alonso started making negative comments on Ferrari...

[Jolle]

I really hope for Alonso's sake that he already has a contract with Honda, Ron Dennis can be a pain in the ass when it comes to contract negotiations...

It wouldn't surprise me if Alonso would sit 2015 out...

RD: so, Flavio and Fernando, we've talked about next year, but I presume that you have no where to go?, lets make a new deal....

I thought that 2016 would be the next year of change (with Hamilton's contract finishing at AMG, Kimi's retirement, Seb's contract) but it seems, that, if everybody is switching places now, Hamilton is the one that;s caught out for next year. Or Vettel and/or Alonso are signing one year deals because next year there might be a vacant AMG seat (when Lewis wants to be in a McLaren-Honda, just like Senna)

Exciting stuff...

[erlik]

I really don't believe anything said in interviews and certainly don't believe official and unofficial denials. I think that Mclaren officially denied connections with Honda and look at them now... Official confirmation is only valid, while official denial is just empty word.

[CBeck113]

Everyone's been concentrating about Ferrari's & Alonso's actions this year, but what if Alonso knew that Ferrari gave Vettel the contract in 2013, and only realized that they wanted to keep Kimi instead of himself a bit too late? That would explain some of his behavior, not just frustration with the car.

I also do not believe that he (Alonso) has made a decision yet, but I believe that we can rule out a sabatical - if it does anything it takes the drivers out of their "highly tuned state of awareness" (sorry, couldn't think of a better way to put it), which will make them slower. Don't forget - he's been driving without a prolonged break since he was a child, which makes about 30 years, including 14 years in F1...what a coincidence . He will retire before he takes a year off (my prediction!).

Now, I also predict that we'll see Vettel/Hamilton in red in 2016, but we should discuss that when the 15/16 Silly Season thread is opened!

[Pierce89]

I think the paople at Ferrari finally realised that making a car that suits Alonso 100% is NOT the way to make the car as fast as possible. Kimi and Seb have similar driving styles which are completly opposite to the one Alonso has.
+ Seb a 4-time WDC surely knows form his Red Bull era how a car needs to perform to make it a winner

Can you say "hater"?

[McLobby]

People at McLaren denying it, doesn't mean it didn't happen
Just like Vettel, we are almost certain that he goes to Ferrari, although Mattiachi avoids to speak about it.

Maybe... if the tragic accident didn't happen, an official announcement of Alonso's fate, could have been made after the GP, (as the rumors suggested).

[Blanchimont]

Marko yesterday confirmed that the second seat at Toro Rosso will be given to a driver from the RB junior team, so it's either Sainz(1st @ WSR), Gasly(3rd @ WSR) or Lynn(1st @ GP3). The decision will be made after the current WSR and GP3 seasons are finished.

[Vasconia]

Marko yesterday confirmed that the second seat at Toro Rosso will be given to a driver from the RB junior team, so it's either Sainz(1st @ WSR), Gasly(3rd @ WSR) or Lynn(1st @ GP3). The decision will be made after the current WSR and GP3 seasons are finished.

I hope is Sainz, he is a talented driver and he was expecting to be the next TR driver before Verstappen was anounced.