Williams Martini Racing 2015

[Sevach]

So... rumours say 12 million Euros and Bottas is gone.

Assuming that is correct... Hulkenberg? Button? Or even Nasr?

[efuloni]

So... rumours say 12 million Euros and Bottas is gone.

Assuming that is correct... Hulkenberg? Button? Or even Nasr?

I believe in one of these three, yes. I'd love to see But + Mas, but I think its the most unlikely scenario. First because they both may retire in the end of 16, and change both drivers aint never a good idea. After, because I believe Button might stay and McLaren and be too expansive. Hulk and Nasr would be way cheaper.

I would like to see Hulk coming back in 2016 and Nasr replacing Mas for 2017.

[Sevach]

So... rumours say 12 million Euros and Bottas is gone.

Assuming that is correct... Hulkenberg? Button? Or even Nasr?

I believe in one of these three, yes. I'd love to see But + Mas, but I think its the most unlikely scenario. First because they both may retire in the end of 16, and change both drivers aint never a good idea. After, because I believe Button might stay and McLaren and be too expansive. Hulk and Nasr would be way cheaper.

I would like to see Hulk coming back in 2016 and Nasr replacing Mas for 2017.

Sounds like the ideal scenario for me too.

[joseff]

If true, the cynic in me says Ferrari isn't really looking for a fast driver, but merely a reliable #2.
I like Bottas, but he's more or less a match for Massa. Not in the same class as Ricciardo.

+1 for Hulk/Nasr

[tomazy]

If true, the cynic in me says Ferrari isn't really looking for a fast driver, but merely a reliable #2.
I like Bottas, but he's more or less a match for Massa. Not in the same class as Ricciardo.

+1 for Hulk/Nasr

I like Ricciardo, but he's more or less a match for Kvyat.

[ringo]

Yes Bottas is not really an improvement over Massa for Ferrari. He is merely younger and less error prone.
However one thing is for sure, he has less killer instinct than Massa. Massa knows how to win races and give chase for an overtake. I haven't seen Bottas get aggressive at all. Maybe that's why he would make a good #2 for Vettel.

[Sevach]

Yes Bottas is not really an improvement over Massa for Ferrari. He is merely younger and less error prone.
However one thing is for sure, he has less killer instinct than Massa. Massa knows how to win races and give chase for an overtake. I haven't seen Bottas get aggressive at all. Maybe that's why he would make a good #2 for Vettel.

I would say Bottas is more consistent, Felipe's variance between highs and lows is perhaps the biggest i've ever seen, while Bottas seem to perform well in just about every race and trades blows with "ultimate" Felipe (i do agree with you that Felipe has an edge in racing and aggression) and easily beats the bad one.

Makes him a better number 2, i guess.

From a Williams fan perspective, i think Hulkenberg + 12 mil is a win win situation.

[LookBackTime]

Stoffel Vandoorne in the cards too !!!

"
Stoffel Vandoorne and Jenson Button have found themselves in competition for the same F1 race seats for 2016, according to the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. It is therefore interesting that Vandoorne, this year's dominant GP2 series leader, recently split with The Sports Partnership, a management firm headed by Richard Goddard and Button.

The 23-year-old Belgian said it was his "own decision" to split, insisting: "I just feel better with the situation as it is now. "I don't want to say too much about it," Vandoorne is quoted by the Dutch magazine Formule 1. "It is quite a normal thing to happen. There are other drivers as well who occasionally make a change in their management."

He said he has made no decisions about the future, even though he has been linked with the management stable headed by Didier Coton, a fellow Belgian who also works with Valtteri Bottas. Fascinatingly, Finn Bottas ties in with this story.

McLaren junior Vandoorne and F1 veteran Button are obvious candidates to race for the Honda-powered team next year, but they might also be vying for a potentially-vacant seat at Williams, correspondent Luis Vasconcelos reports. That is because Bottas is the favourite to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari, which would leave Williams looking for a top replacement.

Turun Sanomat said Nico Hulkenberg is linked with a return to the Grove based team, for whom he debuted in 2010. The German driver said recently that although he was dumped by Williams he is "not resentful", as it was "other people who had the final say".

It is believed he was referring to the now-absent former team chief Adam Parr, who reportedly made the decision to replace Hulkenberg with Pastor Maldonado. Le Mans winner Hulkenberg, however, has also been linked with a move to the new Ferrari 'B team' Haas, which could take him one step closer to a future wearing red.

Vasconcelos said McLaren's Vandoorne and Button are also candidates to move to Williams, although the situation may not now develop until September 15, when it is believed the 2016 'option' on Button's existing contract runs out. And Vandoorne also says he is not rushing. "It is too early to know anything about next year," he is quoted by Formule 1. "We will see in maybe a couple of weeks or months." (GMM)
"

[joseff]

Let Vandoorne go to McLaren. The last time Fernando had a GP2 champion in the other McLaren, I recall it was quite entertaining

[LookBackTime]

Williams signs Felipe Massa for 2016 F1
Posted On 20 Jul 2015

Williams has taken up its contract ‘option’ on Felipe Massa for the 2016 season.

That is the claim of Diario Motorsport, a specialist Portuguese publication that in 2013 also correctly reported that the Brazilian driver was set to switch to the Grove team from Ferrari.

Now, hot on the heels of speculation Massa’s current teammate Valtteri Bottas is heading to Ferrari next year, it is reported that Massa is definitely staying at Williams.

Earlier in July, 34-year-old Massa said he was hoping to stay at the British team.

“I like to work here,” he said. “The team has treated me with great respect, we have performed well. I have not been talking to anyone else. Why change something?”

Just before the latest Bottas rumours exploded, the Finn had said Williams is going through “difficult times” as the much bigger-budgeted Mercedes and Ferrari aggressively develop their cars.

But Massa told UOL Esporte: “I think the pace we had at Silverstone shows that we know how to work, how to develop the car and we are on track to keep improving and be stronger than Ferrari at every race.

“We are still in the fight,” he insisted. (GMM)

[efuloni]

So Massa stays. The information comes from Americo Teixeira Jr. He is always right about his sources.

[LookBackTime]

WILLIAMS RACING ‏@WilliamsRacing
Our favourite picture of the day sums up just how busy @ValtteriBottas has been today #f1 #hungariangp

[LookBackTime]

[LookBackTime]

[LookBackTime]

HUNGARIAN GP PRACTICE

24 JUL 2015
Hungaroring, Budapest
4.381kms / 2.722 miles

FP1
Weather: Hot and Dry
Air & Track Temperatures: 29 - 29°C / 40 - 47°C
V. Bottas, FW37-04, PU106B Hybrid 1:26.825 (9th)
F. Massa, FW37-02, PU106B Hybrid 1:27.381 (14th)
Quickest Time: L. Hamilton, 1:25.141

FP2
Weather: Hot and Dry
Air & Track Temperatures: 30 - 32°C / 52 - 55°C
V. Bottas, FW37-04, PU106B Hybrid 1:25.881 (9th)
F. Massa, FW37-02, PU106B Hybrid 1:25.920 (10th)
Quickest Time: L. Hamilton, 1:23.949


Objectives: aero evaluations, set-up and tyre work.

Rob Smedley, Head of Performance Engineering: It was a reasonably good day. We brought some new components in a constant bid to improve our package which seem to have worked from what we have seen so far. It has been extremely hot today and the car looks competitive on short and long runs with both low and high fuel which is encouraging. We now must focus on making sure all the details are correct, but we are heading in the right direction.

Valtteri Bottas: It has been a good day; we ticked off all points on our checklist including a back-to-back comparison of the new components. The new front wing has given a small improvement but we will look at the data to be completely sure. The heat is always an issue but it's the same for everyone, however I quite like saunas!

Felipe Massa: The way the day has panned out it is clear we have the potential to have a good weekend and fight with those closest to us in the championship. It won’t be easy but we have more to give than was shown today. The temperatures will be cooler for Sunday which should help us control the tyre temperature a bit better. Valtteri had a lot of work focusing on the front wing and it looks as though it is an improvement which is good for the rest of the season.