Silly season 2016

[PlatinumZealot]

Palmer confirmed at lotus.

[FW17]

So 2 pay drivers at the new works team

[Sevach]

So assuming RBR and STR stay.

Mercedes- Hamilton, Rosberg
Ferrari- Vettel, Raikkonen
Williams- Bottas, Massa
RBR- Ricciardo, Kvyat
FI- Hulkenberg, Perez
Lotus(Renault)-Maldonado, Palmer
STR- Verstappen, Sainz
Sauber- Nasr, Ericsson
Mclaren- Alonso, Button
Manor- ????????
Haas- Grosjean, ???????

Only 3 seats available, i'm thinking Rossi and Werlein at Manor and Magnussen at Haas, Vandoorne will have to wait.

If the Red Bull teams quit... teams will go crazy trying to secure Ricciardo and Max for 17.

[Manoah2u]

If the Red Bull teams quit... teams will go crazy trying to secure Ricciardo and Max for 17.

Think again, if RedBull and Toro Rosso would pull the plug,
assuming that would mean there would be 4 cars less on the 16 grid,

then Ferrari and Mclaren, and if i'm correct Mercedes is open for it, are contracted to put in a 3rd car.

That means Verstappen and Ricciardo could be 'grabbed' by either one of these 3 teams. I don't see Ricky going
to Ferrari thanks to Vettel, and since there have been suggestions Ferrari is eager to hire the services of Max,
you could be looking at a Vettel - Raikkonen - Verstappen Ferrari outfit. I could see Ricky going to Mercedes.
Same goes for Mclaren tho, so, it could go either way.

Still, if, for some reason RedBull would really pull the plug on both teams - which either way i think is highly unlikely,
especially knowing they're contracted to stay in the sports and recieve a whopping buck for it, and that it would be
bad branding for RedBull to exit like this, let's assume this scenario for a possibility.

That does not equal that there are 4 cars missing on the 2016 grid - though this late in the season it becomes quite
a difficult one.

The big problem offcourse with RedBull bailing out, is the lack of sponsorship, causing the demand for a sudden and fast
new (title) sponsor. Toro Rosso for example is the old Minardi outfit. Though Giancarlo is no longer involved, the point made is that Toro Rosso missing it's title does not equal they cannot be at the 16 grid with a diferent team name. Tost F1 Team if they have to. If they get Ferrari engines, imagine the FIAT mothership of Ferrari having an alternate plan: Scuderia Alfa Romeo F1 - Ferrari. Have '15 spec engines (or '16 b-specs) and they're fine. Extra benefit: Both Verstappen and Sainz are class drivers that instantly become Ferrari drivers. And i think Verstappen (and Sainz) are capable and have done enough to gain a load of personal sponsors.

RedBull, as a F1 team, wasn't it Jaguar before? What's to stop a buyer from grabbing the RedBull team. Imagine it becoming Prodrive Aston Martin F1 - Mercedes/Cosworth/Renault. How about a freak Ford appearence? Who knows,
Ford is returning to LeMans with a V6T GT40 car, and have F1 heritage.

The thing about it is, even with the changes as of 2017, the question that remains is whether RedBull is meant to stay in F1 or not. They've achieved their goals, it can only go downward from here. They're not intending to drop back into the position they were a decade ago. Indeed, i could see RedBull taking over the F1 business from CVC and ultimately Bernie, and they'd pull both teams out aswell.
So on one side i'd say; this is just a storm and itll pass, on other hand i'm inclined to think it's an intent to do so and they're leaving anyway and just taking the moment.

I just don't think that would have to be in such a fashion that it'll leave 2 teams out with nothing.

[Sevach]

If the Red Bull teams quit... teams will go crazy trying to secure Ricciardo and Max for 17.

Think again, if RedBull and Toro Rosso would pull the plug,
assuming that would mean there would be 4 cars less on the 16 grid,

Your math is wrong, you are not accounting for Haas, the season can go ahead without 3rd cars.

[PlatinumZealot]

Guti to Hamas confirmed.

[bhall II]

Guti to Hamas confirmed.

[Manoah2u]

If the Red Bull teams quit... teams will go crazy trying to secure Ricciardo and Max for 17.

Think again, if RedBull and Toro Rosso would pull the plug,
assuming that would mean there would be 4 cars less on the 16 grid,

Your math is wrong, you are not accounting for Haas, the season can go ahead without 3rd cars.

oh dear.

It is written into the contracts which commit the teams to staying in F1 until the end of 2020 and it forces them to field a third car if the grid slips below a threshold of 20 cars.

http://www.pitpass.com/52789/Ecclestone ... -to-rivals

Mercedes
Ferrari
Mclaren
Sauber
Williams
Force India
Lotus/Renault
Manor
Haas

that is 9 teams = 18 cars.

and who's to be certain Manor or Lotus actually will be there next year? How about Sauber?

So with Toro Rosso AND RedBull gone, that would mean need for the 3rd car clause.

[Manoah2u]

Guti to Hamas confirmed.

nothing confirmed.

Only stated that Haas will make an announcement in Mexico on their 2nd driver.
Obvious is obvious, but there is no confirmation yet.

and really? Guti Hamas? that should be funny?
sorry to be touchy on this but i find it rather tasteless and insulting, actually.

[PlatinumZealot]

My phone is very insensitive these days; to people and my fingers. Sometimes it is insulting to me, too!

Guti haas confirmed behind closed doors.

[Jonnycraig]

So 2 pay drivers at the new works team

They have both signed contracts to drive for Lotus-Mercedes in 2016. IF Renault return it will be for 2017.

then Ferrari and Mclaren, and if i'm correct Mercedes is open for it, are contracted to put in a 3rd car.

That means Verstappen and Ricciardo could be 'grabbed' by either one of these 3 teams. I don't see Ricky going
to Ferrari thanks to Vettel, and since there have been suggestions Ferrari is eager to hire the services of Max,
you could be looking at a Vettel - Raikkonen - Verstappen Ferrari outfit. I could see Ricky going to Mercedes.
Same goes for Mclaren tho, so, it could go either way.

As was said last year when it came up, third cars would almost certainly be for rookies, so Wehrlein would drive for Mercedes and Vandoorne for McLaren. It's possible that Verstappen could be classified as a rookie at Ferrari with only 1 years experience.

In the highly unlikely event that RB were to leave, Ricciardo would almost certainly face a year on the sidelines, which probably explains why he has just hired his first agent in F1, just incase.

[aral]

They have both signed contracts to drive for Lotus-Mercedes in 2016. IF Renault return it will be for 2017.

Palmer stated that he had signed with renault and would have a renault engine for 2016. Probably let the cat out of the bag as Renault have made no announcement as yet.

[djos]

They have both signed contracts to drive for Lotus-Mercedes in 2016. IF Renault return it will be for 2017.

Palmer stated that he had signed with renault and would have a renault engine for 2016. Probably let the cat out of the bag as Renault have made no announcement as yet.

Not really, in the team principles press conference, Matt stated they already had the Renault 2016 PU specs and where designing the car around them.

[PlatinumZealot]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/26 ... 84138d.jpg
My son has an amazing uncanny talent to FEEL the kart as it is a Being with a heart. What can I do to get him race professionally? We are poor immigrants living in USA. I am just a struggling artist and have no clue about racing. Anyone can give advice? He is 15 now. He has been into cars before he could speak, walk, feed himself. How can I help?

So your son is a part of silly season now?
Do you have $250,000?

Haha. Jokes aside. You might have to just hustle it out like Anthony Hamilton did. He worked three jobs and got his son Lewis to practice ALOT. The talent has to be there for him to get noticed though, and you are better off living in Europe. All of the top guys now went to live in Europe.

[ChrisF1]

15? Too old.