Silly Season 2017/2018

[Manoah2u]

WTaking Hamilton aboard instead of
ailing Raikkonen is a welcome treat for the reds, and a Vettel-Hamilton combo is the material of dreams.

Both Vettel and Hamilton are enjoying their battle outside of being teammates, however this season unfolds, i'm sure both also would be interested to see how they'd fare in the same material. For promotion and marketing Hamilton aboard Ferrari would be gigantic.

I think a Vettel-Hamilton combo is the material of nightmares for a team. Two drivers who are, in reality, the top of the current crop and both with egos. Neither likes losing and one of them will, one way or another. Any signs of preferential treatment would blow the whole thing apart.

One thing about Vettel and Hamilton at Ferrari is that Vettel fits the mould much better. I can't see Hamilton learning Italian, for example. Vettel speaks Italian, from what I've heard on the radio broadcasts. I don't know how much he speaks but I'd wager it's more than Hamilton can / would. That immediately puts Vettel at a huge advantage within the team.

Another thing about the battle between them is that, when in different teams, they can call on the team for help. They can play the political cards etc. In the same team? Ask Alonso after 2007...

As a marketing item, Vettel and Hamilton would be dynamite, that's for sure.

Prost-Senna was one of the best eras ever in F1 with both being in the same team.
Did it spark some flames? sure did. Did that make it better? absolutely.

I'd relish seeing Hamilton and Vettel @ Ferrari.

[The_table]

Wel seeing that Perez went swiftly back to force india after his Mclaren stint... :/

lol, Perez got ditched hard by Mclaren making a completely stupid management error the size of Kaltenborn qualities.
They couldn't dump Button but they had to dump somebody because somebody screwed up so hard (probably Whitmarsh) that they had to put Magnussen in that car. Perez actually did outstanding in the Mclaren, it wasn't his fault the Mclaren was a bad car. Perez got scr*wed over by Mclaren, nothing else.

That's true, Button was equally unspectacular in that car:/

[Manoah2u]

Exactly, despite Button being a absolutely great driver, despire rather undeservingly much underappreciated.

Perez had some great fights with Button, which really surprised me as i expected him to get snowed under by the well-experienced Brit at that point.
I'm still disappointed that Kobayashi got putten aside at some point. That bloke deserved to be in F1 by a huge margin, but it wasn't to be unfortunately.

But i'm wandering off.

Great respect for Grosjean pulling his sh*t together after making such a mess at first, and popping out to become a very fast and smart driver, definately talented,
but possibly not talented enough or not taking the opportunities. I was really vouching for him to get a win in the Lotus at certain point, but it never happened.
Grosjean actually is very lucky, in a manner most drivers don't ever have, that he was granted another shot @ F1. Probably exactly because he has potential in the end.
He was catapulted in F1 after Crashgate and got ditched like toilet paper, very respectless and undeserving. But that's how F1 is sometimes. Bouillier gave him another
chance, so he is lucky beyond words to still be in F1, also in an era where talent alone isn't a guarantee at all.

[Just_a_fan]

Prost-Senna was one of the best eras ever in F1 with both being in the same team.
Did it spark some flames? sure did. Did that make it better? absolutely.

I'd relish seeing Hamilton and Vettel @ Ferrari.

Great for fans? Yes! Great for the team? No way!

Teams don't want "exciting" lives, they want easy lives with lots of wins. In a good car either Vettel or Hamilton can win a title. They don't need the problems of having two massive egos in the team. So they won't do it.

The closest we'll get, as fans, is what we have now. Enjoy it! =D>

[Jolle]

Prost-Senna was one of the best eras ever in F1 with both being in the same team.
Did it spark some flames? sure did. Did that make it better? absolutely.

I'd relish seeing Hamilton and Vettel @ Ferrari.

Great for fans? Yes! Great for the team? No way!

Teams don't want "exciting" lives, they want easy lives with lots of wins. In a good car either Vettel or Hamilton can win a title. They don't need the problems of having two massive egos in the team. So they won't do it.

The closest we'll get, as fans, is what we have now. Enjoy it! =D>

Senna-Prost was great, especially in 1988 because is was the young contender against the big champion (who was the young contender himself a few year earlier). it was also a few seasons where talent like Mansell, Piquet and Berger had no chance because McLaren was even more powerful for years then any team in history. A fair battle between two or three drivers in other teams is so much nicer. Lets hope the RedBull spec B is any good, the two young contenders against the two "old' champs. Can't get any better then that

[UlleGulle]

My 2 cents

Mercedes
Hamilton - either world champion or runner up and happy being a number one driver in a very fast car.
Ricciardo - rather number two in mercedes with a high salary than number two in Red Bull next to Verstappen.

Ferrari
Vettel - either world champion or runner up and happy being a number one driver in a very fast car.
Bottas - a obvious number two driver and Ferrari have a habit of replacing number twos with drivers from the same country. Massa replaced countryman Barichello. Ricciardo and Verstappen will want this seat, but Vettel will block it.

Reb Bull
Verstappen - No way they will let go of him. Also, neither Hamilton nor Vettel wants him as a number two driver.
Sainz - He kept pace with Verstappen in Toro Rosso, which is more than can be said about most.

Renault
Hulkenberg -
Ocon - French team, french driver. It's a must,as they will continue to struggle.

Williams
Massa - will be kept.
Kyat - Russian money, decent driver. Stroll will be stricken by some performance clause.

Force India
Wehrlein - He has some amazing drives. Also numerous mediocre, but the kid got something special.
Someone from Mercedes drivers program.

Mclaren
Perez - With Alonso getting fed up and not wanting to risk another bad move he quits. Perez has become stable and is a experienced driver. Also, none of the established top drivers will risk going near the Honda Power Unit.
Vandoorne - Stays.

Haas
Grosjean - They put up with his wining and crying. No one else will. Loosing out on the Ferrari seat will probably make him and Renault texting eachother, but Hulkenberg will not accept it.
Giovanazzi - Ferrari will want him in Formula One, but they will choose more established drivers every time.

Sauber
Ericsson - Yeah, we are all fed up with his perfomances, but his financiers probably aren't. So he stays.
Stroll - His dad will not give up. It's a rich mans world.

[notsofast]

If Alonso enjoys his Indy race, I predict that he will join that formula next year. He might even do it before the end of this season.

[Manoah2u]

Nah, he'll do Le Mans first.

[Fifty]

Well, Porsche saodnthey want nothing to do with Alonso... so WEC is out. Honda is pissed at him for his last two FTF's, and especially pissed about Bahrain. So I doubt a spot will be open for him at Indy unless he drives for Chevy. I think the 500 will be a good eye opener for everyone.

I'm sad to think that this is Kimi's last season at Ferrari and probably F1... unless he all of a sudden is coming in second behind Vettel every race.

But it seems that Perez will be up next at Ferrari, however someone way smarter and more connected than I am said, don't forget about Ricciardo. It solves the Italian heritage problem (Ferrari played that up last go around when they were thinking of loosing kimi), his contract is up, he is a better long term driver than verstappen but is getting smoked on the short game, so it seems Ricciardo will want to trade up.

[continuum16]

Well, Porsche saodnthey want nothing to do with Alonso... so WEC is out.

Well don't forget if he really wants to burn bridges at Honda there's another certain Japanese carmaker who is in WEC...

[continuum16]

Pure speculation (within reason)

Ferrari:
VET (re-signed due to 2017 upturn)
GRO (one-year deal, safe, fast, experienced choice)

Mercedes:
HAM (under contract)
BOT (will be solid no.2, keeps Lewis happy)

Red Bull:
VER (under contract)
RIC (under contract)

Williams:
STR (will be last year if no improvement)
MAS (will impress with 2017 results and will want to see the Paddy Lowe/Dirk de Beer 2018 car)

Renault:
HUL (under contract)
SAI (no light at the end of the tunnel at RB)

Haas:
MAG (under contract)
GIO (from Ferrari, also he's good)

Force India:
OCO (probably under contract)
PER (will re-sign, team will be solid)

Toro Rosso
Gasly (it's about time)
KVY (for continuity)

Sauber-Mercedes
WEH (will re-sign)
ERI (team's backers, also he's ok)

McLaren
ALO (one year until seat available at Ferrari/Mercedes/Renault)
VAN (under contract)

As for Alonso and Ferrari; he may not have left on the best of terms, but he didn't exactly leave McLaren smoothly in 2007.

[F1NAC]

If Alonso enjoys his Indy race, I predict that he will join that formula next year. He might even do it before the end of this season.

Nah. I think he would rather take full wec season than indy season.

[godlameroso]

Alonso isn't going anywhere

[loner]

Alonso isn't going anywhere

unless Honda invest in Williams

[PlatinumZealot]

Perez to Ferrari.

Force India WANT this so bad $$$