Silly Season 2016/2017

[NL_Fer]

I think 2017 will be the year Honda will have the correct pu layout and combustion. But they probably need half season to learn the new configuration. And the chassis will be an average top level one i believe, like Merc, Ferrari, Torro Rosso even? Definitly no Redbull.

Yeah, i see Fernando jump ship and take the second Mercedes.

[Vasconia]

I think 2017 will be the year Honda will have the correct pu layout and combustion. But they probably need half season to learn the new configuration. And the chassis will be an average top level one i believe, like Merc, Ferrari, Torro Rosso even? Definitly no Redbull.

Yeah, i see Fernando jump ship and take the second Mercedes.

There are no more excuses for Honda and McLaren if they cant put a great car in 2017.

I dont expect any changes in Mercedes so Fernando needs more incidents ala Barcelona if he wants to have a real chance of going to Mercedes.

[superdowg316]

We must not forget something about a possible Rosberg-Ferrari move: Mercedes lose out more than you think.

Think about it, Rosberg is very engineer minded, having given up an option to study aerodynamic engineering to chase an F1 career and after Singapore he spent days with the team there going over data to find what went wrong. Compared to Lewis, I would say he has much more knowledge on how the car works mechanically while Lewis only understands how it handles and how to fix it.

Imagine now that Mercedes believe that Nico is not to the same driving talent as Lewis, which I do believe Lewis has more natural driving talent while Nico, as stated, has better mechanical driving talent, and decide its best not to renew Nico's contract due to A) The deterioration in his and Lewis' relationship (speculation) and B) They don't want to upset the guy they're paying $30million a year (?) to win races. Now lets say that Raikkonen calls it a day and Nico joins Ferrari. Not only does Ferrari gain an inform driver to push Vettel along and another bit of driving experience, but they also gain technical knowledge that he knows from Mercedes. He knows their secrets and how the car ticks, and he can get Ferrari to manufacture them and apply it to their 2017 car, despite the new aero rules. That would be costly to Mercedes because, let's be real, they can't afford Alonso's salary and he's only on the short term while also bringing the chance of yet another 2007 incident (funny how it will be 10 years on from that next year and there's talk of being teammates again, huh). The best they could possibly do is Wehrlein, Perez or Bottas, who don't have that much experience driving decent cars.

As for the other team, I think Jenson will be moved on and Felipe Massa will as well sadly, with Vandoorne joining Alonso and Button getting a last run at Williams with Bottas/Lynn as the second driver. Kvyat will replace Palmer at Renault, Hulkenberg could have to make way for Wehrlein's progression and Raikkonen will decide if he's up to it or not. That's all we can speculate at the moment.

[WaikeCU]

Fast forward...

Silly me thinks:

2017: Mick Schumacher joins Red Bull program.
2018: Mick Schumacher will be Gasly's teammate for Toro Rosso.

[wickedz50]

Fast forward...

Silly me thinks:

2017: Mick Schumacher joins Red Bull program.
2018: Mick Schumacher will be Gasly's teammate for Toro Rosso.

I say why silly...

Let me tell you that he will never come through the Redbull program, the reason is that he has already switched to Prema Powerteam in 2016, a team known for its close links to the Ferrari Driver Academy. He also entered the Italian F4 Championship.

[superdowg316]

Fast forward...

Silly me thinks:

2017: Mick Schumacher joins Red Bull program.
2018: Mick Schumacher will be Gasly's teammate for Toro Rosso.

Technically it could happen. All he has to do is win a F4 championship and place in the top 3 in F3, GP3 or GP2 and he qualifies for a Super Licence. Would be poetic if in 2020 at Red Bull it's a Schumacher-Verstappen combo.

[WaikeCU]

Fast forward...

Silly me thinks:

2017: Mick Schumacher joins Red Bull program.
2018: Mick Schumacher will be Gasly's teammate for Toro Rosso.

I say why silly...

Let me tell you that he will never come through the Redbull program, the reason is that he has already switched to Prema Powerteam in 2016, a team known for its close links to the Ferrari Driver Academy. He also entered the Italian F4 Championship.

Not if Red Bull can snatch him up first. It would be a blow for Ferrari though if that happens. Think about it, does the Ferrari Driver Academy or Red Bull talent program offer a 'succesful' F1 career?

[flickerf1]

Fast forward...

Silly me thinks:

2017: Mick Schumacher joins Red Bull program.
2018: Mick Schumacher will be Gasly's teammate for Toro Rosso.

I say why silly...

Let me tell you that he will never come through the Redbull program, the reason is that he has already switched to Prema Powerteam in 2016, a team known for its close links to the Ferrari Driver Academy. He also entered the Italian F4 Championship.

Not if Red Bull can snatch him up first. It would be a blow for Ferrari though if that happens. Think about it, does the Ferrari Driver Academy or Red Bull talent program offer a 'succesful' F1 career?

They have Charles Leclerc, who after joining the Academy, who won his first ever race in GP3 for ART Grand Prix. He's also the development driver for Haas and Ferrari, so I'd say that he has good future ahead.

[Vasconia]

Fast forward...

Silly me thinks:

2017: Mick Schumacher joins Red Bull program.
2018: Mick Schumacher will be Gasly's teammate for Toro Rosso.

Plus....

2020: Mick in RB
2021: Mick winning his first WC.

Let me dream, I am an old MSC fan...

[Kiril Varbanov]

One thing is for sure - Alonso has to leave Mclaren if he wants to fight for podium and/or WDC.
Ron and co placed their bets on a limping horse with no potential.

I think 2017 could be different: New rules (McLaren inspired), new Honda PU, new everything.

I think ALO well advised to stay put, to save face and maybe too harvest the fruits of bitter patience.

You may be right - Honda is planning radical revamp to its engine for 2017. The seemingly bad news is that they have no idea what exactly to change - http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/honda ... ne-738518/

[FrukostScones]

One thing is for sure - Alonso has to leave Mclaren if he wants to fight for podium and/or WDC.
Ron and co placed their bets on a limping horse with no potential.

I think 2017 could be different: New rules (McLaren inspired), new Honda PU, new everything.

I think ALO well advised to stay put, to save face and maybe too harvest the fruits of bitter patience.

You may be right - Honda is planning radical revamp to its engine for 2017. The seemingly bad news is that they have no idea what exactly to change - http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/honda ... ne-738518/

the guys from AVL and Mahle will tell them hopefully

[Manoah2u]

Honda said they'd come with a radical own concept instead of following and copying excisting designs and thus 'staying behind', look what that did. nothing but a trashbarrel from which they now have distanced themselves. so again they're going radical. no, this won't work unfortunately.

I do wonder though, imagine if RedBull would have snatched the deal instead of Mclaren through Torro Rosso. I think a RedBull-Honda combo could work well, if the engine obviously actually was worth something. I'm just a bit curious whether the Mclaren-Honda 'communication' simply isnt the biggest cause for the lag. Either way, it doesnt really matter anymore as it seems the relationship RedBull-Renault has gone back fruitfully and they're looking for normal real Renault engines next year instead of TagHeuer - branded ones.

Honda NEEDs to get a 2nd team for development, or simply slam their engine and concept in a test-mule.

[ScottB]

I think people need to remember the age guys like Alonso are as they make predictions for who'll be driving where in years to come...

When it comes to, say, Mercedes, if one of your seats is up for grabs, do you hire a guy who has, at best, a year or two left at his prime (if he isn't already past it, for all we know), or do you look to secure a promising youngster when your other driver is also into his 30's?

Certainly I'm inclined to suspect that Mercedes and / or Ferrari sniffing around Verstappen was what resulted in his promotion to his Red Bull seat, so perhaps that's an indication of the thinking that's going on as to who / what sort of driver will be in line for any empty Merc / Ferrari race seats...

[Manoah2u]

I think people need to remember the age guys like Alonso are as they make predictions for who'll be driving where in years to come...

When it comes to, say, Mercedes, if one of your seats is up for grabs, do you hire a guy who has, at best, a year or two left at his prime (if he isn't already past it, for all we know), or do you look to secure a promising youngster when your other driver is also into his 30's?

Certainly I'm inclined to suspect that Mercedes and / or Ferrari sniffing around Verstappen was what resulted in his promotion to his Red Bull seat, so perhaps that's an indication of the thinking that's going on as to who / what sort of driver will be in line for any empty Merc / Ferrari race seats...

Good point.
Still, they definately will have the desire to find a 'guaranteed' WDC as a replacement for either Rosberg/Hamilton.
GP-winner is one thing, WDC capable is another thing - especially when the chances exist that as of 2017, they possibly won't be as dominant as they are now. For all it could, they could be just as or even more dominant. BUT, if Ferrari and RedBull suddenly find themselves on the same level, then the driver becomes more important.
Let's just say it hard; if the car is untouchable, haryanto might suffice.
If it isn't, then you want quality and capability - atleast, it becomes more important.

So Wehrlein would be interesting, but is he even capable of being a GP-winner? Wehrlein has not had a decent car under his feet, but i'm not sure. I can't really tell you who would. Verstappen, yes but he's taken. Raikkonen? over. Button? wont come back. Alonso good choice but indeed for a short period. Vettel, would be funny. Bottas, i dunno, i rather see Bottas in the likes of Kovalainen or as a finnish Heidfeld, but then again, he isn't even a GP winner.

If Mercedes really has balls, they'll bring in Pastor Maldonado. GP WINNER!

[Scuderia1967]

Here's my two cents on the matter:

Mercedes: Hamilton/Rosberg
Ferrari: Vettel/Raikkonen
Red Bull: Ricciardo/Max Verstappen
Williams: Bottas/Button
Force India: Perez/Hulkenberg
Toro Rosso: Carlos Sainz Jr/ Pierre Gasly
McLaren: Alonso/The-belgian-guy-who-is-actually-better-than-the-dutch-spoiled-brat, a.k.a. Stoffel Vandoorne
Haas: That-other-driver-who-is-also-the-son-of-a-F1-has-been-from-northern-Europe, a.k.a. Kevin Magnussen/Gutierrez
Renault: Romain Grosjean/Esteban Ocon
Sauber: Providing-Brazil-doesn't-implode-it-will-be-again-that-other-Felipe-who-is-actually-a-very-decent-driver, a.k.a. Felipe Nasr/Marcus Ericsson
MRT: Pascal Wherlein/Not-Rio-Haryanto-a.k.a.-Captain-Slow-but-that's-if-and-that's-a-big-if-we-can't-find-a-money-making-machine, a.k.a. pretty much anyone else