Silly Season 2017/2018

[PlatinumZealot]

He desreves the seat after all the groundwork he has put in over the years. Wasn't he shoved aside for Vergne or one of the RBR drivers? I can't remebmer but I was looking forward to the second "Britney spears" on the grid.

[SteveRacer]

WEC cars actually had over 1,000 horsepower until very recently so Hartley shouldn't have much trouble adapting the F1 imo. He also has a very level head on him, as witnessed by doing very well at endurance racing, so I dont expect him to be another 1st lap lunatic like many other rookies.

Rookies today are teenagers. Brendan is 27 and I expect him to be a very mature driver.

[Fulcrum]

The cars are easier to drive this year, and he's been driving fast machinery consistently - unlike Di Resta - so I don't think he'll perform badly. I hope Kvyat hasn't been watching Game of Thrones again.

[NL_Fer]

I still find it odd. Being surpassed by Vergne and Alguesuari, who themselves were beaten bij Kvyat and Ricciardo. And now after almost 10 he returns to F1. Is he a real candidate for 2018?

For all i know Alguesuari is a diskjocky now. Vergne and Hartley are being exceptional in their classes, Buemi also btw.

I wonder how he likes the car though. Lotterer driven the Caterham, but he did not really find the car and that exciting and kept his LMP.

[FW17]

WEC cars actually had over 1,000 horsepower until very recently so Hartley shouldn't have much trouble adapting the F1 imo. He also has a very level head on him, as witnessed by doing very well at endurance racing, so I dont expect him to be another 1st lap lunatic like many other rookies.

WEC is less than 600 hp except for in le means where they get 25 secs of 1000hp (in a 3.5 min lap), other circuits are a lot lesser.

Hartly had a horrible last 2 years in open wheel, won 1 race in 2 years, 6 races in 3 years from 60.

I guess his speed has a lot more consistency now.

[Manoah2u]

I think it has to do with a number of reasons why Hartley is being put in the car.

Buemi and Vergne both surely would have been a preferred choise for RB/TR but then it remains to be seen if that's the preferred choise for them. After all, they got put aside for new RB 'talent pool' drivers and 'degraded' to some testing/reserve roll. Now all of a sudden they need them because they have no other option. Not the best feeling in the world. But the biggest danger i think for both Buemi and Vergne is , when either of them steps in Austin in a car they never have driven, is that they perform like a wet towel and get thoroughly beaten by Kvyat, who just as much has been getting the famous 'Marko treatment', and could really, really hurt their racing careers. They both know they'll not race in F1 anymore anyways, especially in Toro Rosso, which will house Honda engines next year so it remains to be seen where Toro Rosso ends up.

For all we know, the Honda could suck even still and Toro Rosso gets all the way to the back of the field.
So there might even be the possibility that both Buemi and Vergne declined the offer, which leaves Toro Rosso needing to look in other areas.

There has been word on Kubica stepping in, which would be potentially just as bad for Robert as aforementioned.
Palmer could have been an option, but that could completely destroy his chances on a Williams 2018 seat.

So then the possibilities get less and less, and you will have to do with a Superlicense-carrying driver, which slims the possibilities down even further. Preferably a driver that has been in or involved in F1 too, then one that is able to race in Austin and does not have any other 'duties' to fullfill like a race weekend.
And finally, also these might decline an offer.

Remember, it's all about just 1 race in Austin to replace a driver that will finish the rest of the season anyway and surely next year. There is the possibility of driving the following season in a f1 race seat, but just as much Kvyat could actually be driving there anyway no matter what we or other people think. Or hell, there can already be a contracted driver for 2018 alongside Gasly which we haven't heard of yet for whatever reason.

In the end though, this is an interesting choice and it would be interesting to see what happens, even just for 1 race. I'm still amazed that a fellow member here comes up with Hartley after all this time and then he actually gets picked.

[Jolle]

I think it has to do with a number of reasons why Hartley is being put in the car.

Buemi and Vergne both surely would have been a preferred choise for RB/TR but then it remains to be seen if that's the preferred choise for them. After all, they got put aside for new RB 'talent pool' drivers and 'degraded' to some testing/reserve roll. Now all of a sudden they need them because they have no other option. Not the best feeling in the world. But the biggest danger i think for both Buemi and Vergne is , when either of them steps in Austin in a car they never have driven, is that they perform like a wet towel and get thoroughly beaten by Kvyat, who just as much has been getting the famous 'Marko treatment', and could really, really hurt their racing careers. They both know they'll not race in F1 anymore anyways, especially in Toro Rosso, which will house Honda engines next year so it remains to be seen where Toro Rosso ends up.

For all we know, the Honda could suck even still and Toro Rosso gets all the way to the back of the field.
So there might even be the possibility that both Buemi and Vergne declined the offer, which leaves Toro Rosso needing to look in other areas.

There has been word on Kubica stepping in, which would be potentially just as bad for Robert as aforementioned.
Palmer could have been an option, but that could completely destroy his chances on a Williams 2018 seat.

So then the possibilities get less and less, and you will have to do with a Superlicense-carrying driver, which slims the possibilities down even further. Preferably a driver that has been in or involved in F1 too, then one that is able to race in Austin and does not have any other 'duties' to fullfill like a race weekend.
And finally, also these might decline an offer.

Remember, it's all about just 1 race in Austin to replace a driver that will finish the rest of the season anyway and surely next year. There is the possibility of driving the following season in a f1 race seat, but just as much Kvyat could actually be driving there anyway no matter what we or other people think. Or hell, there can already be a contracted driver for 2018 alongside Gasly which we haven't heard of yet for whatever reason.

In the end though, this is an interesting choice and it would be interesting to see what happens, even just for 1 race. I'm still amazed that a fellow member here comes up with Hartley after all this time and then he actually gets picked.

Plus, Vergne is a Ferrari driver these days, so.... quite impossible...

I think they weight in that Hartley had matured quite a bit in LMP, where you need a steady race most of all. If you want the car to finish most of all, you get a endurance driver. Plus, from the RedBull pool, he has the most experience in a high powered, heavy, downforce driven car with real tires.
I'm a strong advocate for Buemi, but thinking about it, Hartley is a better choice (Formula E has low power, very very hard tires and no real DF, compared to LMP or F1)

[djos]

And Hartley is fast too, he always does exceptionally well in WEC qualifying.

[ESPImperium]

Hartley makes sense, they can evaluate him on a race weekend as he has matured since he was sidelined in late 2011, he has gone through the Mercedes program as well, he has gone through LMP2 and LMP1 with Porsche and has massively matured. If anyone thinks he will be like Andre Lottre in the Caterham in 2014, it won't. Hartley is fast and I'm sure this will be lots different.

Im sure Hartley will be right on the pace, if he muscles Kvjat out from P1 and through the weekend, I'm pretty sure that apart from where Hartley and his schedule conflict, he will be back in for more races this season to compare him to Gasly as I'm sure that Red Bull know that they need a driver to replace Kvjat as he is now damaged goods in F1 now and is just hanging about as a cover driver due to the 4 drivers per season rule. If Hartley hangs around for Mexico, I'm confident he will hang around if Kvjat bins it, again...

If Red Bull start to negotiate with the team he has been in talks with for 2018, to get Hartley and put Kvjat in the Indyycar for 2018, it will be done, a Red Bull sponsored car for Indy for Brendon to be placed aside Gasly. If Hartley chooses his number, that will be a indicator, if he uses a generic team chosen one, its a one race thing.

Leaving the Williams 2018 lineup the last problem, as its Mercedes vs FOM here, same as next to free Mercedes power and a million or two of Scottish Money will win over FOM and Publicity and nostalgia. Williams are finding themselves in the same position that Force India found themselves in last year where it was Ocon and €20m off their Mercedes supply or Nasr and €20m from Banco do Brasil, Force India made their right decision looking at their championship placings in both constructors and drivers tables right now.

The last seat to be looked at will be Ericsson as I can see Ferrari wanting to see Le Clerc and Giovinazzi in both seats.

Id be surprised if we don't hear about Alonso at McLaren for two more years in the next couple of weeks.

[Manoah2u]

Something that popped my mind just yet -

Didn't Max Verstappen sign with RedBull a couple of years ago when he was still driving Formula 3 (or what was it),
because RB promised him a raceseat @Toro Rosso for 2015, and could have been signed with either Ferrari or Mercedes
but they couldn't / wouldn't give him a F1 race seat for 2015 hence he had to wait for a race seat in their programme for 2016?

Could that mean that despite Max throwing in astonishing performances @ Toro Rosso and a win in his 1st race with RedBull in 2016,
and he had signed with Mercedes , he might have driven for either Force India or Williams for 2016, and with Rosberg retiring, he might
have had that race seat @ Mercedes that Bottas now has ?

Hence he would have been alongside Lewis Hamilton @ Mercedes this year?
In hindsight would that mean they made a mistake?

[ChrisDanger]

In hindsight would that mean they made a mistake?

Whatever the case it doesn't seem he's very interested in that Mercedes seat.

[media]https://twitter.com/redbullracing/statu ... 0748892165[/media]

[Sieper]

I am glad he prolongs with RBR. I am a big Max fan and sure I would like him to be in the best seat but I feel he is on a mission together with RBR. He also owes them (as they do him). It could all fail but still I am happy they both see through.

[Manoah2u]

Oh don't get me wrong, I think he's well seated at RBR. He has 2 wins anyway and a good prospect of WDC possibilities.

Nevertheless, Bottas is 3rd in the WDC standings and something tells me Max could have been 2nd alongside Lewis.

[JAA17]

Alonso to stay in F1 with McLaren with the new (hopefully fantastic) Renault engine.

Phew - I really thought we had lost him to F1.

The 36-year-old Spaniard has signed a new deal which is believed to be for one year with options to extend.

Alonso said

"It was always where my heart was telling me to stay.

"Although the last few years have not been easy, we have never forgotten how to win, and I believe we can achieve that again soon.

"McLaren has the technical resource and financial strength to be able to very quickly win races and world championships in F1.

"The last three years have given us the momentum to plan and build for the future, and I'm looking forward to that journey."

[adrianjordan]

Oh don't get me wrong, I think he's well seated at RBR. He has 2 wins anyway and a good prospect of WDC possibilities.

Nevertheless, Bottas is 3rd in the WDC standings and something tells me Max could have been 2nd alongside Lewis.

Or 3rd behind Lewis with Seb leading thanks to Max and Lewis having a more even share of the points...