Alonso - Ferrari - Renault...

[kilcoo316]

Does that look like a move up or down the grid right now?


If Renault give him good guarantees about their commitment to F1, he may stay there and not go to ferrari!

[fenix4life]

Looks Renault Director - Jean-François Caubet - kind of confirmed Alonso will not race in 2010 with them.
All his used tenses were in the past.


http://www.eurosport.fr/formule-1/alons ... news.shtml

[kilcoo316]

Ahh, thanks for that.

Pretty much cleared that up then!

[Conceptual]

I think Ferrari are just effing stupid if they buy-out Kimi's contract to put Fernando in his car. Especially since Kimi has 14 points on Nando, and started with an utter piece of --- car this year.

But when your entire budget is paid for by Marlboro and a few others, money doesn't seem to be an issue.

Whatever, after watching Singapore (well, I watched the start, and then slept till the post race...) I am seriously questioning why I even pay the $3 for the proxy to access the BBC site...

F1 is becoming a bad joke. Maybe Kimi would be better to leave for WRC with Todt taking over as Pres of the FIA and turning Rally racing into the technological leader in road-car development, and leave Farce 1 to it's sideshow status...

[qw56q]

i dont know why they would want alonso kimi clearly is still a good driver motivated or not.

[dave34m]

I think Ferrari are just effing stupid if they buy-out Kimi's contract to put Fernando in his car. Especially since Kimi has 14 points on Nando, and started with an utter piece of --- car this year.

But when your entire budget is paid for by Marlboro and a few others, money doesn't seem to be an issue.

Whatever, after watching Singapore (well, I watched the start, and then slept till the post race...) I am seriously questioning why I even pay the $3 for the proxy to access the BBC site...

F1 is becoming a bad joke. Maybe Kimi would be better to leave for WRC with Todt taking over as Pres of the FIA and turning Rally racing into the technological leader in road-car development, and leave Farce 1 to it's sideshow status...

What proxy do you use. I can't find one that works for me.

[bill shoe]

Silly season went from start to finish in about two weeks. 2010 looks like-

Ferrari-
Alonso
Massa (may not be 100% but Alonso will have consistent focus and dedication so Ferrari can take chance with Massa)

McLaren-
Hamilton
Raikkonen

Brawn-
Rosberg
Button (or Barichello if no $ agreement with Button)

Renault-
Kubica
Grosjean (kept as useful reference for Kubica performance)

Red Bull-
Vettel
Weber

Toyota-
Glock
??? (I don't see Trulli coming to terms)

Williams-
Hulkenburg (~ drive for free)
??? (pay driver)

Toro Rosa-
Buemi (pay driver but checks come directly from main sponsor so it almost doesn't smell like a pay driver)
??? (pay driver)

BMW (former)
Heidfeld (~ drive for free, nobody else will take him and former-BMW will be happy to keep him)
??? (pay driver)

Force India-
Liuzzi (~ drive for free)
Sutil (both drivers are good but I can easily see one being replaced by pay driver)

USF1-
??? (pay driver from US)
??? (pay driver with a pulse)

Campos-
Pedro del la Rosa
??? (yea, pay driver also)

Manor House (?Virgin?)-
??? (for lease, or maybe drive for free if Virgin money is enough)
??? (same)

I see 5 or 6 teams with paid drivers, 2 or 3 who let the drivers have a go for free, and 5 teams with drivers chosen by passport and/or how much money they bring. It's a bit depressing for the mid field and new teams.

The driver pairings at the top 5 teams are the strongest I have ever seen. Actually very impressive. It will be very difficult for teams outside the big 5 to score points.

[Chaparral]

KR is pretty much assured of being at Mclaren next year - and most likely Toyota will announce they are leaving F1 as both drivers were told their services would not be needed for 2010 after the race in Singapore - strange stuff this F1

[axle]

I think Massa will come undone next year. I do think the crash will affect him directly and indirectly. I personally hope he's ok but I have doubts. I feel Kimi and Alonso would be a stronger 2010 pairing.

With Heikki presumably out of luck at McLaren, I expect him to got to Renault or Williams. However Heidfield maybe after the other Williams seat if Sauber don't get to race (unlikely). And then there is Glock...if he is free then maybe he's better than Heikki - in race conditions.

If Heikki does get another drive I think it will be his last chance...he's just been too slow in the races (like Kazuki).

[Timomies]

I think Ferrari are just effing stupid if they buy-out Kimi's contract to put Fernando in his car. Especially since Kimi has 14 points on Nando, and started with an utter piece of --- car this year.

And Alonso had a great car? It is a freaking tractor.

[Conceptual]

Kimi will not goto McLaren unless he can get the co-number 1 status.

If that happens, I expect to see McLaren to be instoppable next year. With the obvious fact that they seem to have sorted their aero, and the probability that they will keep the KERS since Williams looks like they will, a Hamilton/Raikkonen pairing might just destroy any other pairing on the grid...

[Fil]

a Hamilton/Raikkonen pairing might just destroy any other pairing on the grid...

they'll be a very strong pairing for the constructor's championship.. but will steal points from each other in the driver's..

Very sneaky, but maybe Ferrari letting Kimi go to McLaren is a ploy to weaken Lewis' title chances, making it easier for Alonso in 2010.

[nuno]

Kimi will not goto McLaren unless he can get the co-number 1 status.

If that happens, I expect to see McLaren to be instoppable next year. With the obvious fact that they seem to have sorted their aero, and the probability that they will keep the KERS since Williams looks like they will, a Hamilton/Raikkonen pairing might just destroy any other pairing on the grid...

Do you really believe that team will "betray" Hamilton for Raikkonen? All Kimi can ask for is to have equal status.
Hamilton/Raikkonen pairing should act like Hamilton/Alonso pairing - Ferrari should be really happy

[ESPImperium]

Let me see how the grid will look now for my eyes:

01/02: Brawn GP-Mercedes = Button/Rosberg
03/04: Red Bull-Mercedes = Vettel/Webber
05/06: McLaren-Mercedes = Hamilton/Sutil
07/08: Ferarri = Massa/Alonso
09/10: Toyota = Raikkonenn/Glock
11/12: Williams-Renault = Hulkenberg/Heidfeld (Williams to take Renault engines from Red Bull)
14/15: Force Indi-Mercedes = Liuzzi/(young guy from GP2)
16/17: STR-Ferarri = Buemi/Alguersuari
18/19: Campos-Cosworth = Nakajimma/Di Grasi
20/21: Lotus F1-Cosworth = Davidson/(Malasian Driver)
22/23: Manor-Cosworth = 1 etablished name and one young gun
24/25: Prodrive-Renault = Kubica/Grosjean (Renault i think will be bough by Prodrive, Renault will only supply engines to F1 from 2010, altho could be rebadged Aston Martin here)
26/27: USF1-Toyota = An established name plus either Jonathan Summerton or Sergio Perez from GP2. (USF1 to ditch Cosworth and go with Toyota for the US marketing angle)
28/29: Sauber-Ferarri = I really dont know here.

[Conceptual]

As long as Kimi's contract stipulates that he gets the same upgrades as Lewis at the same time, and equal support, I don't see a problem.

Also, does anyone really believe that Alonso will be able to hop into a Ferrari and be able to match Massa? I mean, look at Fisi. Identical car to Kimi, and he can't get anywhere near him.

Although, with Massa out for the remainder of the season, this may equal it out a bit...

Does anyone think that Massa got preferential treatment due to Schumacher re-signing with the Scuderia?