277 replies to this topic

[Marklar]

F1 (and motor racing in general) is very complex. So complex that one detail could have a big impact on the whole future.

For example: Had Lewis Hamilton not suffered at the Singapore GP 2012 a gearbox failure while leading he would have renew his contract at McLaren. He would probably stil drive for McLaren (depends on if Schumacher didnt had suffer the ski accident then and if Alonso would have been his replacement). And on the other side Nico Rosberg would have been currently on his way to his 2nd world championship (or Alonso would be at Merc and finally win his 3rd title). while Hamilton would drive chanceless at the back of the grid for McLaren, stil having just achieved one championship.

Do you know more of these scenarios where just a little detail could have had a big impact on the future if this detail would have been slightly different?

[KnucklesAgain]

F1 (and motor racing in general) is very complex. So complex that one detail could have a big impact on the whole future.

For example: Had Lewis Hamilton not suffered at the Singapore GP 2012 a gearbox failure while leading he would have renew his contract at McLaren. He would probably stil drive for McLaren (depends on if Schumacher didnt had suffer the ski accident then and if Alonso would have been his replacement). And on the other side Nico Rosberg would have been currently on his way to his 2nd world championship (or Alonso would be at Merc and finally win his 3rd title). while Hamilton would drive chanceless at the back of the grid for McLaren, stil having just achieved one championship.

Do you know more of these scenarios where just a little detail could have had a big impact on the future if this detail would have been slightly different?

 

We had many of these threads before and nothing new will be added in this one I'm afraid, but because I'm bored: If FIA had decided differently in '94 and Hill would have been WDC, he and the team would have been less nervous in '95 and taken that one as well, '96 anyway and '97 as well. He may have moved to McLaren after that for '98 and '99. The Schumacher move to Ferrari would not have happened and Hill would have retired with 6 WDCs on the trot and Schumi with none 

Edited by KnucklesAgain, 16 August 2015 - 07:06.

[KnucklesAgain]

And obviously without the 2007 fallout, Alonso would have won 05, 06, 07, (stayed at McLaren) 08, (moved to RB), 10, 11, 12, 13, (moved to Merc) 14, 15, 16, ???.

 

Still bored

Edited by KnucklesAgain, 16 August 2015 - 08:03.

[ardbeg]

I think Kimi had been a different driver had he not lost the car at Spa, racing Hamilton. I think it hurt his pride, and confidence, more than he would ever admit.

[DarthWillie]

Gilles Villeneuve not dying in 1982, he was negotiating with mclaren so we would have had him in the 1983 mclaren and the dominant 84/85 cars, maybe even till 1988
Now there's a thought

[SpaceHorseParty]

Peter Sauber gives the Sauber seat to Bernoldi in 2001. Coulthard does a lot better in Monaco.

Oh, and since Kimi does not make his debut, McLaren give Mika's vacant seat to Heidfeld.

[OvDrone]

Webber at Renault in 2005.

[Disgrace]

Alesi to Williams for '91 always makes me wonder.

[Wally123]

If Mansell wasn't replaced by Prost he would have been at least a 2 time champion..

[Wally123]

If Ricciardo didn't hand Vettel's ass to him last year Sebastian would still be at Redbull....

[Wally123]

Had McLaren decided to pit Hamilton earlier instead of letting him drive on the rims in China 07 he would be a 3 x champion.....

[byrkus]

If Mercedes swapped cars at final race of 2014 season, Hamilton would be 1x champion.

 

And if Massa's engine would wuld make it to the finish of 2008 Hungarian GP, he would have none...

Edited by byrkus, 16 August 2015 - 09:52.

[jimjimjeroo]

Senna survived 94,

WDC 94 95 96 97...

[LORDBYRON]

And obviously without the 2007 fallout, Alonso would have won 05, 06, 07, (stayed at McLaren) 08, (moved to RB), 10, 11, 12, 13, (moved to Merc) 14, 15, 16, ???.

 

Still bored

where would Hamilton be in all of this?

 

Its a  what IF thread and will likely be closed like the other threads due to the admins here who think they are gods. 

Edited by LORDBYRON, 16 August 2015 - 10:27.

[byrkus]

Senna punches Irvine after Suzuka '93 → gets three race penalty.

 

He misses 1994 Brazilian, Pacific, and San Marino GP...

[GoldenColt]

If it wasn't for all the McLaren screw-ups from 2007-2012, Lewis would be a 4 times WDC by now. 

[hittheapex]

Hill to McLaren in 1997. I'd have loved to see him and Hakkinen fight it out.

Edited by hittheapex, 16 August 2015 - 11:48.

[DutchQuicksilver]

What if Raikkonen hadn't decided to leave McLaren at the end of 2006? Then Hamilton would have started his career at Force India and who knows when he'd end up at McLaren after a few years.

[KnucklesAgain]

where would Hamilton be in all of this?

 

Its a  what IF thread and will likely be closed like the other threads due to the admins here who think they are gods. 

 

Nowhere ;)

[Anderis]

What if Raikkonen hadn't decided to leave McLaren at the end of 2006? Then Hamilton would have started his career at Force India and who knows when he'd end up at McLaren after a few years.

McLaren-Force India link began in 2009, so I don't think it would have been where Hamilton took his 1st F1 race participation.

[prty]

Sorry, but the topic of this thread was already covered before:

 

http://forums.autosp...räikkönen-2014/

 

Edit: Apologies, I realise now that it has been locked. The open version can be found in: http://forums.autosp...-sainz-20-2015/

Edited by prty, 16 August 2015 - 12:32.

[Jimisgod]

Gilles Villeneuve not dying in 1982, he was negotiating with mclaren so we would have had him in the 1983 mclaren and the dominant 84/85 cars, maybe even till 1988
Now there's a thought

 

Prost still would have beaten him.

[Jimisgod]

What if Schumacher hadn't returned, what was the plan then?

[RekF1]

F1 (and motor racing in general) is very complex. So complex that one detail could have a big impact on the whole future.
For example: Had Lewis Hamilton not suffered at the Singapore GP 2012 a gearbox failure while leading he would have renew his contract at McLaren. He would probably stil drive for McLaren (depends on if Schumacher didnt had suffer the ski accident then and if Alonso would have been his replacement). And on the other side Nico Rosberg would have been currently on his way to his 2nd world championship (or Alonso would be at Merc and finally win his 3rd title). while Hamilton would drive chanceless at the back of the grid for McLaren, stil having just achieved one championship.
Do you know more of these scenarios where just a little detail could have had a big impact on the future if this detail would have been slightly different?

In the summer of 2013, What if RedBull had switched more of their resources to 2014? or what if Mercedes had carried on developing their car that year instead of switching focus to 2014?

Would the whole field have been much closer right now?

[taz]

Senna survived 94,

WDC 94 95 96 97...

And we'd probably see him do a few demo runs in the '15 McLaren-Honda at Interlagos

Edited by taz, 16 August 2015 - 13:33.

[Arska]

Had McLaren decided to pit Hamilton earlier instead of letting him drive on the rims in China 07 he would be a 3 x champion.....

 

Or if he had made a cautious pit entry because of the points standings being hugely in his favor.

[DutchQuicksilver]

What if Schumacher hadn't returned, what was the plan then?

I believe it was Sutil or Heidfeld who would have taken that seat next to Rosberg, as both were candidates before Schumacher announced his shock return.

[aramos]

Alonso joins Red Bull in 2008 when he was offered the seat wins his 7th championship...

 

F1 is full of what ifs. But honestly had Hamilton been at McLaren at the moment he would have handled it pretty poorly imo. Once you experience a front running car its hard to go back and Hamilton felt he deserved more than the 1 title he achieved.

 

I suspect even if he didn't go to Mercedes he would have likely ended up at either Red Bull or Ferrari anyway.

[johnmhinds]

What if Raikkonen hadn't decided to leave McLaren at the end of 2006? Then Hamilton would have started his career at Force India and who knows when he'd end up at McLaren after a few years.

They were still Spyker in 2007, and had no links to McLaren.

---

What if Montoya had stayed at McLaren for 2007, would he have beaten Alonso? Would either of them have beaten Raikonen?

[kraduk]

If Khrushchev hadnt backed down in '62, there would have been no f1 for over 53 years, no internet, and none of us here talking nonsense.

[maximilian]

Apparently Derek Warwick decided to stay at fading Renault, instead of switching to Williams.  If true, I would imagine that decision haunts him a bit (and me too, since his drive at Brands Hatch in 82 was what got me hooked).

[YoungGun]

Brawn doesn't buy Honda F1 Team.

[Jackmancer]

What if:

[Myrvold]

When I opened this thread, I thought that it couldn't work like it does at GPRejects, and it doesn't. However this one

 

Senna punches Irvine after Suzuka '93 → gets three race penalty.

 

He misses 1994 Brazilian, Pacific, and San Marino GP...

 

Is a good one!

[PayasYouRace]

Senna punches Irvine after Suzuka '93 → gets three race penalty.

 

He misses 1994 Brazilian, Pacific, and San Marino GP...

 

I like it, but why wouldn't Australia '93 be included in the penalty?

[Spillage]

Alesi to Williams for '91 always makes me wonder.

I think he'd have been found out next to Mansell, as he was against Prost at Ferrari. I don't think he was any better than Hill, to be honest.

 

The best one is what if Senna had clambered out of that Williams at Tamburello. Senna vs Schumacher across the mid-1990s could have been one of the greatest periods in the sport's history.

[hittheapex]

What if I won the Mille Miglia competing in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with my dog as the navigator and riding mechanic?

Edited by hittheapex, 16 August 2015 - 15:59.

[Volcano70]

What If Red Bull Doesn't by Jaguar?

What if Narain Karthikeyan got Vettel's drive at STR?

What if Button went to Ferrari in 2000 instead of Rubhino?

[byrkus]

I like it, but why wouldn't Australia '93 be included in the penalty?

 

Didn't they discuss the penalty after the 1993 season?

 

Another one. April 7th, 1968. Jim Clark drives Ford P68 at BOAC 500 in Brands Hatch. After that, he wins 1968 Wolrd Championships; turns 4WD driven Lotus 63 into a race winner; and in turbine driven Lotus 56B wins the 1971 Dutch GP and laps the whole field. He retires after 1971 season, aged 35, after becoming WDC in 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1971.

[hittheapex]

What If Red Bull Doesn't by Jaguar?

What if Narain Karthikeyan got Vettel's drive at STR?

What if Button went to Ferrari in 2000 instead of Rubhino?

 

Was that ever a real possibility? I recall that Button tested for Williams and Prost but never knew of any rumours linking him to Ferrari, at least not until 2003 and 2004.

[Atreiu]

What if Senna's Williams test at Donington had convinced either Williams or McLaren to go after him immediately for 1984

 

---

 

If he had gone to Williams I'd expect him to win the 86 and 87 titles and be poached by McLaren and the rest would repeat itself. But then in 94 he would have gone to Ferrari, not Williams, and take some Honda guys with him.

 

Him going straight to McLaren would create a more complicated scenario. Lauda would still win 84, Senna would win 85. Williams would eventually have Prost and Piquet for 86 and 87. Then McLaren would poach Prost and Honda for 1988. The rest would repeat itself. But in 94 Senna would have gone to Ferrari, not Williams, and take some Honda guys with him.

 

In both scenarios, Schumacher would dominate 94, Senna would win a few races. 1995 would be a whole different story with Schumacher, Senna and Hill as legitimate contenders. And at last in 96 Schumacher would have gone to McLaren, thanks to the Mercedes connection.

Edited by Atreiu, 17 August 2015 - 00:03.

[George Costanza]

Ah, yes... the What If thread....

 

What if Michael stayed at Benetton from 1996 onward? Where would Ferrari be now?

 

What if Ferrari signed Fernando for 2007 instead of Kimi? If I recall, Ross Brawn said before Schumacher retired, there were two choices, Kimi or Fernando.... It was easier for them to sign Kimi. But I think if Fred was in the F2007 and F2008, he would have made it look so easy (think Seb in 2011 or 2013 or Lewis 2014 type of season).

 

What if Fernando Alonso didn't go to Ferrari in 2010? What if he stayed at McLaren regardless of 2007? I think he would have been the 2007-2008 World Champion (Had Ron Dennis managed it better).

 

What if Lewis never went to Mercedes?

What if Mika was driving for Williams in 1994 instead of Damon Hill?

What if Ayrton stayed with McLaren for 1994 with Alain Prost as the assistant aide to Ron Dennis, and Puegeot actually made a decent engine. (It was horrible due to its crazy blowups). But Mika actually finished races pretty good with it.... Once it was made to last.

 

That would have been quite something to see...

 

What if McLaren had used Lamborghini V12 engines in late 1993 beyond?

 

What if Juan Pablo Montoya stayed in 2007? Would be beat Alonso and Kimi? Given the car, I think he could have and his talent was incredible, but talent isn't all the story....

Edited by George Costanza, 16 August 2015 - 21:32.

[hittheapex]

What if Senna's Williams test at Donington had convinced either Williams or McLaren to go after him immediately for 1984?

Hmmm yes...and what bearing could that have had on Mansell's career...

Edited by hittheapex, 16 August 2015 - 21:32.

[George Costanza]

Hmmm yes...and what bearing could that have had on Mansell's career...

 

Senna and Piquet? Same team? Ouch.... They rather didn't care for each other very much......

 

I think that would have been worse than Prost battles.... much worse... 

 

I think Ayrton would have beaten Mansell pretty good, but Nigel would moan about Ayrton and Honda.....

Edited by George Costanza, 16 August 2015 - 21:39.

[Atreiu]

Prost still would have beaten him.

Quite easily. He would have never won a title over any of the WDCs after 1982.

Edited by Atreiu, 16 August 2015 - 21:37.

[Lotus53B]

What if in 1973 my dad hadn't been risk averse and allowed me to have a shot in the wee karts in Aviemore, and I turned out to have a natural bent for racing, progressed rapidly through lesser formulae, and ended up winning the world championships 1988-1994 before my liver and kidneys gave out through excessive partying...

 

You didn't say how alternate the universe was

[Volcano70]

More of my mindless speculation what if's

What if MSC went to williams to replace Mansell instead of Hill?

What if Michael Andretti was a bit more successful in F1 and stayed with Mclaren for 1994? 

[grandepreuve]

Prost still would have beaten him.

 

Based upon....?

[grandepreuve]

What if...Bernie Ecclestone had taken no interest in motor racing?

[George Costanza]

More of my mindless speculation what if's

What if MSC went to williams to replace Mansell instead of Hill?

What if Michael Andretti was a bit more successful in F1 and stayed with Mclaren for 1994? 

If Schu went to Williams for 1993? I think he would have been world champion. Ayrton would have probably never went to Williams then....... Maybe Ferrari?  Likewise, Alain Prost probably would have had it that much harder for 1993.  

Given Williams's cars from 1992-1997, and they had fout different World Champions with them.... (Mansell, Prost, Hill, JV), it would look like 2000-2004 or 2009-2013-2014-2015 seasons of domination for one great driver such as Schu.

 

Michael Andretti? That's an interesting one... If he had the dedication, he'd be right there with the best.

Edited by George Costanza, 17 August 2015 - 00:05.