We are heading the end of the season and I think it's time for the first speculations about who will drive where in 2016:
Some word's about my guesses:
- Nyck de Vries is McLaren junior and as ART is McLaren Junior team, it is very likely that the Dutchman will drive for ART in GP2 alongside Honda Junior driver Nobuharu Matsushita, who wasn't that this season. But if Vasseur will be Renault F1 team principal, ART could become Renault Junior team with a driver like Rowland.
- Status looks like to work together with Lotus (WSbR). With Renault very likely to buy the Lotus F1 team it could have an affect on both teams (Status and Lotus), but with the situation not clear yet my thought is that Vaxivière will move to Status GP2.
- Gelael is very likely to stay at Carlin and with Giovinazzi also supported by Sean-GP it could be his team-mate again.
- With links between MP and Manor and perhaps Manor as Mercedes junior team it could be a Mercedes Junior at MP. Rowland is testing the Mercedes simulator and the Briton had also done GP2 races yet with MP. So perhaps it could be Rowland at MP for a full season.
- James Allen reports that Esteban Ocon could be Force India test driver next year with 8 to 10 outings in practice. As Hilmer is the Force India partner team this could be combined with a seat at Hilmer. There are also strong rumours about Charles Pic buying the Hilmer team (Hilmer denied it) which could end in a place for Arthur Pic.
Possible line-up 2016:
ART: Nobuharu Matsushista - Nyck de Vries
Racing Engineering: Jordan King - Jazeman Jaafar
Campos: Arthur Pic - Brandon Maisano
DAMS: Alex Lynn - Pierre Gasly
Rapax: Robert Visoiu - Kevin Ceccon
Russian Time: Artem Markelov - Sergey Sirotkin
Trident: Luca Ghiotto - Lance Stroll
Status: Richie Stanaway - Matthieu Vaxivière
Carlin: Sean Gelael - Antonio Giovinazzi
MP: Oliver Rowland - Meindert van Buuren
Lazarus: Sergio Canamasas - Patric Niederhauser
Arden: Norman Nato - Nicholas Latifi
Hilmer: Nick Yelloly - Esteban Ocon
What are your suggestions with some explanations?
2016 GP2 silly season thread
#1
Posted 12 September 2015 - 16:57
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#2
Posted 12 September 2015 - 18:14
We are heading the end of the season and I think it's time for the first speculations about who will drive where in 2016:
Some word's about my guesses:
- Nyck de Vries is McLaren junior and as ART is McLaren Junior team, it is very likely that the Dutchman will drive for ART in GP2 alongside Honda Junior driver Nobuharu Matsushita, who wasn't that this season. But if Vasseur will be Renault F1 team principal, ART could become Renault Junior team with a driver like Rowland.
- Status looks like to work together with Lotus (WSbR). With Renault very likely to buy the Lotus F1 team it could have an affect on both teams (Status and Lotus), but with the situation not clear yet my thought is that Vaxivière will move to Status GP2.
- Gelael is very likely to stay at Carlin and with Giovinazzi also supported by Sean-GP it could be his team-mate again.
- With links between MP and Manor and perhaps Manor as Mercedes junior team it could be a Mercedes Junior at MP. Rowland is testing the Mercedes simulator and the Briton had also done GP2 races yet with MP. So perhaps it could be Rowland at MP for a full season.
- James Allen reports that Esteban Ocon could be Force India test driver next year with 8 to 10 outings in practice. As Hilmer is the Force India partner team this could be combined with a seat at Hilmer. There are also strong rumours about Charles Pic buying the Hilmer team (Hilmer denied it) which could end in a place for Arthur Pic.
Possible line-up 2016:
ART: Nobuharu Matsushista - Nyck de Vries
Racing Engineering: Jordan King - Jazeman Jaafar
Campos: Arthur Pic - Brandon Maisano
DAMS: Alex Lynn - Pierre Gasly
Rapax: Robert Visoiu - Kevin Ceccon
Russian Time: Artem Markelov - Sergey Sirotkin
Trident: Luca Ghiotto - Lance Stroll
Status: Richie Stanaway - Matthieu Vaxivière
Carlin: Sean Gelael - Antonio Giovinazzi
MP: Oliver Rowland - Meindert van Buuren
Lazarus: Sergio Canamasas - Patric Niederhauser
Arden: Norman Nato - Nicholas Latifi
Hilmer: Nick Yelloly - Esteban Ocon
What are your suggestions with some explanations?
Well Ocon is a Mercedes protoge and with you stating this it could be Ocon at MP Motorsport. But I think all these connections and relationships between teams, sponsors, drivers and everything makes it look a little clouded.
It also could be de Vries at DAMS in GP2 or another year in WSR with DAMS to go for the tittle. First things first! De Vries has to claim the 3rd place in the standings to get his GP2 promotion I believe. If not in the top 3 he is likely to stay for a second year I geuss. But beating Stoneman I believe is a achievement it self for de Vries and would be a good goal to achieve.
#3
Posted 12 September 2015 - 18:16
Possible line-up 2016:
ART: Nobuharu Matsushista - Nyck de Vries
Racing Engineering: Jordan King - Jazeman Jaafar
Campos: Arthur Pic - Brandon Maisano
DAMS: Alex Lynn - Pierre Gasly
Rapax: Robert Visoiu - Kevin Ceccon
Russian Time: Artem Markelov - Sergey Sirotkin
Trident: Luca Ghiotto - Kirchhöffer
Status: Richie Stanaway - Matthieu Vaxivière
Carlin: Sean Gelael - Antonio Giovinazzi
MP: Oliver Rowland - Meindert van Buuren
Lazarus: Sergio Canamasas - Patric Niederhauser
Arden: Norman Nato - Nicholas Latifi
Hilmer: Nick Yelloly - Esteban Ocon
#4
Posted 12 September 2015 - 18:54
Oliver Rowland is pondering whether he will stay in open wheel racing.
Not sure if Gasly will be kept in RBJT, wouldn't be surprised if he was snatched by a Renault Junior Team.
Would'nt be surprised if Jaafar moves up to GP2 with Petronas backing as World Series will loose value.
I'm not sure if Giovinazzi will make the step up to GP2, Gelael needs above everything else a reference point with feeder series experience.
For Ocon i can't see Mercedes throwing 2 million quids for him in GP2, i'm pretty sure that if Wehrlein goes to F1 that he will take the Petronas Mucke entry in DTM.
Kirchofer and Bernstorff are short on money, they need deseperately to win GP3.
Ghiotto seems to have loads of money to spend.
Edited by Viryfan, 12 September 2015 - 19:00.
#5
Posted 12 September 2015 - 19:55
Hopefully rowland, kirchhofer, ghiotto and vaxiviere will be there. I think mercedes will offer ocon a dtm drive next year and maybe reserve at manor or force india.
Who will red bull back next year? I dont think they will buy stoneman a gp2 drive. Maybe ghiotto?
#6
Posted 12 September 2015 - 20:10
#7
Posted 13 September 2015 - 07:16
http://www.spox.com/...en,seite=2.html
Edited by Marklar, 13 September 2015 - 07:20.
#8
Posted 13 September 2015 - 07:40
Kirchhöfer will not make it to GP2. He has not enough money and that will probably not change. He recently revealed his future plan: he is trying to get a Mercedes seat in DTM, trying than to get over the Mercedes connection somwhere an test driver job (eg FI) and than finally the cockpit. It sounded pretty desperate...but he also said that he talked with some teams about an job in the simulator
http://www.spox.com/...en,seite=2.html
Interestingly Motorsport Magazin who is tied with Kirchofer said that the rumour in the paddock was that Ocon will go to DTM with Mercedes.
To be honest , i can't see how Kirchofer should get the upper hand on Ocon for a DTM seat.
In terms of raw speed, consistency and tyre deg Ocon has been the better of the two this year while being a rookie.
But also i am not sure if Maxi Gotz will remain in DTM, he is completely out of depth.
I clearly that Mercedes need a reshuflle in their DTM line-up.
Not sure if Di Resta and Wickens are enjoying themselves in DTM anymore.
Edited by Viryfan, 13 September 2015 - 07:48.
#9
Posted 13 September 2015 - 07:44
Yep, I know. It is not even a rumour anymore that Ocon will get the DTM seat, everyone knows it.Interestingly Motorsport Magazin who is tied with Kirchofer said that the rumour in the paddock was that Ocon will go to DTM with Mercedes.
To be honest , i can't see how Kirchofer should get the upper hand on Ocon for a DTM seat.
In terms of raw speed, consistency and tyre deg Ocon has been the better of the two this year while being a rookie.
This interview was in June and things didnt got better since than. It will be interesting to see which path he will go, but he didnt sounded 3 months back confident and he isnt it know for sure again
#10
Posted 13 September 2015 - 07:58
How many years now for evans? 3? Dammit. Was hoping for a bit more success for him. Hopefully he jumps to something in WEC.
Well at least Evans is nowhere near de Jong
Winning and succes in GP2 is not easy, the system is brutal on those who hit trouble in race 1. Evans is a top contender in GP2 but it will be hard for him to get beyond WEC or Indycars.
#11
Posted 13 September 2015 - 10:50
#12
Posted 13 September 2015 - 11:15
I've argued in other threads that a driver such as Rowland should go nowhere near gp2. He should be starting a paid career ideally in a F1 car but more likely sportscars or at a stretch dtm. Not read anything about his plans but Racing Steps seem to view him as 'the one' and with his current form he'd be a good punt in F1 next year but I just can't see how that will happen.
As "the one", did they ask the Oracle for advice?
Well if Neo Rowland is "the one" it's inevitable isn't it? "Hello mister Rowland, so we meet at last" Did Rowland take the blue or red pill?
Seriously, why should he be the one? He is great and very talented I think. But there are also guys like Frijns, Vandoorne, Gasly, Lynn, de Vries (who comfortly beaten Gasly at Race-GP in Eurocup and ALPS), LeClerc, Ocon, Verstappen, Barnicoat. So in what aspect would Rowland be the one? Just to them perhaps? Well they also got Dennis, Harvey, Calado, Turvey and Barnicoat. So if they say Rowland is "the one" for them, what must this do to the others and their position?
Edited by lars75, 13 September 2015 - 11:19.
#13
Posted 13 September 2015 - 12:10
Trident: Luca Ghiotto - Kirchhöffer
Why Kirchhöfer at Trident?
#14
Posted 13 September 2015 - 16:27
#15
Posted 13 September 2015 - 16:40
Why Kirchhöfer at Trident?
I don't know! Why Stroll??? That boy has some talent but I think he can do just fine with another year F3 to gain some patiënt and experience. His father hasn't run out of money for a long shot and Ferrari has still some time. He is currently 7th and could become 5th at best in the standing. Another year at Prema could give him a titleshot and next to his F4 a F3 would add some value to his resume.
#16
Posted 13 September 2015 - 16:41
I highly doubt Maisano will be on the grid next year. He quit Prema in F3 for performance reasons, so I was surprised to see him in GP3 after that. I really doubt he'll then jump to GP2.
Edited by Brandz07, 13 September 2015 - 16:42.
#17
Posted 13 September 2015 - 16:45
Rowland has converted the backing into points-racing steps don't back people into F1 or other top level series. Therefore they've likely delivered exactly what they planned to do in finding and backing a winner in 3.5. If others in the stable are able to do the same they presumably will be considered in the same way. My point remains-Rowland must snub gp2 and go somewhere he gets paid.As I say it seems massively unlikely that will be in F1 but from the current crop he and Vand are the stand out candidates from the current crop coming up.
Do you think?
Because I believe Gasly, Lynn, Ocon, de Vries and LeClerc are almost at the same level to me.
#18
Posted 13 September 2015 - 17:26
I don't know! Why Stroll??? That boy has some talent but I think he can do just fine with another year F3 to gain some patiënt and experience. His father hasn't run out of money for a long shot and Ferrari has still some time. He is currently 7th and could become 5th at best in the standing. Another year at Prema could give him a titleshot and next to his F4 a F3 would add some value to his resume.
Kirchhöfer hasn't the money for GP2, Stroll has. And he is Ferrari junior and current Ferrari junior Marciello is driving for Trident I think it could be a chance there for Stroll.
#19
Posted 13 September 2015 - 17:30
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#20
Posted 13 September 2015 - 18:23
I'd agree 'almost' but none of them are showing the consistency at the moment that would put them on the same level-that might be because of circumstance. In any case it's possible we won't see any of them in F1 next year? The question now is whether they want to and can convert to sportscars or dtm to make a living. What's gp2 worth anyway given the position of recent champions?
I see your point.
Well it depends on your backing.
I can see Leclerc , De Vries going up on the road thanks to their backing.
The likes of Ocon ,Rowland or Kirchofer dont have much time and money to spare in order to get F1, hence why they will more than probably get out of open wheel ladder. It is easier to give up on open wheel when your management run out of money.
#21
Posted 13 September 2015 - 18:30
You still need a backing of some sort
#22
Posted 13 September 2015 - 18:31
I see your point.
Well it depends on your backing.
I can see Leclerc , De Vries going up on the road thanks to their backing.
The likes of Ocon ,Rowland or Kirchofer dont have much time and money to spare in order to get F1, hence why they will more than probably get out of open wheel ladder. It is easier to give up on open wheel when your management run out of money.
Ocon has the backing of Mercedes though and his future seems to be secure for next year as an friday test driver for FI and DTM driver for Mercedes. Rowland was until some years ago McLaren junior, now he is working in the Mercedes simulator, maybe this will be his way.
#23
Posted 13 September 2015 - 18:39
I think at this point only vandoorne is better than rowland though i do agree that ocon and leclerc are great prospects.
#24
Posted 13 September 2015 - 19:58
James calado had 2 years in gp2 with the support of racing steps. I think rowland will find it difficult to into f1 in the future but i will be surprised if he leaves single seaters behind at this stage.
I think at this point only vandoorne is better than rowland though i do agree that ocon and leclerc are great prospects.
Well I would put Rowland, Vandoorne and Ocon at the same level with close on their tail guys like Gasly, Lynn, de Vries and LeClerc and at some small distance guys like Albon, Barnicoat and Stroll.
Fuoco is out for me! I give him some time and room as a prospect, but he stays to error prone and inconsistent. To bad because I liked the boy a lot in his karting days and in FR2.0.
Edited by lars75, 14 September 2015 - 06:56.
#25
Posted 13 September 2015 - 20:36
Vandoorne and rowland are ready now. I think ocon, lynn and gasly are still a year away from f1. I am still not sure about de vries, i feel he should be achieving more but clearly mclaren have faith in him. I also thought barnicoat would be fighting for the eurocup title.Well I would put Rowland, Vandoorne and Ocon at the same level with close on their tale guys like Gasly, Lynn, de Vries and LeClerc and at some small distance guys like Albon, Barnicoat and Stroll.
Fuoco is out for me! I give him some time and room as a prospect, but he stays to error prone and inconsistent. To bad because I liked the boy a lot in his karting days and in FR2.0.
Fuoco has been a bit of a let down and i wouldnt surprise me if he is dropped by ferrari, but i still think stroll has a lot to learn. Albon for me is just average, i dont think he will ever threaten the f1 roster.
#26
Posted 14 September 2015 - 07:09
Vandoorne and rowland are ready now. I think ocon, lynn and gasly are still a year away from f1. I am still not sure about de vries, i feel he should be achieving more but clearly mclaren have faith in him. I also thought barnicoat would be fighting for the eurocup title.
Fuoco has been a bit of a let down and i wouldnt surprise me if he is dropped by ferrari, but i still think stroll has a lot to learn. Albon for me is just average, i dont think he will ever threaten the f1 roster.
Well about de Vries:
McLaren put him in a midcore team in his first year so he could learn without the pressure of a tittle winning team and expectations with it. He was put at Race-GP where he won his first race and has beaten his teammate Gasly in both championships with a fair margin, comming 5th in the championship. With a team like Race-GP this was a good performance.
In his second year he should go for the tittle and McLaren put him in a Koiranen seat. But in the first half of the season they were completely lost and out of pace. De Vries and his engineer didn't connect that good and after replacing his engineer halfway down the season he inmediatly became the best scoring driver and he gained 95 out of 113 total in the last 5 races. But the damage was already done in the first half, he just saved his face a little. His second year with Koiranen was way better and in the Eurocup as NEC he was ruthless and went on where he stopped the year before.
Now in FR3.5 he had some trouble in the beginning (wich is perfectly fine for a rookie and they can't all be like Verstappen, Frijns and Vandoorne) but he is picking up momentum now and is beating Stoneman on track as well at this moment. Up untill Silverstone Stoneman was clearly the better driver of them both. Buth with a top 5 spot in the championship (currently 3rd) he is doing quit well for a rookie. Rowland came in 4th last year and did a good job, so why be unsure about de Vries? All he needs is one or two victories to make his season a complete succes, and he came one corner short of it already.
#27
Posted 14 September 2015 - 07:21
Vandoorne and rowland are ready now. I think ocon, lynn and gasly are still a year away from f1. I am still not sure about de vries, i feel he should be achieving more but clearly mclaren have faith in him. I also thought barnicoat would be fighting for the eurocup title.
Fuoco has been a bit of a let down and i wouldnt surprise me if he is dropped by ferrari, but i still think stroll has a lot to learn. Albon for me is just average, i dont think he will ever threaten the f1 roster.
Would it be frustrating for Barnicoat, Fuoco, Ocon, Albon, LeClerc to see Verstappen in F1 already? They where fighting him in karting KF and back then they already had to hope for a off day from Verstappen to beat him. And they all are giving their best but still come short. And of all of these guys Fuoco is the most disapointing to me!
Albon is in carracing since 2012 already and it seems he struggles a little to get up to pace. But last year in FR2.0 and this year in F3 he is doing quit ok. So another year in F3 with Stroll and a championship battle wouldn't hurt him and I think he can pull it of aswell. Seeing him from karting forward and his achievements in karting, he is very talented but needs some time, just like de Vries.
And what I think what Verstappens biggest key to succes was, was his KZ1/KZ2 championship with hand shifted karts. But the best part of it is that they don't have a rolling start like in KF. Next to that Max also was fast in every car they had put him from minute one in the wet as in the dry. But those shifted karts and standing starts would surely benefit all drivers going from karting to carracing I geuss.
#28
Posted 14 September 2015 - 08:53
Wish Ferrari would manage to pick up some good talents and not just limiting themselves on Italians.
#29
Posted 14 September 2015 - 08:56
Ocon and Kirchhoffer look to be really great talents and having them already decided on DTM at this stage is depressing. Seems like being a Mercedes junior is not necessarily a great place to be if you want to get to F1.
Wish Ferrari would manage to pick up some good talents and not just limiting themselves on Italians.
Well Bianchi was French and as I recall Stroll (although his father has strong Ferrari ties) is Canadian. But htey would like to see a Italian succeed and get in their car! But guys like LeClerc could use a backing like Ferrari to become even better.
#30
Posted 14 September 2015 - 08:58
That's true. They always seem to bet on the wrong guys, though. Merc, Red Bull and McLaren seem to always snap up the best prospects.Well Bianchi was French and as I recall Stroll (although his father has strong Ferrari ties) is Canadian. But htey would like to see a Italian succeed and get in their car! But guys like LeClerc could use a backing like Ferrari to become even better.
#31
Posted 30 September 2015 - 15:36
Gasly confirms he will stay in GP2 next year.
http://www.normandie....confie_158560/
However he needs to bridge a gap of 200K€ for his budget.
#32
Posted 01 October 2015 - 13:20
I think RSF will put Rowland in GP2. They'll have one less guy on their books (Jack Harvey - can't see them funding a third attempt at the Indy Lights title) and maybe Josh Smith will be dropped as well.
#33
Posted 01 October 2015 - 19:49
ART: Nobuharu Matsushita, Nyck de Vries
Racing Engineering: Jordan King, Jazeman Jaafar
Campos: Arthur Pic, Brandon Maïsano
DAMS: Alex Lynn, Pierre Gasly
Rapax: Robert Vişoiu, Kevin Ceccon
Russian Time: Artem Markelov, Sergey Sirotkin
Trident: Gustav Malja, Luca Ghiotto
Status: Richie Stanaway, Matthieu Vaxivière
Carlin: Sean Gelael, Antonio Giovinazzi
MP: Oliver Rowland, Meindert van Buuren
Lazarus: Sergio Canamasas, Patric Niederhauser
Arden: Norman Nato, Nicholas Latifi
Hilmer: Nick Yelloly, Esteban Ocon
#34
Posted 01 October 2015 - 20:14
ART: Nobuharu Matsushita, Nyck de Vries
Racing Engineering: Jordan King, Jazeman Jaafar
Campos: Arthur Pic, Brandon Maïsano
DAMS: Alex Lynn, Pierre Gasly
Rapax: Robert Vişoiu, Kevin Ceccon
Russian Time: Artem Markelov, Sergey Sirotkin
Trident: Gustav Malja, Luca Ghiotto
Status: Richie Stanaway, Matthieu Vaxivière
Carlin: Sean Gelael, Antonio Giovinazzi
MP: Oliver Rowland, Meindert van Buuren
Lazarus: Sergio Canamasas, Patric Niederhauser
Arden: Norman Nato, Nicholas Latifi
Hilmer: Nick Yelloly, Esteban Ocon
Is this based on anything or is this just you making this up?
#35
Posted 01 October 2015 - 20:17
99% guessing
#36
Posted 01 October 2015 - 21:04
Felix Rosenqvist suggested in an interview that he has got something going on with a gp2-team. Any ideas what team that could be?
#37
Posted 02 October 2015 - 04:42
As for Rowland I will be annoyed if he wastes his career going to gp2 rather than going all out for a top lmp1 seat or less likely dtm.
#38
Posted 02 October 2015 - 09:45
There are strong rumours about Prema Power joining the GP2 grid.
#39
Posted 02 October 2015 - 15:47
Given the F1 driver market and likihood of the GP2 champion again not getting an f1 seat-why are most of these drivers bothering with gp2? Unless you have a sponsor package that can ultimately buy an f1 seat youre wasting your time. over estimation of small probabilities is an explanation in the short term but a collapse in the gp2 grid is surely coming soon. Renault have picked a terrible time (for us fans) to abandon 3.5.
Judging by the rate at which junior series keep multiplying, the money is there. I guess the lure of F1 marketing is still enough for some backers?
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#40
Posted 02 October 2015 - 16:36
There are strong rumours about Prema Power joining the GP2 grid.
Well Prema just poached Guillaume Capietto who is ART GP technical director since 2006 .
#41
Posted 02 October 2015 - 18:48
#43
Posted 07 October 2015 - 09:44
Malja and Rosenquist possibly both graduating to GP2 could be interesting for Sweden; particularly with Ericsson already in F1.
#44
Posted 07 October 2015 - 20:13
I heard Hilmer was sold as well...
#45
Posted 09 November 2015 - 14:18
ART: Nobuharu Matsushita, Nyck de Vries
Racing Engineering: Jordan King, Jazeman Jaafar
Campos: Arthur Pic, Brandon Maïsano
DAMS: Alex Lynn, Pierre Gasly
Rapax: Robert Vişoiu, Kevin Ceccon
Russian Time: Artem Markelov, Sergey Sirotkin
Trident: Luca Ghiotto, Gustav Malja
Status: Oliver Rowland, Matthieu Vaxivière
Carlin: Sean Gelael, Antonio Giovinazzi
MP: Daniël de Jong, Meindert van Buuren
Arden: Norman Nato, Nicholas Latifi
Hilmer: Nick Yelloly, Patric Niederhauser
Prema Power: Esteban Ocon, Felix Rosenqvist
#46
Posted 09 November 2015 - 14:47
Fantasy again!
#47
Posted 09 November 2015 - 15:36
You can see the logic in most of them though, and I think it's just as valid as multiple pages taking a LH quote out of context or discussing spurious blog news about Red Bull's enginesFantasy again!
#48
Posted 09 November 2015 - 18:46
Fantasy again!
Well it is the 'silly season' thread.
Would like to see ocon in GP2 but pretty sure he will be in dtm next year. Looks liking racing steps want to push rowland through gp2 so i guess that is likely. I think marciello could be the experienced driver that prema need in their debut season. I also think it's interesting what ART do, asde vries could well be heading to GP3 instead. I guess they will have plenty of bids for stoffel's seat.
#49
Posted 09 November 2015 - 21:13
And it's confusing to keep track of because I don't know which ones are actually confirmed.
#50
Posted 09 November 2015 - 21:21
So far nobody is really confirmed though