690 replies to this topic

[GenJackRipper]

I assume its only words of pressure, but lets say the FIA don't do anything and Hamilton makes reality of his threats to leave... What then?

Who would take his seat at Mercedes? A Mercedes-affiliated rookie? A veteran already with a seat?
I know who'd I give it to. HULK!!!

Your thoughts?

[F1matt]

I look forward to Fernando Alonso's flirting with Mercedes and Toto Wolf. 

[Gambelli]

Oscar Piastri!!!!

[Anderis]

I have a feeling that it would result in Ocon to Mercedes and Piastri to Alpine. But that's just guessing.

[Cliff]

Ocon and Piastri moves to Alpine.

[PitViperRacing]

Give it five posts and this thread will be about the AD safety car or Bahrain track limits 

 

That said I'd be favoring Alonso for the seat

[Dhillon]

Bottas will stay in that case.

[Gambelli]

Give it five posts and this thread will be about the AD safety car or Bahrain track limits 

 

That said I'd be favoring Alonso for the seat

 

Well, so far so good, no matter what we all seem to say thus far, it results in Oscar getting a drive somewhere!!!!

[ANF]

Ocon or the brother-in-law.

[Beri]

Ocon and Piastri moves to Alpine.

 

I rather think Alpine not being that shallow minded and offer Ocon and Piastri a seat to secure its future and letting Alonso go to Mercedes. At best Alonso has 3 years worth of Formula One in him and should Alpine retain him and let Ocon go to Mercedes, they will have a serious issue when Alonso retire. Whereas if they let Alonso go to Mercedes, they have a driver pairing for the future.

[Risil]

Alonso!!

[Anderis]

At best Alonso has 3 years worth of Formula One in him and should Alpine retain him and let Ocon go to Mercedes, they will have a serious issue when Alonso retire.

If Piastri turns out to be good, they will have absolutely no issue. You make it seem like there will be only amateur drivers available to sign in the next 3 years.
 

[Beri]

If Piastri turns out to be good, they will have absolutely no issue. You make it seem like there will be only amateur drivers available to sign in the next 3 years.
 

 

Name one driver in the Alpine academy that will likely be ready at the same level that Piastri is?

[garoidb]

It would have to be someone who would accept a short contract (or a very long one with options) so that they could facilitate Lewis coming back for a couple of seasons if he wanted to. A Lewis comeback could be quite a big story although of course it would be more interesting if he returned with a different team. Having said that, it would need to be something they could live with if he did not come back. So ... I'm not sure but I think Ocon on loan would work.

[Beri]

It would have to be someone who would accept a short contract (or a very long one with options) so that they could facilitate Lewis coming back for a couple of seasons if he wanted to. A Lewis comeback could be quite a big story although of course it would be more interesting if he returned with a different team. Having said that, it would need to be something they could live with if he did not come back. So ... I'm not sure but I think Ocon on loan would work.

 

Why would Hamilton need to get back to Mercedes? Why not having him join McLaren Audi in 2026 in a Schumacher esque way of returning as the lost son to a motorsports programme where it all started?

[Anderis]

Name one driver in the Alpine academy that will likely be ready at the same level that Piastri is?

Why would that driver need to be in the Alpine academy + 3 years is a lot of time, 3 years ago I didn't even know who Piastri was.

 

In 15 years of following F1 I don't remember one instance when a good team struggled to hire any decent drivers (regardless if they had anyone good in their academy). There are more drivers qualified to drive in F1 on a decent level than there are competitive seats.

Edited by Anderis, 19 January 2022 - 12:03.

[SophieB]

I like to live in hope.

 

[Risil]

Well, the fans have spoken.

 

Piastri would be cool but he seems like such a talent and I wouldn't want his career to be destroyed by too high expectations too quickly.

[Disgrace]

Super-sub Mika Salo.

[GentlemanDriver091]

I would like to see Ricciardo or Sainz in that seat, Alonso would be a nice option too!

[Lennat]

It would be boring, but Bottas would make a lot of sense.

 

The Hulk would be the easiest decent option since he is out of contract, but I doubt Mercedes rate him highly enough (he would have been sort of fine to replace BOTTAS with, not Hamilton).

 

But to be honest, no real top driver would be available, and their only bet would be on George being good enough (which is quite possible, but not certain). Piastri has enough talent, but would be a rookie, so...

 

I'd love to see Alonso there of course, but that's not a very realistic proposal.

[GenJackRipper]

I like to live in hope.

 

I suppose he would be a great alternative if HULK wasn't possible.
But how would that go with El Plan?

[Misk]

He's not going anywhere....

[RainyAfterlifeDaylight]

Any kid who dreams the impossible ...

[absinthedude]

wishful thinking on the part of those who want Hamilton gone....but I would have through either they grab Bottas back for a bit of continuity or they take Ocon.

 

Hulk has zero chance. Alonso might be a real outside bet. 

 

To some extent it depends on how much they believe George is ready. If they think he needs a year to bed in, they might try to get Valtteri back or snag Fernando. Otherwise it makes sense to put Ocon in there. 

[BRG]

Rosberg comes out of retirement!

 

 

(I mean Keke of course...)

[Beri]

Why would that driver need to be in the Alpine academy + 3 years is a lot of time, 3 years ago I didn't even know who Piastri was.

 

In 15 years of following F1 I don't remember one instance when a good team struggled to hire any decent drivers (regardless if they had anyone good in their academy). There are more drivers qualified to drive in F1 on a decent level than there are competitive seats.

 

Because that is where you would want your driver to come from instead of being it an outsider. Red Bull has this approach. Ferrari seems to have the approach since it is not that hard to imagine their dreamed candidate next to Leclerc being Schumacher. And it is clear that Alpine has intentions to replace Alonso with Piastri.

[Beri]

He's not going anywhere....

 

That is not the question at hand.

[w00dy]

No one. They run one car only in 2022 out of respect.

[Sterzo]

Oh, all right, I'll do it. I once won an indoor karting event in Croydon, which is more than Hamilton can claim.

[Beri]

I envy you even daring to go there. What was it like? Still no sign of Sir Lewis there?

[Brackets]

Bottas.

 

(If only to see the heads explode after the inevitable "Lewis beat 4 WDCs" posts)

[HP]

No one. They run one car only in 2022 out of respect.

Not gonna happen. Think WCC money

[jjcale]

FA will never again drive for Merc or even drive a Merc engine .... he tried to Blackmain Macca in 07 leading to a $100m fine which Merc picked up a big chunk of. 

 

The only driver I can think of who both Merc and Honda flat out refuse to ever work with again ... tells you something, doesnt it?  Too many scandals and controversies, too many personal flaws, too little ethics. 

 

Yeah, he is a great driver ... but no matter how great he is as a driver, he is not so great that he should get a free pass for all his faults and transgressions.... 

Edited by jjcale, 19 January 2022 - 13:18.

[Beri]

FA will never again drive for Merc or even drive a Merc engine .... he tried to Blackmain Macca in 07 leading to a $100m fine which Merc picked up a big chunk of. 

 

The only driver I can think of who both Merc and Honda flat out refuse to ever work with again ... tells you something, doesnt it?  Too many scandals and controversies, too many personal flaws, too little ethics. 

 

Yeah, he is a great driver ... but what happened in AD has taught me to demand some more integrity from you lot..... no matter how great he is as a driver, he is not so great that he should get a free pass for all his faults and transgressions.... or do you only care about "the show"??    

 

So it was him in the copy shop and not the wife of Coughlan.

[Dick Dastardly]

I guess it would be Bottas....he knows the the team, so no learning curve there.....Mercedes will pay Alfa $$$s to buy him out of his contract there [as they did to Williams when Rosberg quit] so this would leave a vacancy at Alfa, which could go to a junior driver who would learn the ropes without the pressure of driving for a top team...., 

[jonpollak]

Colton Herta
Jp

[EvilPhil II]

It will be without any be doubt Lando Norris. McLaren are selling up. A few million dollars will be welcome. He has MERC connection. Hamilton has been upping him the past two seasons.

Edited by EvilPhil II, 19 January 2022 - 13:25.

[Hrco42]

If Alonso goes to Mercedes, Mercedes will get 2022 rules all wrong and be a midfielder while Ocon will win the title 100 points ahead of everyone else

[sheSgoTthElooK]

The recent thread topics *facepalm* ... 

 

Robin Räikkönen, of course.

 

Honestly. If he had the intention to retire, he wouldn't dangle Mercedes around, neither would Mercedes allow Lewis to dangle them around. 

[jonpollak]

. Hamilton has been upping him the past two seasons.

I thought the Brits ‘don’t like it up them’ ?

Or have I got that wrong?
Jp

[IrvTheSwerve]

de Vries? (Not that I think it should be).

 

Not going to happen, anyway.

[balaclava]

Nyck de Vries takes my vote. He's a hell of a driver languishing in FE. It would be only fair for him to land the seat. He's already paid his dues...

[cbo]

I would love to hear the radio chatter if Alonso goes to Mercedes only to learn that they got the 2022-car wrong and Russel turns out to be the faster driver

Edited by cbo, 19 January 2022 - 18:08.

[Jovanotti]

Vettel.

Edited by Jovanotti, 19 January 2022 - 13:57.

[garoidb]

Why would Hamilton need to get back to Mercedes? Why not having him join McLaren Audi in 2026 in a Schumacher esque way of returning as the lost son to a motorsports programme where it all started?

 

He may not, but I think Mercedes would want to facilitate any possible return (i.e. not force him to go elsewhere).

[PayasYouRace]

I thought the Brits ‘don’t like it up them’ ?

Or have I got that wrong?
Jp

Yeah you’ve got that wrong. It was the Fuzzy-Wuzzies that didn’t like it up ‘em.

[Beri]

He may not, but I think Mercedes would want to facilitate any possible return (i.e. not force him to go elsewhere).

 

Ofcourse Mercedes would want that. Just like Ferrari would have liked Shuey to step up as Massa's replacement in 2009.

 

But I do find my reply intriguing enough that I would want to see that happen 

[Tenmantaylor]

Give it five posts and this thread will be about the AD safety car or Bahrain track limits

That said I'd be favoring Alonso for the seat

Only Masi and FIA to blame for that.

Don't think Alonso would be entertained.

Ocon deserves a shot and is in the programme. He's proven his worth against Alonso beating him often enough to be taken seriously. Oh and he's an F1 race winner.

On that note after being multi-screwed by RB Gasly would be a good shout too.

Edited by Tenmantaylor, 19 January 2022 - 14:38.

[noikeee]

The way I see it there's only 2 serious fitting options, Ocon and Bottas, and I'm leaning heavily towards Ocon, specially the longer this theoretical change goes on.

 

Reasoning

 

- Mercedes will want an element of continuity, a driver that has links to the team with some experience but not necessarily old, someone who could eventually at least hog a #2 seat for a while, in case George rises to the occasion and becomes the lead driver. Both Ocon and Bottas fit this (Ocon fits it more, Bottas is tired of being a #2).

 

- Driver needs to be active in Formula 1, not a rookie (like de Vries) or someone who's been in F1 but has been out for a while and would be rusty (like Hulkenberg). This is a team that wants peak performance to challenge for championships and maximum points right now, not a team that wants to waste time training someone or getting someone back up to speed.

 

- Driver needs to be realistically available, as in the team that would let him go, would be willing to do that without taking too much of a performance hit - therefore being willing to sell the driver to Mercedes for not too much of a ridiculous fee. Alpine is perfect for this as they'd bring in Oscar Piastri immediately, and kinda have an interest in the move themselves as Piastri's career, a potential future champion for themselves, is being disturbed by the current situation. They would also retain their lead driver, Alonso, unchanged. Alfa would also be able to call up Giovinazzi back, but I see less interest on their part on this scenario as I think they're expecting Bottas to be an upgrade over what they had, and I sense Gio didn't leave on the best terms. The longer this shenanigans goes on, the more likely Gio gets a seat somewhere else, too (Ferrari's WEC efforts?), and then it all becomes more complicated as it's too many contracts to cut.

Edited by noikeee, 19 January 2022 - 14:39.