The F1 Thread

[Paddingtonwolf]

Yes - really high quality defensive driver. I liked Prost very much. However, I LOVED Villeneuve and Senna

 

[manhattan project]

Yes - really high quality defensive driver. I liked Prost very much. However, I LOVED Villeneuve and Senna

Villeneuve was one of the best, but Senna let himself down by trying some stupid overtaking manoueveres, he was fast, aggressive, but not always calm.

 

[Nando]

To summarise my little theory

Schumi to retirement

Massa to Mercedes

Vettel to Ferrari

Hamilton to Red Bull

Di Resta to McLaren

believable?

Not for next season.

Red Bull are locked in with Vettel and Webber for 2013. Seb's contract expires at the end of 2013, hence the murmurings of an option with Ferrari for 2014 which both parties are believed to be able to call off.

Ferrari's decision for next season will be the key to determining any further movements. Perez would be the obvious choice to replace Massa next season as he's a product of their academy, but I can't see them signing him for a season if the opportunity to sign Vettel for 2014 really is available. If Massa stays on I believe Seb will be partnering Fernando in 2014.

Then who would replace Seb at Red Bull? Hamilton would be the pick of the bunch, but with his contract expiring at the end of this season, any interested parties are surely not going to allow him to sign a one year contract and in doing so he'd reduce his bargaining position quite considerably.

Di Resta is a Mercedes academy graduate, but I think Hulkenberg is the more talented driver and he's also being linked with Ferrari for next season but again, why sign him up just for a year?

It's a minefield right now.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It is going to be a right old contractual can of worms over the next couple of months. Like you say, Ferrari are the key. Could they buy out the last year of SEB's contract?

 

[Nando]

Ferrari traditionally announce everything driver wise at Monza, but that doesn't appear to be happening this time round. Is that a sign of them still attempting to bring in one of Hamilton or Vettel?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I reckon so - my money is on Vettel as there is no way Alonso will be happy with an equal driver scenario with Hamilton (although he might think it was okay with Vettel).

 

[Nando]

I can't see why they'd be hunting Seb for next season when they could grab him for nothing in a years time. He'd cost a fortune to buy out.

I could genuinely see Alonso and Hamilton working this time round, they evidently have massive levels of respect for each other and Alonso has said regularly that he has no issue with Lewis and would have no problem with anybody joining him at Ferrari. It's very much his team now though and they are a perfect combination so it would be a gamble from Luca and Stefano to bring Lewis in.

I struggle to see Seb anywhere but Red Bull now, and I feel the same with Lewis. Fernando has said he won't drive for anybody else after Ferrari and I like the fact of having the three best drivers in the three top teams, or make that top four with Kimi at Lotus.

 

[Law's Bus]

Villeneuve was one of the best, but Senna let himself down by trying some stupid overtaking manoueveres, he was fast, aggressive, but not always calm.

Senna was also a bit of a pillock - "professional fouls" were his stock-in-trade before Schumacher even made it to F1. Remember the shoving Prost into the wall at Estoril, and taking Prost out at the first corner in Japan in 1990.

Just like Michael Schumacher, he had the talent to win fairly more often than not, but I can't be doing with that kind of personality.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Japan 1990 was a disgrace by Senna without question. However he was just awesome to watch and pretty much my favourite of all time. Saying that, I can't imagine Villeneuve deliberately taking an opponent out. Yes he might try fairly lunatic moves and scare them off the track, but nothing like deliberate crashing.

Is it time for some Dijon Villeneuve footage again?

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Senna's big problem was that he would try to overtake where it was hardly possible and often forced the other driver off the track.

Why would Hamilton want to leave McLaren?

 

[Law's Bus]

Saying that, I can't imagine Villeneuve deliberately taking an opponent out. Yes he might try fairly lunatic moves and scare them off the track, but nothing like deliberate crashing.

Gilles was hard, but very, very fair. He'd always give the other driver enough room. If you've ever seen Alan Jones or Keke Rosberg interviewed and talking about Gilles, it's quite illuminating. Remember also that Gilles sat behind Scheckter for pretty much the entire race at Monza in 1979, knowing that all he had to do to win the championship was overtake Jody, but his word meant more to him than that.

Gilles was even better than that other childhood hero of mine, Ronnie Peterson - who had a very similar "win every lap, but do it fairly and keep your word" mentality to Gilles.

The one driver above all others from before my time I would have liked to see was Bernd Rosemeyer - described by those who knew both of them as "a kind of 1930s Gilles".

Is it time for some Dijon Villeneuve footage again?

It's always Dijon time.

 

[Law's Bus]

Why would Hamilton want to leave McLaren?

Because he's never really grown up, and so doesn't really appreciate what he has and how lucky he is to have had no more than half a season in less than a top-line car.

Doesn't stop him being brilliant behind the wheel, mind.

 

[Nando]

Gearbox penalty on the way for Alonso.

 

[The Bear]

I see Hamilton had to bat plenty of questions about Mercedes away in the press briefings.

 

[Nando]

Jenson moaning about massive vibrations....

Don't lock up both your bloody fronts then!

 

[Jolemai]

I'll let someone else claim that as a Fnarr...

 

[Nando]

No penalty. Old unit.

 

[Nando]

Hamilton and Alonso dogfight later? Different class so far this weekend.

 

[The Bear]

I'm expecting Button to be challenging again. He's been on it in every session so far.

 

[Nando]

Not as good as the front two. Losing lots through Parabolica.

Red Bulls both out in Q2 please.