planetf1.com

Checo mentioning he has couple of options. Haas should be one & I did read that it's possible he may go to Sauber. He did drive for Sauber as the start of his F1 career & managed some great podiums with that team as well. Somehow have the gut feeling he'll be the one moving over for Stroll & not Ocon.

https://www.gpfans.com/en/articles/2239/perez-has-multiple-options-for-2019/

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Feel The Fourth

if Ocon stays do you think that the Stroll conglomerate will use Ocon as leverage to develop closer ties to Mercedes before Williams can? and have FI as the merc b team.. or do you think they'll try and stay more independent?

I fear that Williams only option is to become a "B" team to Merc if they are to survive.... As a Williams fan both possibilities bring tears to my eyes.

I'm glad to see Stroll leaving. Whoever remains at Force Stroll, either Perez or Ocon, will mop the floor with him.

Agree that the idea of Williams as a B-team represents a very sad turn of events. I wonder how they went so very wrong.

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Magic Williams 2020?

When they lost BMW, I'd say. A team without the backing of a major manufacturer can't survive at the top end in present-day F1, and Williams has been stuck somewhere in between ever since.

How they went this wrong - being the clear worst on the grid - is another question, and it's hard to know the answer without knowing exactly how bad the car really is.

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PICK 10 COMPETITION (4 wins, 14 podiums): 3rd in 2016
TOP THREE CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): Champions in 2015 & 2018 | 2nd in 2017
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 USA & P-F1 Champion | #2 in the world in 2017

Though I like Alonso, I think his days are numbered. Whether McLaren are keeping him for experience and talent, then I respect that. For Alonso to pick up a few points here and there is a waste of talent IMO. If they do another Indy 500 as they did last year, well you never know?.... Would love to see fresh blood and see both Kimi and Alonso leave... They are both 2 drivers from a different era of F1 and should open the doors to newer talent.

Why should they, if they're still better than the new talent? New talent for new talent's sake is meaningless; F1 should have the best drivers, not just the freshest faces.

I agree with you that there are new drivers out there who could do better than Kimi at the moment, but I'd be very surprised if any of them could replace Alonso successfully. Alonso is still a top driver, and the F1 grid will be lessened when he leaves.

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PICK 10 COMPETITION (4 wins, 14 podiums): 3rd in 2016
TOP THREE CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): Champions in 2015 & 2018 | 2nd in 2017
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 USA & P-F1 Champion | #2 in the world in 2017

Of course his days are numbered. It is called a calendar.

Re-fueling would be terrible and as artificial as flaky tyres.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

It repeats what I've said before, on the one hand it's a travesty that such a great driver is frozen out of having a top car, on the other hand it's a situation he's created for himself with his politics.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

Ok, pardon my ignorance, but why would it be artificial? To be clear, I'm not a fan of refueling exactly, it was a dangerous practise if nothing else, but it also provided a strategy tool for the teams, let alone the drama for the spectators! I find more artificial the fact that they are obliged to use two different tyre compounds. I say give them all the possibilities and let them chose. If a team wants to do short stints with soft tyres then it's up to them. If a team decides to go long with a harder compound, again, good for them. If they want to switch strategies mid-race, also great! It opens more possibilities instead of limiting them.

If nothing else, it would help them to actually go full speed instead of a nursing tyre championship.

Re-fuelling actually means less full speed. Fuel-nursing to extend stints becomes a common practice.

Depends on the strategy I guess. If they get it right they do not need to nurse the stints.

There were a lot of drivers that backed it when there were rumours about it's return, as the cars will be lighter and faster. The teams did not, understandably, as costs would increase and make them seek different strategies. It would also not agree with today's philosophy, the engines having to last for so many races almost guarantee that they will not like running at full speed for longer stints. It was worth considering it and ultimately deciding against it.

This article is a good read about it. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/261 ... -formula-1

But I still do not understand why it would make it more artificial

I reckon Red Bull should put Hartley in the seat alongside Verstappen next year. He's older, wiser and more experienced than Max, and I doubt he'd rock the boat (unlike Sainz or Gasly, who are Max/Dan Baku incidents just waiting to happen.)

I don't think Hartley's had a fair chance this year, with a lot of issues that weren't of his own making. And if it doesn't work out, they can always switch him with one of the TR drivers next year.

Christian: Hello Fernando, would you be interested in a Red Bull seat?
Fernando: What can you offer me?
Christian: A GP2 engine...

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Where I'm going, I don't need roads

These types of outbursts and attitude is exactly was is costing Alonso a top drive. If he would have shut the hell up and just drive, keep neutral ground at least when he knew that would be heard by everyone maybe he will be on a top team today, but the GP2 engine drama is costing him now.

I believe no one would fall in love with a crack(l)ing engine. Having that sort of patience for 3 years is unheard of. But I do believe the misery was also due to McLaren's tight packaging & baseless theories of having the 2nd best chassis.

Alonso is a great but also mercurial. His age is also a deciding factor for any team wanting him now.

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Feel The Fourth

Patience? He has been so vocal about it all this time about this engine and ridiculing it (a few quotes from him here: "I have never raced with less power in my life", "We have only one problem: that is the power unit.", "There is no reliability and there is no power. We are 30km/h down on the straight, every straight", "GP2 engine. GP2. Argghhh" and many many more). I don't see the patience. Unless you mean the fact that he stuck with Macca instead of leaving, which would beg to consider what options did he really have. Not RB, not Merc, not Ferrari. A third stint on Renault maybe?

Then again he is Alonso, he had this to say last year (2017), so who knows?

"Right now, to be honest, McLaren-Honda is for me the only challenger of Mercedes in terms of fighting for the world championship and stopping the domination of the Mercedes team in the recent years. I don't think I will switch teams anymore"

@Siao7 - LOL..loved hearing them. I know being critical of Your own team is the last thing You want to do. He has shot his foot once too many times & now paying the price no doubt.

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Feel The Fourth

Hehe, I know, there are more quotes around, when told in 2015 that Grosjean's tyres ahead of him were gone and he could attack, he didn't even bother replying, he just laughed!!!

This one still takes the cake though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go0YFFv6WYo

No! No! No!!! I hope this is just a rumour.

http://scuderiafans.com/ferrari-kimi-ra ... ish-media/

Won't be surprised if it's true. This might've been triggered by the non changed lineup at Mercedes!

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Feel The Fourth

It's artificial in that the cars do not need to top up for fuel it's not like they are doing the Le Mans 24 hour race, also the great strategy would be cars passing one another in the pit stops because they were not passing one another on the track when it was used before.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

This does not surprise me at all. Kimi is a great #2 driver. Vettel is obviously going to be happy that Kimi will be supporting him next year. I don't expect a lot of wins from him if any, as long as Vettel is #1. Ferrari only support one driver, so this is no surprise to me.

It would be unusual to promote the slower driver, that's not how it normally works.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

Or, in short, a waste of a top seat.

Well there is that as well but it's still a better seat for him, but yet another burnt bridge.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

It's been on the cards ever since Marchionne took ill and was replaced.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

No it was Marchionne that was pushing for Leclerc.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

They're clearly interested in getting Leclerc into the team but it would be pretty incredible for them to sign a rookie driver. This gives them the option for 2020.

Would be nice to see a change but from Ferrari's standpoint it makes sense.

Strictly speaking Leclerc will not be a rookie driver next season.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

yeah, he's doing OK this year. He's 3rd in the WDC and along with Lewis the most consistent podium visitor. So can see the logic

I know but he would be when they signed him.

Kimi is performing as well as he has for a couple of seasons, and certainly better than he has when he's previously had his contract extended. Leclerc complicated it but Kimi rattling off five consecutive podiums since the rumours that Leclerc would get his drive emerged, along with some scruffy races from Charles, and perhaps Marchionne's passing, have seemingly made it more likely he'll be retained.

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Pick 10 | 1st x3, 2nd x3, 3rd x7
2018: 5th | 2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

The performance gap between Vettel and Kimi seems to be little different, the bigger difference I believe is that Ferrari now have the best car.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: 7th place

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

Just read 1 atrocious if not silly rumour!!!!

As per reports in Belgium, Ocon will replace Vandoorne at McLaren from Belgian Grand Prix onwards.

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Feel The Fourth

There are a lot of rumours about drivers moving seats before next race, so many that I think we should consider the possibility. Stroll taking over Force India has changed the landscape and the grid could look very different come next race even.

Yeah! That makes the next 2 weeks very inviting for pleasant surprises.

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Feel The Fourth

God, I hope it means Kubica ends up with his bum in a cockpit when quali starts in Spa.

I feel sorry for Vandoorne, don't think his talents has been justified. However, I do like Ocon though, would be great to see him knock the pants off Alonso .... I am a Alonso fan, but really he has no-where to go other then McLaren and since he's there, will only score a few points here and there. He should leave and move to America IMO... Now Kimi's contract seems to have been concluded for another year, if Alonso leaves, then it will leave only 1 veteran left in F1...

I'd reckon both Hamilton & Vettel would be classed as veterans these days.

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Races since last non RB, Merc, Ferrari winner - 118 & counting.

Non RB, Merc, Ferrari podiums won in Hybrid era - 300 spots available, 23 won

2017 WCC CPTTC - Jalopy Racing (Herb & Me)