The Formula One Topic

[Voyager One]

So... according to your voting, Rosberg is actually P6-P7 in the championship. A champion with "poor" skills... Hahahahahaha!

[Chrill]

Well, Rosberg won the first 4 GPs and the ratings started at Monaco. It's a bit skewed because of that. Lewis had a stronger second half of the year and a weaker first half.

Voyager, can I count on you to join us in 2017?

[Voyager One]

Voyager, can I count on you to join us in 2017?

I'm honored to be invited but unfortunately I couldn't give objective and realistic votes. My current job prevents me from watching most of GPs as I work on Sundays too, mostly I get to see only some summaries.

(E.g. I've watched 3 GPs this season )


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Wrt Rosberg, your votes perfectly reflect his season and "skills" as it's been discussed before - not brilliant but consistent.

[pinkie]

Gotta love formula 1

[Pilot]

Nico Rosberg has announced his retirement from F1 with "immediate effect".
BBC Sport
Rosberg's announcement on Twitter

I'm amazed really!

[Pyoro]

Ah, yes, more 2016 madness - should've expected it, really ^^;

[Chrill]

Welp. I did not expect Rosberg's retirement.

Wehrlein looking the most likely candidate but is he really strong enough? I could see Mercedes having a go at Alonso, Ricciardo, or Vettel.

[Pilot]

Wehrlein looking the most likely candidate but is he really strong enough? I could see Mercedes having a go at Alonso, Ricciardo, or Vettel.

Indeed, Wehrlein was my immediate thought too, but like you say, he's not drove the best of cars so far in his career. Would those 3 drivers really want to leave their teams where they already have contracts? I guess another candidate could potentially be Jenson Button!

[Pyoro]

Vettel I don't think so; leaving Ferrari now would be kinda like admitting to "failure". Ricciardo I'm skeptical, too, I'd expect him to be happy where he is. Alonso ... hum. I don't think MGP will approach him in the first place: renew the Hamilton-Alonso drama? ^^;

I'd consider Perez or Hülkenberg, aside from Wehrlein. Of course, I'm always lobbying to give the-other-Nico a chance, and a German driver might be appealing to Mercedes. Wehrlein, well, I don't think he'd be quite ready next season, but in 2 years, who knows? Might want to grab him now.

[Chrill]

Hülkenberg has already jumped ship to Renault. If I am to sort all current + potential drivers into 3 piles, I'd go a little bit like this:

Actually possible:
Sebastian Vettel
Kimi Raikkonen
Sergio Perez
Romain Grosjean
Fernando Alonso
Esteban Ocon
Pascal Wehrlein
Daniel Ricciardo
Carlos Sainz Jr
Valtteri Bottas

Not available:
Nico Hülkenberg
Jenson Button
Stoffel Vandoorne
Max Verstappen
Felipe Massa

Not good enough:
Esteban Gutierrez
Rio Haryanto
Daniil Kvyat
Kevin Magnussen
Jolyon Palmer
Marcus Ericsson
Felipe Nasr

I'm trying to be generous in sorting drivers as Possible. With the above list, perhaps my top 5 bets could be these (in an attempt to order, but you never know...)

1. Pascal Wehrlein
2. Valtteri Bottas
3. Esteban Ocon
4. Carlos Sainz Jr
5. Basically the rest of them

The minus for Wehrlein and Ocon is lack of experience. The minus for Bottas is his ties to a Williams team, a team fielding a proper rookie and in need of Bottas. The minus for Sainz is his Renault/Red Bull ties, but money talks.

If a Rosberg-Hamilton pairing ends up in crashes and tears 2-3 times per year (and they used to be best friends), then what wouldn't happen with Hamilton-Vettel or Hamilton-Alonso (2007 all over again)?

I'll sum it up with "I haven't a clue who Mercedes will pick".

[Pyoro]

Kinda funny to have the perhaps most desirable seat right now open and nobody really there to take it. Oh well, it's 2016, what's Montoya doing?

[Transportman]

Indeed a big surprise, and I'm very curious as to who will fill the place. The grid was almost completely set for the next year, and now it can all fall back open.

[Chrill]

Mercedes can go down two routes:

* Buy a top driver from their current contract. This would obviously give them the best chance of defending the title in 2017. For example Vettel, Alonso, Verstappen.
* Sign up a youngster or someone "cheap". This would make that person a clear number 2 to Hamilton. For example Wehrlein, Ocon, possibly Nasr or Gutierrez (although the latter two are highly unlikely, but at least they are out of contract).

The idea of having two top drivers is one Mercedes have applied before to various success. Spain 2016, Austria 2016, Belgium 2015, among others. Still, a Vettel-Hamilton pairing would perhaps spur the two on to great things. A Hamilton-Wehrlein might see Hamilton slacking and not driving at his peak. Rosberg definitely made Hamilton work hard this year.

[Dave]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/38185491

Hm.

Vettel or Bottas for me.

I like the potential idea of Bottas to Merc, Wehrlein to Williams and a massive discount off the engine bill...

Agree Vettel and Hamilton would be fireworks, but the fact it won't happen is what's so depressing about this Merc era. Desperately trying to avoid a good dust up. I WANT to see team mates fighting, I want to see drivers turning round and saying "I'm alright where I am, thanks" to the team manager. It's box office - it gets people watching.

And I want a proper challenger to Hamilton, who is a sanctimonious little turd.

[Chrill]

Bottas is the logical pick if they want someone with more experience. Vettel or Alonso is the logical choice if they want to go for the very best lineup. Wehrlein is the logical choice if they are looking to simply fill the seat the cheapest way possible.

[Chrill]

We have photo confirmation that Pastor Maldonado has arrived at Mercedes for contract talks.

[Voyager One]

I suppose that's Hamilton's car...

EDIT:

MORE shocking evidence of Maldonado's negotiations with Mercs...

[Chrill]

http://www.formula1.com/en/video/2016/1 ... eview.html

This is fantastic.

[Voyager One]

Hahahahahahaha! Whoever made this deserves a medal!

[Dave]

Genuinely one of best things I've ever seen.