The Silly Season thread!!!

[JohnSSC]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Webber to retire.

You could well be kidding, but in all seriousness, you raise an interesting possibility Peter.

How long does MW want to race - especially if the teams he lands a ride with are not a particular threat to win? Webber does not strike me as particularly ego-driven. He has a "life" if you will and so I wonder how long he will want to stay in the show.

Interesting.

[Bononi]

He already said that sometimes he prefers to go biking with his dog in the mountains...

[Notso Swift]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

How long does MW want to race - especially if the teams he lands a ride with are not a particular threat to win? Webber does not strike me as particularly ego-driven. He has a "life" if you will and so I wonder how long he will want to stay in the show.

I think another 2 years, 3 would be the outside, I do not see a DC/Rubins type hang on
If he doesn't stay at RBR the next tem will be his last, if he does a 1 year at RBR then he may go 2 somewhere else, if he does 2 at RBR, he may finish at the end of that or go 1 more year.

I see 2 seats as a definate, DC and Rubins, but you could easily see a few surprise outs.
Is Fisi contracted for 09? His driving (last race excepted) would suggest that you keep him, but...
Trulli has one more year, doesn't he, as with Button
I think everyone else will stay on the grid, even if they move teams, and that includes Piquet, who is underperforming but has time and politics on his side. I remember that Sutil has a contract and is young and a FI are looking at him a a long term thing. Nakajima is doing well, as is Glock, and both are young with a "future"
Bourdais? Driving well, but contract may be an issue, especially if someone else has money.

[willb]

what is a silly season thread without tgf.
all teams will replace their drivers with michael schumacher clones. because all drivers will be equal the fia will institute a spec chassis. further all cars will be painted red and have the number 1. this will eliminate all spying scandals, insure that there will be no question as to who is the number one driver, and make all race results predictable for the forum competitions.

[dsg]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Webber to retire.

Couldn't help yourself.

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally Posted by Bononi

He already said that sometimes he prefers to go biking with his dog in the mountains...

His dog rides a bike? Never mind F1 racing, that could make him a fortune...

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by OZ_HCR32

But if Rosberg leaves then there will be some real movement, Rosberg to McLaren meaning that Heikki would be looking around, possibly a direct swap with Rosberg and Williams.

Was reading somewhere online yesterday, Martin Whitmarsh stateing that the team are more than happy with their current drivers and have no intention of replaceing them.Now i know that he's not going to say anything else, but i don't see Rosberg going to McLaren, especially only 6 months after he signed a new contract with Williams.

[Ralf's Girl]

I'd be surprised if McLaren were looking to replace Heikki - the fact he doesn't have more points right now is essentially down to bad luck rather than any particular failing on his part. And McLaren aren't exactly known for chopping and changing their driver line-up if they can help it - I think they're best off sticking with the stability of the Hamilton-Kovalainen partnership.

[mjstallard]

I agree RG. I think we're in for some driver pairing stability akin to Hakkinen/DC at McLaren, especially given Heikki's solid performances so far.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

His dog rides a bike? Never mind F1 racing, that could make him a fortune...

... people don't know what they got in their hands...

Originally Posted by Mark Webber

"But when you are getting smoked down at the back every week and it's tough, I'd rather be riding my mountain bike with my dog,"

Here lies his fortune...

[OZ_HCR32]

Originally Posted by Ralf's Girl

And McLaren aren't exactly known for chopping and changing their driver line-up if they can help it - I think they're best off sticking with the stability of the Hamilton-Kovalainen partnership.

Anything is possible. But lets look at the last few years. Since 2004, Kimi, DC, Montoya, Alonso, Lewis and Hekki. 6 drivers in 4 years isnt exactly rock solid. But i get your point. They do tend to look for long service from their drivers, even if they dont end up getting it.

I still personally think that if Williams continue to lack development through the season then by his 4th year in F1 Rosberg will be wanting to get a better seat before another generation of "it" drivers come along and he becomes another Button, Heidfeld, Fisi, Webber etc running around fighting for the best of the rest seats.

Whether its McLaren or another team, who knows. Only that they were keen on Rosberg over Heikki last year and have made the point that they got the best of the "available drivers" not the best driver or the driver they wanted.

I still think it will be a quiet silly season, but here is wishing that there are at least a few moves at Williams, BMW and Renault so that the new year can hold some increased interest

[mjstallard]

I reckon we could see Rosberg off to BMW to take Quick Nick's place next year. I do hope Old Beardy does get competitive again, and BMW seem to be backing him (I read an interview with Theissen saying that Nick's in the same place that Robert was in last year with regard to setup) but I think a chance to sign Rosberg will be hard to resist for them.

[Ralf's Girl]

I'm not sure that Rosberg will go anywhere - he'd definitely have no shortage of offers, but IIRC it's not long since he extended his contract with Williams and there's no way they're going to just let him go. By the sounds of things, they were happy to turn down a pretty substantial offer from McLaren for him last winter, so he may just end up staying put.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by dsg

Couldn't help yourself.

No because it's silly like the thread title suggests.

[alonso11]

Nando to Ferrari is as good as done some reckons : http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20397.html

[Bononi]

That's what I call a "good rumour"... Now finally the "axis of evil" are complete !

[JohnSSC]

Originally Posted by Bononi

That's what I call a "good rumour"... Now finally the "axis of evil" are complete !

North Korea is fielding a team????

[Clunk or Zilly]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

North Korea is fielding a team????

Could be.
Ssangyong to buy Toro Rosso ??

[Born Racer]

He already said that sometimes he prefers to go biking with his dog in the mountains...

Either his dog is very fit, Mark's a slow cyclist, or his dog rides a bike.

[Born Racer]

His dog rides a bike?

Just read the rest of the thread. Great minds and all that, Ralf's Girl. Great minds.

But perhaps not as great as Webber's dog.

Nakajima is doing well,

I don't get why so many people think this. He's doing about as well as I expected which is not all that well. He's doing okay I suppose, as he was probably moved out of GP2 a bit early to help Williams's Toyota relations/deal, but Rosberg more than has the measure of him.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by JohnSSC

North Korea is fielding a team????

We love to have an enemy, don't we ???

Anyway, people would love to see the s much hated Ferrari driven by the so much hated Alonso. It would bring back memories of another hated duo...

[OZ_HCR32]

Well, in the space of two weeks and one race weekend it seems that Heidfeld is no longer being publicly supported by Thiessen. It didnt take long for the axe to fall on JV, i ws saying at the start of the season that Heidfled will struggle to hold onto his seat. Looks like the storm clouds are forming

Will be real interesting to what transpires

[Born Racer]

Have you got a link?

[mjstallard]

Well, he hopes he can get out of his slump:

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headline...25113229.shtml

I do too, it's a shame to see Nick struggling If he does end up being axed, then as OZ_HCR32 says we'll get something interesting happening.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

He's doing okay I suppose, as he was probably moved out of GP2 a bit early to help Williams's Toyota relations/deal, but Rosberg more than has the measure of him.

1 solitary point separates them, Nico has 8 , Nakajima 7, who would have thought that.....

A) He'd be this close to Nico

B) Have more points than Piquet/Glock/Coulthard (hell, he has more than all 3 combined ) who are his "equivilents" in the teams that Williams are racing.

All in all, the boy's doing good imo.