If DC leaves McLaren next year...

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Inigo Montoya
Convinced yet?

Not yet

[gttouring]

Motoya and Kimi in a team is a disaster waiting. They both drive hard and with more downstairs than upstairs.
Ralf is more calculating and thinks of points more so than straight out try for a win and sacrifice. DC is a good bet at mac as he is invaluable for development and he is consistent and a last to 5th place at the BGP isn't a bad drive. so Ithink he's still got it. abeit he is not a rising star anymore, he is either falling or at the pinnacle and is running out- He should go to sportscars in a few years

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally posted by Inigo Montoya
13-4 in favour of Fisi. Convinced yet?

Er...no.

I've never rated Fisichella the way a lot of others have, simply because I've never seen results (in, what, 7 years of racing?) to make me think the guy could ever be world champion. That's not to say that I'm 100% sure that if Button drove for McLaren he'd be WDC, but he's got more of a future ahead of him. Fisichella is, as you said yourself, a veteran. McLaren like stability and consistency with their drivers, and I think Fisichella is the wrong side of 30 for them.

[Inigo Montoya]

Well, if those stats don't convince you, vman, and RG, no amount of blabbering on my part will, so I'll just shut up now...

[krt917]

Originally posted by gttouring
DC is a good bet at mac as he is invaluable for development and he is consistent and a last to 5th place at the BGP isn't a bad drive. so Ithink he's still got it. abeit he is not a rising star anymore, he is either falling or at the pinnacle and is running out- He should go to sportscars in a few years

Good point(s?!). It's all very well having fantastic 'out and out racers' (which many here seem to think that DC isn't, which I think is debatable), but they need someone to develop a decent car for them. Kimi will be able to do it eventually, but DC has been at McLaren a long time and must be doing something right to be kept there. He's also still capable of putting in fantastic race performances, though does seem to have trouble putting consistant challenges together, so I wouldn't be surprised - or upset -if McLaren kept him.

If he had to go, then any one of Fisi, Heidfeld or Button would be interesting. Fisi, to see if he is THAT good, Heidfeld because he deserves a crack after those years at Sauber, and Button because there's more to come.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Inigo Montoya
Well, if those stats don't convince you, vman, and RG, no amount of blabbering on my part will, so I'll just shut up now...

Inigo, don't shut up on my account, i enjoy reading your posts, even if i don't agree with them

[Inigo Montoya]

Gotcha v-man, but I can't come up with a better argument than those stats, so there is no use beating a dead horse

[DriverT]

Fisichella sounds like a good idea to me, as does Villeneuve. But I think Fisi just edges it, if Coulthard is leaving. Where will Coulthard go?

[cos]

DC won't be going anywhere. Mclaren's his job for life...

[DriverT]

Hmmm I tend to agree with you on this one :-) Maybe that's the reason he can be a little lacklustre at times, due to the "comfort factor"??

[cos]

Maybe. Whatever, the fans like him, Mclaren like him, the sponsors like him. He may not be the greatest driver, but if you can't get Schumacher then you'll have to do the best you can.

[Thorstone]

David Coulthard will drive for McLaren next season,and retire after that,Heidfeld will never drive for McLaren

[cos]

They'll probably keep him until Lewis Hamilton is ready to step up into F1.

[TeddyG]

Well everybody knows I'd love to see JV in the Mac but realistically I think Fisi deserves a shot in a good car.

However JV is now sponsored by TagHeuer (sunglasses) so maybe there is a hint of a possible MacLaren connection there?

[429CJ]

Alex Wurtz.

[BMW V10]

Would McLaren prefer a certain driver because of his nationality? I read somewhere Ferrari may prefer south american drivers because they have some big customers down there.

[f1manoz]

Heidfeld

He's proven to be a top driver over the past three years, particularly with his performances at the god-awful Prost teams and his first two years at Sauber (although he has been mostly disappointing this year). He's still contracted to Mercedes, so there is always a chance he could end up at the Silver Arrows. He's the only realistic option, he's fast, reliable, a good development driver and has proven this year to have some racecraft, something a few people said he lacked.

However, because this years Sauber is a complete pig, Nick is suffering a confidence crisis in his own abilities and he has to get out soon or otherwise fade into oblivion like so many other talents who are wasted.

[Valve Bounce]

I just read that Mario Theissen is well aware of teh fact that JPM's contract runs out end of next year, and that Mclaren is interested in JPM. But Mario is most keen in keeping JPM at Williams

[beau]

VILLENEUVE because he is an world champion and he deserves better than Crappy old BAR

[Thorstone]

Originally posted by beau
VILLENEUVE because he is an world champion and he deserves better than Crappy old BAR

It is your heart talking,not your head

[Glen]

Wurz deserves it - having him testing only is a cruel and stupid waste of talent, and a betrayal of his loyalty to McLaren. I hope the reason he didn't go to Jaguar was that he's promised something better in 2004, rather than just money.

[EERO]

Given the growing rumours that Montoya might be going to McLaren, some interesting scenarios come up.

If this happens, Fisi gets the second seat at Williams. I'm almost certain of it. As teammates at Jordan, Fisi easily had the measure of Ralf, and I think we could expect the change of scene to prompt a rejuvinated performance. Also, as has been suggested that he's on the wrong side of 30 for McLaren, Williams' history would suggest otherwise for them. Also, Fisi has had continued contact with Head and Sir Frank for this very eventuality.

As for Heidfeld, I support OzMan in this, recall that if F3000, Montoya and Heidfeld had a Battle Royale and Nick was rigour to JPM's passion. I think Heidfeld as a driver is more in the McLaren mould. The downside of this argument, of course, is Montoya's great charisma and Nick's accountant-like personality.

[TeddyG]

Maybe so EERO but I think if Montoya ends up leaving Williams it may be Villeneuve in that seat...remember JV was the last guy to win Frank a title, he likes real racers like JV and they still have a great relationship. With a driver like Ralf you need someone else who's agressive and if a guy like Montoya is going out JV is a sure bet to bring Monotya like aggressiveness back into the team...Fisi although a great racer I'm just not sure if he's all that agressive...

If this does happen hopefully Fisi might get a Renault drive as I am pretty sure Trulli is out next year...would be great to see Montoya, Kimi, Michael, Villeneuve, Fisi, and Alonso all in cars capable of winning next year! Wow what a championship that would be!

[daviopolo]

Fisichella is the only one for interest and for novelty and because he damn well deserves it the rest have either had their chance in a top team or been beaten directly or indirectly by Fisichella.

[daviopolo]

Also everyone talks about 'real racers' Anytime Fisi has been in a half decent car he has raced the hell out of the car almost faster than the car should go, He drives flat out all the time and would mix it with anyone but NOT in that Jordan!