why not Webber to Renault

[JohnMiller]

Why not?

Briatore's his manager, isn't he?
Retainer may be higher?
Which team has best chance of wins etc??

[twig]

Exactly. Im not sure what is fact or logic or just press rumours, but some people just feel that Williams is the better option.

Then again, would Webber want to be a number 1 driver or number 2? As Alonso is Renault's "Wonderboy" already.

Btw, is Fisichella managed by Flav? If so, he could go to Renault, and Webber to Williams.

[JohnMiller]

Enrico Zanarini (sp?) manages Fisi I think. Used to manage the world's second fastest driver.

[Super Tourer]

From a managerial point of view placing Webber alonside Alonso has the potential to damage the reputation and 'value' of the other. Leaving them to race in seperate teams allows their reputation's to grow.

IIRC Fisichella is managed by Irvine's manager, the name of whom escapes me for the moment!

[Super Tourer]

Beat me to it John!

[Wrex]

While Renault remains a small possibility, its not the smartest move for anyone concerned.

From Flavs point of view, as ST mentions, it risks reducing the value of one of his drivers.

From Renaults & Alonso's point of view, it may upset the apple cart so to speak. Renault is Alonso's team, and a driver like Webber may upset the nice balance they have. Added to this, I think the relationship between Fernando and Mark has soured a bit.

From Marks point of view, Williams is a great fit. No other driver is bedded in, and if he performs well he will make it his own. He seems to be exactly what Williams are looking for, and vice versa. I would not be suprised if Webber stays at Williams for the rest of his career.

While Flav may weild a big stick, Webber can do what he wants, regardless if Flavs choices. Afterall, Flav is making money of Webber, not the other way around. If he wants to hold onto that income, he better play ball.

[jetsetter]

Flavio won't put all his eggs in the one basket & have them both in the one team.

[Arai GP5]

Originally posted by Super Tourer
From a managerial point of view placing Webber alonside Alonso has the potential to damage the reputation and 'value' of the other. Leaving them to race in seperate teams allows their reputation's to grow.

Exactly 100% correct.

To put his best two assets together would be to enhance the reputation of one, and diminish the value of the other, when one is inevitably, if only slightly, better than the other.

Keep them in separate garages, and let both grow (and their residual values will both stay on the increase).

Flav is actually being faily bold in getting Fisi, as he could just as easily have stuck a Liuzzi or Montagny in the 2nd Renault, and keep Alonso's status as next best thing completely unscathed.

[Rick]

I think it also doubles Flav's chance of having a WDC on his books. If Renault can develop a great car next year he already has Alonso there to look after it, this way if Williams come up with a winner next year he's got a foot in that camp as well. The next few years it could be who "guessed" (and thats all it is) which team to go to now - Mac, Williams, Renault, BAR - even Toyota(?) could be the next big thing. All about "right place, right time" and no-one really knows.

[Kicking-back]

Renault is potentially on a performance downswing as the effect of losing Gascoyne fully bites next year.

Williams is so poor (by their standards) at the moment that the only way is up.

[MRJUCY]

I heard a story Renault's designers wanted 2 drivers of roughly the same size & that Webber was considered too much taller then Alonso to run 2 identical cars.
Also Webber has said he wouldn't be willing to go to a team where he was not given at least equal standing with in the team with the other driver & that he could never settle with being a Rubens.

[Logrence]

I don't think Webber would ever end up being a number two driver anywhere - but as has already been pointed out, Flavio is a money-driven man...he doesn't want to devalue his product.

The best thing for Flav to do is as I've said before - put out the rumours that Webber might sign for Renault in order to put his asking price up..."Renault have offered me such-and-such, how can you match that?"

[BootsOntheSide]

No one's cannier and smarter than Flavio, and I know he's keen for Fernando and Mark to remain seperate when it comes to actual racing. I'm not convinced that he wouldn't intentionally sign a weaker second driver for Renault, or attempt to impose limits on who can be teamed with Webber.

Managing those two drivers is more lucrative and thus important to Favio than runnign Renault, and it's not inconcievable that he could leave them within a couple of years anyway.