Niko Rosberg retires !!!

Jenson is under contract to McLaren  still, and of course he also announced he would retire from racing, rather than have a year's pause which is what he previously said. So I think not Jenson.....

best

David

Actually a very understandable decision by Nico.  He is clearly an intelligent man - other opportunities await.

Regards,

Lindsay

Rosberg gets out as champion, probably in his mind he knows didn't beat Lewis in any wheel to wheel encounters & apart from getting more points in 2016, he lost on most of the seasons race stats;  actual race wins was 10/9 to Lewis who had more poles 12/8 & more podiums 17/16.    maybe better to go as champ & be done with it.   

As for replacement possibilities,  Mercedes have reserve driver Wehrlein who has shown signs of abilities even in a Manor.   But I wouldn't mind having an each way bet on Alonso or Vettel,  

Wehrlein (too soon), JB out of semi-retirement (unlikely) or Danny RIc (tricky contract negotiation)...Bet they would have liked The Hulk.

I actually wonder if they'll make a move forCarlos Sainz. If I was having a punt around for a new driver with talent and a reasonable buy out price that is where I'd go...

Bottas or Paul Di Resta maybe?

How about Vettil - German and probably not that enamoured with Ferrari at the moment.

I think Vettel is more likely to want to turn around Ferrari, especially as it's starting to happen...

best

David

Wild card...Verstappen?

G

I agree that Verstappen is definitely the guy they would like, and I'm sure he would fancy that move as well. He may be even faster than Hamilton.

I think his contract with Red Bull is pretty much watertight though, so it would take a lot of money for Mercedes to get him.

OK it's Di Resta getting a one year drive...

GraemeH posted:

Wild card...Verstappen?

G

Yes, I was thinking Verstappen....but with the unlikely possibility of Red Bull letting him leave.... I wonder if Alonso will be tapping at Mercedes door, he's not had a decent car for years and he's still a real talent,  the Hamilton Alonso partnership could be back on....

Another interesting question is whether not having Rosberg there will be good for Hamilton, or not.

best

David

David Hendon posted:

I think Vettel is more likely to want to turn around Ferrari, especially as it's starting to happen...

Yes Ferrari really turned around in 2016... they were making steps forward towards Mercedes in 2015 and they've really turned that around this last year... :-)

David Hendon posted:

Another interesting question is whether not having Rosberg there will be good for Hamilton, or not.

best

David

Possibly that was on Rosbergs mind, Hamilton would be so motivated to win next year....it would be a 2nd place at best for Rosberg.....but the other way round I don't think so, Hamilton in the best car is unstoppable unless engine failure  gets in the way..

Eloise posted: 

Yes Ferrari really turned around in 2016... they were making steps forward towards Mercedes in 2015 and they've really turned that around this last year... :-)

I don't see it that way,  2 steps forward, 1 back or sometimes 3 back.  Drivers are clearly frustrated & there seems to be an undertone of discontent in the team.  It seems to me the "management" is not working,  I wouldn't be surprised to see some major restructuring,  maybe including Maurizio,   during the closed season 

A BBC article has Bottas as 9/10 likelihood, Vettel and Weihlein at 8/10, Ocon 7/10 and then Alonso and Ricciardo at 6/10 likelihood (with others below that). 

Bottas makes sense as an easy target: shown potential, a relationship with Wolff and currently in a team where Mercedes has influence.  Weihlein would be the easiest to target and a shoe in if other teams won't release drivers.

I think I agree with Mike-B...as a general rule the ferrari hierarchy are not the most patient..

Mike-B posted:

Eloise posted: 

Yes Ferrari really turned around in 2016... they were making steps forward towards Mercedes in 2015 and they've really turned that around this last year... :-)

I don't see it that way,  2 steps forward, 1 back or sometimes 3 back.  Drivers are clearly frustrated & there seems to be an undertone of discontent in the team.  It seems to me the "management" is not working,  I wouldn't be surprised to see some major restructuring,  maybe including Maurizio,   during the closed season 

Well in 2015 Ferrari were clearly the No.2 team getting close to Mercedes and looking like this season would be closely fought.  

This year Ferrari started off as the No.2 team behind Mercedes, but further back than in 2015 and dropped back and let Red Bull become No. 2. As I recall Mercedes even ended the season with engine tokens left over (likely at least in part due to Lewis's engine failures early on meaning that they didn't want a newer design available for Nico but not Lewis). 

wenger2015 posted:

I think I agree with Mike-B...as a general rule the ferrari hierarchy are not the most patient..

Ferrari are under the same pressure in Italy and from the Italian press as in the U.K. the English football team (and Manchester United, Liverpool etc) are.  So they end up making changes to show they are not passive when sometimes they should be waiting letting people settle in...

.......  whatever way you read it the most significant gain has been with Red Bull & Ferrari have lost both position & points in 2016.   

2015 Mercedes 703,  Ferrari 428, Williams 257 & Red Bull 187

2016 Mercedes 765,  Red Bull 468 & Ferrari 398

In my pre-retirement world that means management failed to meet objectives & I would fully expect to be moved/fired.

Hmack posted:

I agree that Verstappen is definitely the guy they would like, and I'm sure he would fancy that move as well. He may be even faster than Hamilton.

I think his contract with Red Bull is pretty much watertight though, so it would take a lot of money for Mercedes to get him.

Would love to see Max and Lewis in the same car but I can't see either of the Red Bull drivers wanting to move.  RB made great strides this year and next year's regulations are all about aerodynamics and RB have the best aero guy around in Adrian Newey.

My guess is a one year contract for Bottas is most likely, which would really hurt Williams.  The Hulk is probably kicking himself right now....

Hamilton will surely be the only driver next  year because

a) his ego will allow him to drive both cars simultaneously and

b) frankly, unless they employ a puppet I'd be surprised if anyone wanted to be his teammate and put up with his boorishness, petulance, bad grace and incessant politicking. Mix him with Vettel and you'd have a truly unpleasant mix!

Bruce.

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

Hamilton will surely be the only driver next  year because

a) his ego will allow him to drive both cars simultaneously and

b) frankly, unless they employ a puppet I'd be surprised if anyone wanted to be his teammate and put up with his boorishness, petulance, bad grace and incessant politicking. Mix him with Vettel and you'd have a truly unpleasant mix!

Bruce.

 

Is it not, all those things that makes for  a really great driver, Schumacher, vettel, Senna, all the same but winners..

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

Hamilton will surely be the only driver next  year because

a) his ego will allow him to drive both cars simultaneously and

b) frankly, unless they employ a puppet I'd be surprised if anyone wanted to be his teammate and put up with his boorishness, petulance, bad grace and incessant politicking. Mix him with Vettel and you'd have a truly unpleasant mix!

Bruce.

 

McLaren will certainly have two drivers. They will have no trouble at all finding a young up and coming driver who will jump at a drive in a top team regardless of who else is driving there. But given the long Rosberg/Hamilton history and all the aggravation between them in the last two or three years, is Hamilton going to be a better driver with someone else in the team or will he lose some of his edge?

best

David

wenger2015 posted:

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

Hamilton will surely be the only driver next  year because

a) his ego will allow him to drive both cars simultaneously and

b) frankly, unless they employ a puppet I'd be surprised if anyone wanted to be his teammate and put up with his boorishness, petulance, bad grace and incessant politicking. Mix him with Vettel and you'd have a truly unpleasant mix!

Bruce.

 

Is it not, all those things that makes for  a really great driver, Schumacher, vettel, Senna, all the same but winners..

Possibly. Doesn't not mean I have to like him though. I have a good friend who works in F1, and has done for some years. His view of Hamilton as a personality is unprintable!

Bruce