Niko Rosberg retires !!!

I never liked Schumacher,  Senna, Vettel for the same reasons you have mentioned.... It sounds like Hamilton is following the same pattern.... 

wenger2015 posted:

I never liked Schumacher,  Senna, Vettel for the same reasons you have mentioned.... It sounds like Hamilton is following the same pattern.... 

Exactly this

David Hendon 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.

 

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

Don't McLaren have three drivers

Maybe Mercedes will have two...

I'm not sure that (m)any multiple F1 champions are all round nice guys, because that "edge" comes from the need to be ruthless, to achieve.

How many so called  "nice" drivers are winners let alone champions?  

Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill, Nigel Mansell etc, where they like that or did we not have the constant 24 hour news about them, to form a contrary view?

The constant media spotlight no doubt takes its toll and no doubt engages reactions, that said I don't think either Mansel or Graham Hill were particularly nice guys, don't know anything about Jackie Stewart

It just seems that many people who succeed in any arena have to be a bit of a self-centred b*s*a*d - obviously also with many exceptions too!

Lewis has particularly not done himself any favours with his responses both to Nico's championship win and his retirement ... it has certainly pushed me away from him although I still commend his driving.

Many drivers (and others in different arenas) come across a bit more humble and gracious but then you sometimes wonder (I'm a cynic) whether this is because of their true personality or just because they have been well schooled and are good actors

We very rarely get any inside info on their true personality from insiders since this would be classed as hearsay and the media wouldn't touch it just in case the law raised its ugly head.

Verstappen and Riccardo come across very well and I'm sure the former is too young to have developed a front so I'll be shouting for these 2 next year ...

Allan

BigH47 posted:

I'm not sure that (m)any multiple F1 champions are all round nice guys, because that "edge" comes from the need to be ruthless, to achieve.

Absolutely,  my contacts in F1 (some are nearby neighbours) & to a man (& woman)  don't have many good words about quite a few of the drivers, & that includes both Mercedes drivers.   It seems to me to be much the same in a lot of sports that pay young kids silly money,  too far up themselves in their own self importance.    

If only Kubica could still drive..... ahhhh....

Mike-B posted:

Absolutely,  my contacts in F1 (some are nearby neighbours) & to a man (& woman)  don't have many good words about quite a few of the drivers, & that includes both Mercedes drivers.   It seems to me to be much the same in a lot of sports that pay young kids silly money,  too far up themselves in their own self importance.    

.....   I should (intended to) have added;  personality defects do not make them bad drivers - or footballers - maybe a me-me focused selfish self belief helps give them the killer instinct (to some people) that makes then as good as they are.   

Adam Zielinski posted:

If only Kubica could still drive..... ahhhh....

The first Polish driver to win a grand prix , a real loss to formula 1...... still driving rally cars I think...

wenger2015 posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

If only Kubica could still drive..... ahhhh....

The first Polish driver to win a grand prix , a real loss to formula 1...... still driving rally cars I think...

I think he finally came to his senses and will drive track again. As to what precisely -  no news so far. 

AFAIK Kubica has too many restricted body movements to make an F1 return a possibility.

I think with some tracks he would be fine, but Monaco for instance with its tight corners , would be a problem.... 

Kubica himself says (2015) he would be OK at only a few circuits.

Unfortunately that is true. He should be more than ok in DTM though.

Let's hope so.

Frank F posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

wenger2015 posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

If only Kubica could still drive..... ahhhh....

The first Polish driver to win a grand prix , a real loss to formula 1...... still driving rally cars I think...

I think he finally came to his senses and will drive track again. As to what precisely -  no news so far. 

That would be very popular in our household.  He would also be guaranteed to get Pole position .

FF

There would be some Pole dancing too

I think your jokes need a little more polish...

Nie byłoby zbyt pewne taniec na rurze.

Best I can do with Google translate!

Huge posted:

Nie byłoby zbyt pewne taniec na rurze.

Best I can do with Google translate!

Hmmm.... Google needs some work methinks.

Alonso reckons he's happy to stay at Mclaren..... I think he's telling porky pies.....what he really wants is the vacant seat at Mercedes 

I don't see how an Alonso deal can be worked out,  the press say he's not got an exit clause,  so in my book there are no other cards to deal.  Might yet be a possibility of a falling out with the new team boss Zak Brown, or over whatever team restructuring he imposes & Alonso throws his toys out of the playpen,  but somehow I doubt it.  

Bottas however is something else:  he's under contract at Williams for next season, but he's managed by Toto Wolff.  Wiliams use Mercedes engines,  so how about Bottas moves over & Williams get a better engine deal.

Most contracts are meaningless,  similar to the famous vote of confidence,  but money talks as they say, and Mclaren could do with a decent engine manufacturer...

Mike-B posted:

Bottas however is something else:  he's under contract at Williams for next season, but he's managed by Toto Wolff.  Wiliams use Mercedes engines,  so how about Bottas moves over & Williams get a better engine deal.

More like assistance with their aero package.

According to BBC news, Alonso is in talks with mercedes,  I think he would probably drive for free given the mickey mouse cars he's had to drive in recent years.....