Motors The Bit-Tech F1 2016 Thread - Season Complete

How long till mercs sponsors get annoyed an we get another paddy from merc about lack of coverage?

I agree seems most of the Merc fans are actually Hamilton fans hence the amount of anger. There was a ripple of activity after Rosberg left the pits on his last stop when his MGU-K went a bit crazy resulting in the team getting race control to allow them to give him a message to change engine mode.
Interestingly they did the same with Hamilton when again he lost all water pressure in the engine hence his sudden slowing up.
If he didnt have a problem they would have let him cruise up close an hold station for the press type 1 -2 photos.

Personally im more interested what if anything is going to happen to Kvyat, rumor is his position is getting more an more sketchy with RBR looking to promote Verstappen end of this season if not sooner which could be very messy. But then crashing twice into a world champion at your home track with Your president, Emperor Ecclescake and Dr Ernest Helmut Blofeld in front of you, thats very very messy.

 

But don't young drivers pay the team to drive these days? I'm sure one of the other teams has some kid they would happily pay Sauber for the seat....heck the way Perelli have been crying I'm sure they would pay to test their tires with some kid.

 

Yea I read that this morning.

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/r...rstappen-kvyat-as-early-as-spanish-gp-733475/

Marko is/was still good friends with Vet and obv he didn't do much for RB's name in Russia in front of his home audience. Shame all his good work is undone but two races he's been quite reckless now.

 

There was always a question mark over Kvyat getting promoted after 1 season. From memory Vergne outscored him that season and I can't remember the head to head results but I remember thinking they must see something that the stats don't show. I guessed they already wrote Vergne off compared to Riccardo and Verstappen straight to Red Bull would of been too high risk

 

Well then, the swap has happened

http://www.redbullracing.com/article/new-line-spain

 

JB calling out:

Jenson Button @JensonButton
Really? one bad race and Kyvat's dropped, what about the podium in the previous race? #Shortmemories

Red Bull Racing @redbullracing
New Team Driver line-up announced for #SpanishGP.

Edit: People are calling politik to get Max out of the Ferrari engined TR and into a top team, because he already inked a deal with Ferrari to replace Kimi next year. Marko didn't want to lose his key talent so promote him to the top team + put him in a non-Ferrari related car = done deal. I'd LOL hard if Max still went to Ferrari in '17 though.

This f's my fantasy spreadsheet. Thanks so much, Marko.

 

That's Red Bull all over, remember - four titles on the trot and one dodgy season, so they spit the dummy at Renault in a very public, rude and unprofessional manor. Which was why none of other PU suppliers was willing to play ball.

No reason expect them to treat their drivers any differently. One more reason to dislike the team.

 

JB is quite right. Which is not to say I'm a Kvyat fan or not interested to see Max make his moves up the ladder. Interesting times ahead.

 

Bindi, on the topic of the Ferrari seat what other drivers would be in the running? The only others I can think of

Running
Grosjean
Verstappen (best of the rest that could be poached)

Considered if the change arose
Riccardo (Depends on contract and if he would go)
Rosberg/Hamilton (Availability, cost and if the team psychologist agrees)

On edge of radar
Hulkenberg
Bottas
Button (Place holder for a season if McLaren oust him)

Grosjean seems the most likely contender and the Haas move means he is being groomed for the position.

 

I don't think Grosjean is there yet, and I doubt Button is a serious consideration - I'm a big fan, but he's near the end of his career.
Riccardo or Bottas maybe, but Hulkenberg has shot his bolt, I fear.

 

Its certainly shaken things up the driver merry go round has started very early now.

I agree with Javaman on the options, but Bottas could be interesting. There were talks last year before he announced his Williams renewal and Buttons been after a drive there for a few seasons wanting to finish where it all began but of a swansong as it were. Cant blame him William's are not a bad team bit slack at times. From what I understand Massa is keen to stay an the team are keen to keep him, OK he doesnt win but is consistently in the points.

Have to wait for silly season to start properly around Monza really.

 

He was only talking about seats at Ferrari though, wasn't he?

 

Yes but if Bottas leaves for Ferrari Button could slot into Williams

 

OR... Ferrari could stick with Raikkonnen, who seems to be having a better time with this year's car. I don't think Kimi is costing them buckets of cash at the moment, and if he's a solid #2 to Vettel, why rock the boat w.r.t. the WCC?

EDIT: but if he goes, my money is on Bottas.

 

Surely Massa has warned Bottas about his old job, he would be second string to Vettel and I think Seb has got many more years to go. I'd rather see the Hulk or grosjean there

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

 

That's the problem, out of all mentioned Raikkonen is still better or safer option. Hulkenberg hasnt impressed in a while, Bottas failed to shine when the pressure was on. Grosjean is potentially better and been consistent. Hamilton would be a risk and brings aggro. Rosberg might be their preferred choice but No guarantee he will be available.
I can see them holding onto Raikkonen unless he retires. Button wouldn't be a bad placeholder for a season till Rosberg became available but I reckon Grosjean has the seat at this point. Verstappen is a wild card.

Mercades could be other team to kick off silly season by putting either driver on the market. Pascal looks very good but they'll likely want him to have another season

 

Wasn't Vettel brought in to STR mid-season? [admittedly not this early]

 

He was released from his test driver role at BMW to join Torro Rosso. He also had a very poor season with TR before having a good end to the season (Over took Glock to finish 4th in Brazil ahead of Hamilton the season he won the championship)
He replaced Coulthard at red bull the next season.

 

Gotta feel sorry for Kyvat, I hope this backfires spectacularly in Marko & Horner's faces.

C'mon Torro Rosso!!

 

As for the diver-go-round - drivers i think are probably on their way out, and their potential replacements

Kimi [Bottas/Grosjean]
Button [Stoffelofagus]
Kvyat [Red Bull Young Driver #217]

Doubtfuls [imo] -
Gutierrez
Palmer
Haryanto
Nasr/Ericsson [mainly as sauber may well go under]
Hulkenberg/Perez [Same with Findia, though sauber is more likely...]