2008 Driver Line Up

[MagpieRacer]

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/071129170331.shtml

More news on Alonso, apparently he has had a seat fitting at Honda, and he would be replacing Barrichello who would move to partner Sato at Super Aguri. The report says Alonso has spent a day at Hondas factory and it was Bernie Ecclestone's idea for Alonso to go there.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Why would there be "reports from Germany" of a Spaniard going to a team based in Britain for a seat fitting? I call "fantasy" on that one. Plus, Honda have explicitly denied the reports as being true.

Given that Dietrich Mateschitz has said that Alonso is not going to Red Bull, I think that the only credible rumour is the Renault one.

Can I get props for the three-month scoop on Prodrive please? Check p1 of this thread...

Heikki Kovalainen is out of contract for '08, and has been advised to look for other seats. This is F1-speak for "you're sacked", so I suspect that Alonso/Piquet will be the pairing at Renault, with Piquet the patsy for Alonso. Seriously, I think that Alonso will blow away Piquet, in much the same way I expect Massa to be humbled by an 08-spec Raikkonen. Logically, this means Kovalainen to McLaren, which is good, since he's an excellent driver.

I don't see the Honda quartet changing.

I can't see Toyota doing anything this year, since they're resolutely avoiding hiring talented people. Seriously: going to CRB for "I sucked at F1, then at ChampCar, then took advantage of a weak field to win GP2" Glock? Purr-leez...

Apart from the drivers themselves, does anyone really care who goes to Force India? They are the new Minardi.

 

[TheCracker]

Apart from the drivers themselves, does anyone really care who goes to Force India? They are the new Minardi.

I can't see the point in any driver in the 'twilight' of their career making a move to Force India - what benefit, apart from money, can running at the back of the field all season long bring?

Do Ralf or Trulli not think they could hack it in that other rest-home for past-it, NASCAR? - or would moving from their tax havens be too costly?

 

[MagpieRacer]

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2007/11/30/alonso-to-join-honda/

Another site with the news. Barrichello has supposedly visited Aguris factory in a layby just off the M40.

 

[Digital-Nitrate]

I can't see the point in any driver in the 'twilight' of their career making a move to Force India - what benefit, apart from money, can running at the back of the field all season long bring?

Do Ralf or Trulli not think they could hack it in that other rest-home for past-it, NASCAR? - or would moving from their tax havens be too costly?

I think you just answered your own question.

I suspect most people who make their living playing sports and who have already past their prime are not looking to win as much as to secure their financial future, because let's face it, with the exception a very small elite group of premiere athletes, once they stop playing/driving, their only income is from the investments they have made. This is why many star athletes who were not wise with their money are often destitute years after retiring from the sport that made them a star.

It makes perfectly good sense to me at least, why a driver in a similar situation would not only accept, but actively negotiate for a job at Force India, if it meant securing their financial future without all the high expectations and demands that a premiere F1 team would require.

 

[Sureboss]

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2007/11/30/alonso-to-join-honda/

Another site with the news. Barrichello has supposedly visited Aguris factory, a layby just off the M40.

Fixed.

 

[peterjford]

It makes perfectly good sense to me at least, why a driver in a similar situation would not only accept, but actively negotiate for a job at Force India, if it meant securing their financial future without all the high expectations and demands that a premiere F1 team would require.

I also think that many of them have egos that won't let them see that they are past their prime. And if they did know that, they might still want to live the 'lifestyle' with all the press and parties and pretty girls. Of course if they have invested wisely earlier in their careers, they can still have all that.

 

[Metar]

I also think that many of them have egos that won't let them see that they are past their prime. And if they did know that, they might still want to live the 'lifestyle' with all the press and parties and pretty girls. Of course if they have invested wisely earlier in their careers, they can still have all that.

Or if they had some longer-lasting talent. *coughRalfcoughTrulli*

I mean, Ralf is one of those completely-depending on his package. The '01 Williams FW23 was complete pwnage - a very powerful engine coupled with a decent aero-package meant he was able to get 4 wins - but a 44% finish-ratio for the Williams team meant nothing materialized into a championship-chance.

But take the TF107, and even Trulli managed to outpace him almost always - and at times qualifying a whopping 10 positions higher.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2007/11/30/alonso-to-join-honda/

Another site with the news. Barrichello has supposedly visited Aguris factory in a layby just off the M40.

That's the first Honda have heard of it.

I'm pretty sure Alonso will end up at Renault. I know he only wants a short-term deal but Flav is trying tp pin him down for a few years, but I think that's where he'll go. Ad I think Flav will get his way; I really can't see any other team wanting to put up with Alonso's tantrums and apparent temperament when things don't go his way.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Its all so confusing

Come on Alonso you bum! Put us out of our misery.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Thing is, Alonso doesn't want to go to Renault if they subsequently pull out after a massive fine on December 6th. We won't hear what he's doing until the end of the week at the earliest.

 

[Metar]

Join Honda, and regain your honor by making them suck less. Sounds great.

 

[Lee]

Join Honda, and regain your honor by making them suck less. Sounds great.

I don't think it will be that plain sailing for him if he joins Honda. Honda is basically Button-Camp, he's gonna be joining a squad who have warmed to Jense like Ferrari did to MS.

Plus Button isn't exactley a slow driver, he could give Alonso a run for his money in the same machinery. Really I think Alonso's best bet is Red Bull racing, give DC a massive pay off so he can go off and retire on his boat and let Alonso come in and start brining home some results they really should be achieving.

 

[Metar]

I don't think it will be that plain sailing for him if he joins Honda. Honda is basically Button-Camp, he's gonna be joining a squad who have warmed to Jense like Ferrari did to MS.

It is also an as-of-yet unproven-quality team, with one of the worst cars on the '07 grid. The only thing he gets there is the assurance that, unlike Toyota, they're capable. Whether or not they actually build a fast car again is still a question.

Plus Button isn't exactley a slow driver, he could give Alonso a run for his money in the same machinery. Really I think Alonso's best bet is Red Bull racing, give DC a massive pay off so he can go off and retire on his boat and let Alonso come in and start brining home some results they really should be achieving.

Don't you think Barrichello should retire before Coulthard? At least one seems to be as fast as his younger teammate.

I don't think Red Bull, if they continue like 2007, will be Alonso's cup of Earl Gray. A fast car - true - but also prone to breaking down a bit too much. I don't think his temper suits that.

 

[Lee]

Don't you think Barrichello should retire before Coulthard? At least one seems to be as fast as his younger teammate.

I don't think Red Bull, if they continue like 2007, will be Alonso's cup of Earl Gray. A fast car - true - but also prone to breaking down a bit too much. I don't think his temper suits that.

Granted, Rubens is past his sell by date, but one of the things I think is keeping him there is his nationality. To have a South American driver racing in an Honda is a major advertising advantage for the manufacture.

Red Bull's reliability is a problem yes, but along with a mega-bucks wage packet, Alonso would be the undoubted Team Leader, something he wouldn't be able to achieve at Honda while Button is there.

 

[Danny]

Rubens may be getting on a bit, but he's still an experienced, consistant driver, as displayed by his handling of Hamilton's dangerous move on the first corner at Interlagos. The RA106 showed he's still a potential points scorer.

 

[Metar]

Granted, Rubens is past his sell by date, but one of the things I think is keeping him there is his nationality. To have a South American driver racing in an Honda is a major advertising advantage for the manufacture.

Rubens may be getting on a bit, but he's still an experienced, consistent driver, as displayed by his handling of Hamilton's dangerous move on the first corner at Interlagos. The RA106 showed he's still a potential points scorer.

True, but then again, Honda proved with Sato that there's a limit to how far they're going just for public relations. So, shift him to that same team, as they did with Sato.

Red Bull's reliability is a problem yes, but along with a mega-bucks wage packet, Alonso would be the undoubted Team Leader, something he wouldn't be able to achieve at Honda while Button is there.

Yes, but after his first five retirements he won't stand the pain anymore and will start ranting. As everyone should in a car as unreliable as this season's STRs and RBRs.

 

[Alfaholic]

Rubens may be getting on a bit, but he's still an experienced, consistant driver, as displayed by his handling of Hamilton's dangerous move on the first corner at Interlagos. The RA106 showed he's still a potential points scorer.

He's also proven to be Button's equal in both pace and race position as often as not.



Or maybe I only notice when he's keeping up..

 

[Blake]

Or maybe I only notice when he's keeping up..

Yeah, that.

 

[Muzaffar]

Hmmm....looks like Alonso is not going to Honda after all....
http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2007/12/04/brawn-reassures-barrichello/

 

[Metar]

*Wrong thread*

 

[Eagle]

The rumour mill continues to get more desperate:

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/071205091959.shtml

Alonso to return to McLaren.

 

[Appie]

Wow, so why did he left in the first place then

 

[Digital-Nitrate]

Wow, so why did he left in the first place then

As Eagle said... "Rumor Mill" which does not at all mean it's real.

In fact, all you need to do is read the first line in the article to see that even they feel it is mere speculation... and when you then consider their source:

The Spanish newspaper Diario AS claims....

And considering the amount of false information Diario AS have published in support of Alonso and his career in F1...

And considering the final paragraph in that article:

"McLaren is unaware of any current discussions with Fernando and / or his management," the team told F1-Live.com, thereby putting an end to such gossip.

Taking all of that into consideration, and based on the source of the "story" I don't think it's reasonable to even suggest Alonso is even going to be invited back to McLaren next year, if ever.

 

[m7ammed]

The fact that Fisi is testing for Force India can only mean that Alonso is heading to his old team Renault

 

[darkfinal]

And considering the amount of false information Diario AS have published in support of Alonso and his career in F1...

It's a shame, yes. One of the reasons why the Spanish F1 fans are SO idiotized. And when I think about it, the same happens in politics, newspapers, economy...

... Somebody buy me a ticket to Canada, please.

 

[daan]

Perhaps there should be a new subforum here in the Formula 1 section called 'Comedy Corner' and this could be the first thread...

Ralf wants vacant McLaren seat

I don't see it somehow....

I already posted that a short while back on the previous page

Oops... sorry... I feel like a total Ralf.

Never mind, Chris. You're still the 3rd best poster on GTP. 👍

 

[Stevisiov]

 

[darkfinal]

Spanish news. Telecinco says Alonso's contract with Renault is already redacted, waiting for tomorrow's resolution on Renault's spying case to sign for them.

Oh, and it would be for the next two years.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

The fact that Fisi is testing for Force India can only mean that Alonso is heading to his old team Renault

Uh, how?

See, Fisi's departure only means that there's a seat available, not a seat being taken. And the rumor mill suggesting 'Nando goes back to McLaren means that no-one has any idea where the Spaniard will be goin for 2008.