The '13 driver transfer discussion/speculation thread op updated 16/10

[Peasantslayer]

Thanks for explaining. 👍

 

[Peter.]

Now hold on, you're all forgetting one small matter. What does this mean for the second Ferrari seat? Is Massa really going to spend another year with the team? Could Hulkenberg/di Resta sneak in? Is this perhaps the "top team" Alguersuari claimed to have a drive for next season? Has Adrian Sutil been signed? Hell, maybe even Bottas?



The possibilities are endless.

 

[Joie de vivre!]

This is just wrong. Cannot believe what is happening. Very sad day

 

[Mike Rotch]

Now hold on, you're all forgetting one small matter. What does this mean for the second Ferrari seat? Is Massa really going to spend another year with the team? Could Hulkenberg/di Resta sneak in? Is this perhaps the "top team" Alguersuari claimed to have a drive for next season? Has Adrian Sutil been signed? Hell, maybe even Bottas?



The possibilities are endless.

I wouldn't mind seeing di Resta at Ferrari. We know what Massa is capable of post his accident and taking a gamble on another driver only has upside.

 

[J-PaP]

Now hold on, you're all forgetting one small matter. What does this mean for the second Ferrari seat? Is Massa really going to spend another year with the team? Could Hulkenberg/di Resta sneak in? Is this perhaps the "top team" Alguersuari claimed to have a drive for next season? Has Adrian Sutil been signed? Hell, maybe even Bottas?



The possibilities are endless.

Schumacher to Ferrari for a last hurrah before 2014!

Seriously don't know what to expect regarding the second Ferrari seat.

Look forward to seeing how Perez does and how much Mercedes can swing themselves around after the disappointing year this year.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I'm guessing Massa will stay for 2013.

 

[neljack]

Yes Im a massive Hamilton fan, but people stop making out like Mercedes are some sort of minnow team and dont have a clue what they doing . This isnt Hill to Arrows, is it?

Of course staying at Mclaren would seem a more viable option but Mercedes have started wind tunnel work for the 2013 car and are in progress of making the engines for 2014, and of course Hamiltons views of a change scerery and that massive wage bill will add to his personal views of joining Mercedes.

With personal like Ross Brawn on board to, certainly plenty of pro's rather than cons to join the team.

 

[Nessy]

^ 👍

 

[neljack]

Oh and not quite driver related but in the Merc press release it also confirms that the Silver Arrows have signed the Concorde agreement, so you can probably throw Merc not being commitment to sport long term as a con out the window.

 

[nissman]

Wow, didn't see this one coming. Always thought Perez is going to Ferrari. It will be a bright future for Perez. Hopefully Mercedes give a winning car to Hamilton.

 

[Ardius]

So er, Button has forced Hamilton to actually leave McLaren. Bloody hell! Remember when people were saying Button was crazy to go to McLaren?

Makes the comments made back in 2009 all the more amusing:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=118107&page=21

Tyred Tires: If you're so confident Button is on the same level as Hamilton why don't you put your money where your mouth is? I'll put $100 (sorry don't know what that is in Euro's ) on Hamilton outperforming Button in 2/3's of the races next year Otherwise, as they say talk is cheap, especially in an online debate

So how did that bet go?

It will be very interesting to see how Perez does against Button...and how Hamilton does against Rosberg.
If McLaren have a great car next year, I would explode with joy at either Perez or Button as WDC .

 

[Peasantslayer]

So er, Button has forced Hamilton to actually leave McLaren. Bloody hell! Remember when people were saying Button was crazy to go to McLaren?

Makes the comments made back in 2009 all the more amusing:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=118107&page=21



So how did that bet go?

It will be very interesting to see how Perez does against Button...and how Hamilton does against Rosberg.
If McLaren have a great car next year, I would explode with joy at either Perez or Button as WDC .

I'd like to see how Perez does in a car which will probably be a good one. Button is a better driver than Hamilton but there is no doubt as to who is the fastest and most versatile, Button has even admitted it.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

I'm more gutted about this move than his Singapore exit. It looks like he will be resigned to the midfield at least for next year and McLaren given the regulations will look like they will dominate 2013. Who knows what will happen in 2014 but at the moment Hamilton is probably hoping Mercedes gets to the level of his current team in the next few years which is never a good idea.

Wasting good years of his career and it is looking like he will relive his 2009, 2010 and 2011 years all again and who knows may switch teams once prospects of the team are looking very bright . He should have stayed with McLaren at least for the next two years and then see if Mercedes have catched up and then switch if he wanted a change as he would most likely in the position he could do that. This move makes it even more critical for his career to win this year's WDC.

Oh well, at least Jenson Button and Sergio Pérez have a huge chance of winning the WCC and either one of them the WDC for McLaren in 2013 regardless, Hamilton and Schumacher at the moment look like the big losers in this deal from sporting perspective. I will be following Mercedes progress more closely, they are at the moment so far off the pace even with DDRS which is banned for next season, it is a serious concern. Hopefully the passive system works which I think is allowed next season and the restructuring and increase of resources starts showing in lap time. Sergio must be thinking all his Christmas presents have come all at once, I wonder what Schumacher will do.

 

[Peasantslayer]

I'm more gutted about this move than his Singapore exit. It looks like he will be resigned to the midfield at least for next year and McLaren given the regulations will look like they will dominate 2013. Who knows what will happen in 2014 but at the moment Hamilton is probably hoping Mercedes gets to the level of his current team in the next few years which is never a good idea.

Wasting good years of his career and it is looking like he will relive his 2009, 2010 and 2011 years all again and who knows may switch teams once prospects of the team are looking very bright . He should have stayed with McLaren at least for the next two years and then see if Mercedes have catched up and then switch if he wanted a change as he would most likely in the position he could do that. This move makes it even more critical for his career to win this year's WDC.

Oh well, at least Jenson Button and Sergio Pérez have a huge chance of winning the WCC and either one of them the WDC for McLaren in 2013 regardless, Hamilton and Schumacher at the moment look like the big losers in this deal from sporting perspective. I will be following Mercedes progress more closely, they are at the moment so far off the pace even with DDRS which is banned for next season, it is a serious concern. Hopefully the passive system works which I think is allowed next season and the restructuring and increase of resources starts showing in lap time. Sergio must be thinking all his Christmas presents have come all at once, I wonder what Schumacher will do.

He's still 27, even if he goes to Mercedes for 3 years he could still have a good 5 years left in him. As I said eariler in the thread the Mclaren car has been there or there abouts for the last 10 years and out of a possible 20 titles they have won one. Even with Kimi, Fernando, Jenson and Lewis racing for them during that period.

EDIT: He seems confident enough http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mo...ter-agreeing-three-year-deal-at-Mercedes.html

 

[Adam41]

Hamilton is going to be an equal number 1 driver to Rosberg as well.

 

[Tired Tyres]

No. He gets unequivocal Number 1 status. Rosberg is number 2.

It will be interesting to see Perez at McLaren next year.

 

[neljack]

I'm more gutted about this move than his Singapore exit. It looks like he will be resigned to the midfield at least for next year and McLaren given the regulations will look like they will dominate 2013. Who knows what will happen in 2014 but at the moment Hamilton is probably hoping Mercedes gets to the level of his current team in the next few years which is never a good idea.

Wasting good years of his career and it is looking like he will relive his 2009, 2010 and 2011 years all again and who knows may switch teams once prospects of the team are looking very bright . He should have stayed with McLaren at least for the next two years and then see if Mercedes have catched up and then switch if he wanted a change as he would most likely in the position he could do that. This move makes it even more critical for his career to win this year's WDC.

Oh well, at least Jenson Button and Sergio Pérez have a huge chance of winning the WCC and either one of them the WDC for McLaren in 2013 regardless, Hamilton and Schumacher at the moment look like the big losers in this deal from sporting perspective. I will be following Mercedes progress more closely, they are at the moment so far off the pace even with DDRS which is banned for next season, it is a serious concern. Hopefully the passive system works which I think is allowed next season and the restructuring and increase of resources starts showing in lap time. Sergio must be thinking all his Christmas presents have come all at once, I wonder what Schumacher will do.

I think they've realised that was the wrong way to go for the whole season, and as I said, I think focus is nye on all for 2013 now, just need to make sure they dont fall behind Sauber in constructors.

 

[Wardez]

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2012/9/13849.html

Yes!!!! 2013's gonna be MEXICO'S YEAR BABY!

 

[Ardius]

No. He gets unequivocal Number 1 status. Rosberg is number 2.

It will be interesting to see Perez at McLaren next year.

^I wonder how Rosberg feels about that?!!?

You know what, seeing how badly the Schumacher situation was handled, I'm wondering if Mercedes can really handle Hamilton? McLaren have clearly found it a struggle and its why he has left.
What happens when Rosberg beats Hamilton at any point?

 

[m8h3r]

Argh, Lewis you fool. Hamilton and Mercedes will be disastrous on tyres.

Perez to McLaren, I like the sounds of that. Also rumored that Esteban is going to Sauber. I like to see the young talent do well, Esteban and Sergio are no exception.

 

[Ardius]

Gutierrez has been pretty over-rated so far, so we'll see.

I just hope Kobayashi gets to keep his seat now as there were strong rumours he would be dropped.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

He's still 27, even if he goes to Mercedes for 3 years he could still have a good 5 years left in him. As I said eariler in the thread Mclaren have been there or there abouts for the last 10 years and out of a possible 20 titles they have won one.

He is 28 soon though, why waste a big chance of winning WDC next season. Looking at history, this is the most promising McLaren have looked since the years Mika won. Lewis still might win this year and would seem in a very strong position to be going for another chance at WDC and the McLaren F1 car but instead he might be racing teams in the midfield like Force India and Sauber.

McLaren have gone to 1998-99 levels of competitiveness this season and it looks like it will continue next year. I reckon all his rivals will be secretly smiling for now, remains to been seen how big an error of judgement this move is, I hope it is not an error but it is looking like it is. This could be the season with one of the biggest number of pole counts for McLaren and 2011 Red Bull level of dominance is looking likely for McLaren in 2013 as they have fixed a lot of operational issues this year to become where they are now, fastest performing pit crew and also car.

 

[Lizard]

Hmm.

Lewis I think may struggle in 2013. 2014 he might do well.

Perez. Loved him ever since Sepang so it is going to be fun watching him in the McLaren.

 

[Anghammarad]

Do you guys honestly believe Hamilton is better than Rosberg and Shummy?

Yes, Rosberg is a hack and Schumi a has been, to put it bluntly. There's no doubt that Hamilton, when he is not distracted by his own ego, is one of the top three drivers in F1 today. That doesn't mean that he will succeed at Mercedes though.

 

[Adam41]

No. He gets unequivocal Number 1 status. Rosberg is number 2.

Strange. I was watching Sky Sports News about half an hour a go and Brundle said in the last few minutes that he had been told that Hamilton was an equal number 1 to Rosberg. Pretty sure I didn't hear him wrong.

 

[Saidur_Ali]

Just thought of something, Sergio Pérez might potentially have the chance of taking 2nd youngest WDC crown off Lewis Hamilton.

 

[neljack]

I find it very amusing how we're all acting like we know like how competitive teams will be next season .

Since when did Merc become the tyre destroying team, hours ago when Hamilton was confirmed? SMH

 

[Anghammarad]

So er, Button has forced Hamilton to actually leave McLaren. Bloody hell! Remember when people were saying Button was crazy to go to McLaren?

Makes the comments made back in 2009 all the more amusing:
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=118107&page=21



So how did that bet go?

It will be very interesting to see how Perez does against Button...and how Hamilton does against Rosberg.
If McLaren have a great car next year, I would explode with joy at either Perez or Button as WDC .

Well Hamilton had a better result than Button in 12 out of 19 races in the 2010 season which amounts to 63%. I would say that is fairly close to Brock's statement.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Well Hamilton had a better result than Button in 12 out of 19 races in the 2010 season which amounts to 63%. I would say that is fairly close to Brock's statement.

Neatly glossing over 2011 are we?

Actually regarding 2010, Hamilton scored more points than Button, but Button had a higher average finishing position.

 

[Wardez]

So what do you guys reckon the balance between Jenson and Perez is going to be? They both have similar approaches to their strategy, at least with the teams they're on now, so it'll be very interesting to see them racing the same car. A lot of people feel Jenson's going to demolish Perez for some reason, while I think there's a good chance Perez will outdo him because of his raw ability to control his pace and attack and more aggressive nature. I'd argue that Perez is also already better at conserving his tires (although, again, different cars) than Button is.