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

[Samus]

Bianchi seems destined for the second Ferrari seat at some point being part of their young driver academy although whether he's quite ready in Dominicali and Montezemelo's eyes who knows. He's clearly got a lot of talent but it's if they think it's too soon for him to jump up.

On the other hand if someone like Hulkenberg takes the Ferrari seat he could fill the open seat at Sauber although they seem to be needing a pay driver at the moment.

 

[Dennisch]

Frijns has no GP2 seat anymore. He has been replaced by Adrian Quaife-Hobbs.

 

[DK]

I'd say Bianchi could have a shot when Massa retires. I'd say Massa will retire at the end of 2015.

 

[Speedster7]

Bianchi seems destined for the second Ferrari seat at some point being part of their young driver academy.

Checo (Perez) was part of the driver academy and he ruled out a Ferrari drive after his first season... It may be different for Bianchi because he has impressed in his first season with an awful car, but I don't know...

I'd say Bianchi could have a shot when Massa retires. I'd say Massa will retire at the end of 2015.

Massa's contract expires at the end of this year, but I don't think they would throw Bianchi straight into a Ferrari for his second season in F1

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Frijns has no GP2 seat anymore. He has been replaced by Adrian Quaife-Hobbs.

Yeah I read that, I guess some people didn't think Frijins was as good as some fans would suggest.

 

[SagarisGTB]

He lost his seat because of funding issues, nothing to do with performance.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

He lost his seat because of funding issues, nothing to do with performance.

I know exactly why, what I was saying is some others see this as a correlation to not being as good in GP2 as WSR 3.5, thus not being able to find backing. So though funding isn't there some are bringing a good argument as to why cant he find funding especially after winning in 3.5.

If you read my post earlier I said I actually want Frijins to race in F1...

 

[Wardez]

Que the overdramatic music...

Ok, now hear this.

Alonso wants to join Red Bull according to Bild. This could be some sort of tactic to make Ferrari either pay him more money or pump up their game, but yeah, check this out:
http://translate.google.com/transla...nando-alonso/bietet-sich-bei-red-bull-an.html

Essential stuff:

• Alonso's management approached Red Bull on Friday afternoon in their trailer.
• Alonso still has a contract with Ferrari for next year
• Decision over a possible transfer to be made within the next seven days
• Talks have been officially confirmed by Red Bull to (Sport-) Bild

 

[Samus]

Bild are basically a tabloid. I wouldn't put too much faith in anything they print.

 

[Peasantslayer]

Que the overdramatic music...

Ok, now hear this.

Alonso wants to join Red Bull according to Bild. This could be some sort of tactic to make Ferrari either pay him more money or pump up their game, but yeah, check this out:
http://translate.google.com/transla...nando-alonso/bietet-sich-bei-red-bull-an.html

Essential stuff:

• Alonso's management approached Red Bull on Friday afternoon in their trailer.
• Alonso still has a contract with Ferrari for next year
• Decision over a possible transfer to be made within the next seven days
• Talks have been officially confirmed by Red Bull to (Sport-) Bild

Horner has said 2 drivers are in the running which I assumed were Kimi and Daniel, I don't think he'd want Alonso at Red Bull because although Alonso and Seb could score a lot of points together it could potentially ruin the team, if they didn't get along and Vettel wanted to leave I think he would take some key guys with him.

 

[Wardez]

Bild are basically a tabloid. I wouldn't put too much faith in anything they print.

"No actually they have been pretty good over the past 2 years and everything they said has come true eventually.

Sutil to Force India considered BS though it happened.

Hulkenberg to Sauber, considered BS though it happened.

Glock to lose his seat at Marussia, considered BS though it happened.

Don't know where the slander of Bild came about, been more accurate with their BS than Britain for example, excluding Eddie Jordan of course!"

This is breaking stuff of course though, so people could definitely be jumping the gun:

https://twitter.com/tgruener/status/361423948489035777

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

From what I heard, Raikkonen got a contract offer from RBR, now it's his choice if he wanna switch or not.

 

[DK]

Given that the 2007 pairing of Alonso/Hamilton at McLaren didn't work out too well, I doubt a Vettel/Alonso combination would be a good idea. Even if Alonso has matured since then, I can't say the same for Vettel.

 

[m8h3r]

Given that the 2007 pairing of Alonso/Hamilton at McLaren didn't work out too well, I doubt a Vettel/Alonso combination would be a good idea. Even if Alonso has matured since then, I can't say the same for Vettel.

Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton all need to be a lead driver of the team. Had Hamilton not been friends with Jensen and Nico then I don't think either of them partnerships would have worked.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton all need to be a lead driver of the team. Had Hamilton not been friends with Jensen and Nico then I don't think either of them partnerships would have worked.

Was Hamilton friend with Button before he went to Mclaren ?

 

[gokartman78]

Why is Ricciardo being backed for the Red Bull seat out of the two STR drivers? JEV has had half a season less racing, outscored him last season, and at this moment in time (midway through the Hungarian GP), JEV has got more points than Ricciardo in the championship.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

Yeah but JEV also took Webber off this season or rather had an incident with it. It might have something to do.

But they didnt tell, RBR people just said that JEV was out for the seat.

 

[m8h3r]

Was Hamilton friend with Button before he went to Mclaren ?

Not sure, but its not like they haven't crashed into each other a few times racing for position.

 

[Tom]

Yeah but JEV also took Webber off this season or rather had an incident with it. It might have something to do.

But they didnt tell, RBR people just said that JEV was out for the seat.

Lets not forget that Ricciardo has been a lot quicker than JEV in qualifying throughout the year.

 

[Samus]

Why is Ricciardo being backed for the Red Bull seat out of the two STR drivers? JEV has had half a season less racing, outscored him last season, and at this moment in time (midway through the Hungarian GP), JEV has got more points than Ricciardo in the championship.

It's about the overall pace and potential not just the points as they're not the best way to decide. I can't be bothered to look at the actual situation but imagine a situation where driver A retires from the points/gets knocked off through no fault of his own compared to driver B who drives slower but gets in the points staying out of trouble. Driver B has more points but overall driver A shows better promise over the long term. As I say I don't know if that is the case with these two but that's the bigger picture Red Bull will have looked at.

Sky did an infographic thing on the two during quali I think it was any they said Ricciardo had nearly a 3 tenth advantage in pace overall.

 

[The Outlaw]

"No actually they have been pretty good over the past 2 years and everything they said has come true eventually.

Sutil to Force India considered BS though it happened.

Hulkenberg to Sauber, considered BS though it happened.

Glock to lose his seat at Marussia, considered BS though it happened.

Don't know where the slander of Bild came about, been more accurate with their BS than Britain for example, excluding Eddie Jordan of course!"

This is breaking stuff of course though, so people could definitely be jumping the gun:

https://twitter.com/tgruener/status/361423948489035777

I wouldn't be all that suprised if something like this happened, but it does seem a bit odd (from Fernando's position) when you start looking at the details going into the future (James Allison signing for Ferrari, drastic reg. changes for next year which brings a lot of unpredictability, and the upgraded Ferrari wind tunnel which you would assume should bring a bit more stability for their development programs). I also wouldn't be suprised if Alonso had some type of say in trying to lure Allison to Ferrari, based off Allison's great success of late and prior experience working together...so for him to think about making a move to Red Bull at this particular point in time seems a bit far fetched.

But the thing is, if Fernando is pondering a move to Red Bull or another top team, in a way now is the time to do it (with all the potential seats opening up after this season)...and maybe with the new regulation changes he believes Newey will once again be able to score an ace in the design department. But regardless of that, it does seem like a bit of risky move to make, especially when you are guaranteed to then be teamed up with one of the best drivers on the grid (in Vettel), who seems to have a team that is quite polarized around him after winning 3 WDC's in a row (and what's looking to be a 4th).

Why is Ricciardo being backed for the Red Bull seat out of the two STR drivers? JEV has had half a season less racing, outscored him last season, and at this moment in time (midway through the Hungarian GP), JEV has got more points than Ricciardo in the championship.

I think there's more to take into account than just the points tally when comparing JEV & Ricciardo though. STR generally seems to have pretty terrible strategy calls from the pitlane, which have likely more often hurt Ricciardo more than JEV.

 

[gorsad]

Que the overdramatic music...

Ok, now hear this.

Alonso wants to join Red Bull according to Bild. This could be some sort of tactic to make Ferrari either pay him more money or pump up their game, but yeah, check this out:
http://translate.google.com/transla...nando-alonso/bietet-sich-bei-red-bull-an.html

Essential stuff:

• Alonso's management approached Red Bull on Friday afternoon in their trailer.
• Alonso still has a contract with Ferrari for next year
• Decision over a possible transfer to be made within the next seven days
• Talks have been officially confirmed by Red Bull to (Sport-) Bild

Here's an Autosport article covering the rumors: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/109079

It'd be interesting to see him in a Red Bull, especially against Vettel, but I don't know how well it would turn out, when you take 2007 into consideration.

 

[Speedster7]

Alonso is the best driver in the field, if vettel was in a Ferrari he couldn't run anywhere near the front pace. I think this will be a scare tactic to make Ferrari up their game, stop selling keychains and build the man a fast car!

And Alonso wouldn't join redbull while finger boy is there, they need a number 2 driver, which makes me think they will go for Ricciardo, for him to be Vettel's protege...

 

[Ardius]

I'd like to see Alonso at Red Bull if only because it makes the chances of Kobayashi in a Ferrari increase very slightly. (still a dream..but one I hang on to damn it!)

 

[zippy_the_cat]

The Alonso-to-RBR rumors set the cat amongst the pigeons but at the end of the day I don't see it happening. I've no doubt the approach was made and there were reports earlier this season hinting at dissatisfaction on Fernando's part with Ferrari. But in the end I think Horner effectively confirmed the feeler only to give Raikkonen a hurry-up. Might work, too, given how Alonso levered Kimi out of Ferrari. Kimi isn't one to nurse grudges publicly but I'd imagine 2008-09 to be a sore point with him and suspect he's now saying, "no you don't, buster, not again."

Of the three drivers in apparent contention I'm convinced Raikkonen is the best choice. Fast enough to keep Vettel honest, apolitical enough not to cause trouble in the garage, and old enough that he won't be around long enough to invalidate the RBR young driver program. Ricciardo has a case but I see his top end as being no better than Webber's and that means he's not really WDC material. The quotes we've seen recently out of the Red Bull camp suggest there are some there who still believe Vergne has better long-term potential (which I doubt); this could explain the reluctance to give Ricciardo a seat. Alonso being younger than Kimi would raise those questions about the young-driver program and there's obviously the potential for garage politics, so the calculus for him doesn't quite stack up. But it's interesting that Horner isn't dismissing the idea out of hand, like he was so quick to in 2011 when Hamilton approached him. To me that suggests that within the paddock, or with Horner at least, 2007 is seen as a blow-up attributable to Hamilton or Ron Dennis more than to Alonso.

Re a replacement at Ferrari, Kobayashi wouldn't be the driver they're looking for. It's very clear fans rate him much higher than engineers or team principals do.

Edit: Vettel talked to Benson and stated a clear preference for Raikkonen over Alonso.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Alonso is the best driver in the field, if vettel was in a Ferrari he couldn't run anywhere near the front pace. I think this will be a scare tactic to make Ferrari up their game, stop selling keychains and build the man a fast car!

And Alonso wouldn't join redbull while finger boy is there, they need a number 2 driver, which makes me think they will go for Ricciardo, for him to be Vettel's protege...

But I love my Scuderia Ferrari key chains and other accessories. Though I feel the RBR stuff is better quality 👍

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

I really can't see Fernando going to Red Bull. He's said quite a few times he'll end his career with Ferrari. I know that they haven't given him a really competitive car lately but in '10 and '12 he was in with a realistic shout of the championship at the last race. He's won 2 races this season along with a couple of other podiums, it's only half way through the season and Ferrari could turn it round and bring him back to the front.

I reckon that the talk between Horner and Alonso's agent was probably more to do with Carlos Sainz being in F1.

 

[Peasantslayer]

I really can't see Fernando going to Red Bull. He's said quite a few times he'll end his career with Ferrari. I know that they haven't given him a really competitive car lately but in '10 and '12 he was in with a realistic shout of the championship at the last race. He's won 2 races this season along with a couple of other podiums, it's only half way through the season and Ferrari could turn it round and bring him back to the front.

I reckon that the talk between Horner and Alonso's agent was probably more to do with Carlos Sainz being in F1.

Fernando might be thinking that his best years will soon be behind him and he can either finish as a 2 time champion whilst Vettel racks up the titles or go to Red Bull and try to prove he's the better driver.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Fernando might be thinking that his best years will soon be behind him and he can either finish as a 2 time champion whilst Vettel racks up the titles or go to Red Bull and try to prove he's the better driver.

I don't know, I feel that with the Marko and Horner influence that it'd be another Ron Dennis situation that Alonso would rather avoid. I think Ferrari can pull it together and I think the promise of next years car is what is keeping him tethered to Ferrari. I think next year it will be a massive Ferrari vs Mercedes fight due to the fact that they went out and used their more senior members to build next years car. Remember this is their B team working on the car and I don't think Ferrari are going to go send Rory to the F138 table. I could be wrong though they may do it since they did that last year with the F2012.

As a Ferrari Keychain member I get updates on the inner workings

 

[Samus]

IMO only way Alonso would end up at RBR is if Vettel went to Ferrari in his place. I'm sure Vettel said he'd want to drive there but obviously not next season.