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F1 2020 SEASON: NEWS - RUMOURS

Discussion in 'Formula 1' started by ched999uk, Oct 25, 2019.

  1. Justjazz

    Justjazz Well-Known Member

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    Danny is in a difficult place. Yes, Ferrari could be an option, Merc if Lewis goes to Ferrari, or even a replacement for Bottas. I think Danny is going to have to demonstrate his talent more this year to get re noticed given the crop of young drivers with talent, and smaller wage bills. Alternatively, Renault need to deliver.
     
    #81
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  2. DHCanary

    DHCanary Very Well-Known Member
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    I think for Danny Ric to ever stand on the podium again (let alone compete for wins and titles) he needs to ruin Ocon's career in 2020.

    Red Bull are highly unlikely to be an option ever again - they'll promote from within regardless of which driver leaves.
    Ferrari might need a second driver, but Vettel will surely stay for the 2021 season (which should suit him), by which point Giovinazzi or one of their 5 F2 drivers might well have had a chance to impress, they'll be desperate to get Mick Schumacher in a Ferrari if at all possible. I still think Ferrari would go for Perez over Ricciardo if they needed a driver this second too.

    As long as Hamilton is at Mercedes, Bottas stays. It's a tried and tested combination which neither driver are bothered about upsetting. Merc only replace Bottas if they know for certain that they're into a final season with Hamilton. They'll need a new number one, and want them embedded in the team and to learn from Hamilton if possible. At the moment, that's going to be Ocon or Russell, whichever is looking most promising.

    To overtake the pair of them in the pecking order, Danny Ric needs to make Ocon look terrible. He needs to be quicker on track, translate that into results, but also get under Ocon's skin and see if that petulance from old will resurface. Merc want a team player, something Ricciardo has traditionally been good at.
     
    #82
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  3. Justjazz

    Justjazz Well-Known Member

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    I agree with some of what you say, particularly about putting Ocon in the shadows. The Hulk was not far behind Danny on occasions last season, the car needs to be far better to allow the driver input to come through.

    I don't see Vettel at Ferrari in 2021 unless he suddenly finds a set of skills he has not displayed so far, his contract is only to the end of this year. There is a vacancy coming there.
    I think Danny has integrity, will want to justify his salary. His best option is Renault becoming a real contender but I think there will be one good seat available in 2021.
     
    #83
  4. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    So would I- Danny is excellent and I’d like to see him in a team where drivers are completely treated as equals.

    Max certainly has an edge on him from a pure one lap point of view but points are handed out on Sunday’s and Danny can definitely get in a title fight in the right car.

    The one thing I do know is that he is levels above Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon, and Red Bull have missed him dearly.

    It could cost them a constructors title if they build the best car in the coming years.
     
    #84
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  5. ched999uk

    ched999uk Well-Known Member

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    Rumours that Hamilton has or is about to sign 2 year deal with Merc!!!! My guess it will be his final 2 years. I would guess try for 7th wdc then new cars in 2021 and if Merc mess up in 2021 he then has extra year to prove how 'good' he is in new cars!!!!!
     
    #85
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  6. allsaintchris.

    allsaintchris. Well-Known Member

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    Williams will go nowhere if they keep signing up hopeless development drivers. There must be a huge wad of cash accompanying Roy 'son of Chanoch' Nissany.

    He will never get an F1 superlicence to race, so its just a cash exercise and what feedback can a driver with such a poor junior formula record really give?

    You just hope they strike it lucky with their 2020 car and give their drivers a slim chance of getting points, otherwise how long can this team carry on slithering around at the bottom of the laptimes?
     
    #86
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  7. Justjazz

    Justjazz Well-Known Member

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    I saw that announcement too, it is only a few tests, they will probably gain more from the telemetry than driver feedback so expect there is damage limitation. As you say, there must be money in it for Williams. That will be hived off to maintain the Williams lifestyle!!!
    That really was the wrong commentary she gave last year, more about lifestyle rather than passion.
     
    #87
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  8. ched999uk

    ched999uk Well-Known Member

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    Rumors suggesting that Ferrari have aero issues!! But other reports of them using 2 different cars at the 2 tests, same as Merc did last year! I wonder if they could be playing things down even before the tests so they don't look as good as last year only for it to turn sour?
    It's all too easy, at this tie of year, for teams to 'leak' info to mess with competitors heads, fun to read and guess though :)
    I do hope Ferrari have not messed up, that Honda have found an extra 50 horses and Renault have sorted reliability with MGUK and gained in aero.
    It would be great to have an unpredictable winner for a while.
    I can't really see any team messing up badly this year as regs are so stable plus they will all be putting effort into 2021.
     
    #88
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  9. Justjazz

    Justjazz Well-Known Member

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    No team in their right mind is going to show their true capability, if they are they probably don't have a fighting chance.
    If Honda come up with 50HP that surely would put them streets ahead? Not long before the season starts although at my age I ain't wishing the days away.
     
    #89
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  10. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    Forget Renault, they don't take it seriously enough to challenge at the front.
     
    #90
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  11. eddie_squidd

    eddie_squidd Well-Known Member

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    I'd love to see Ricciardo at Ferrari instead of Vettel. Trouble is Ferrari have already chosen their guy so I think he'd have an uphill battle. But he seems a better fit there than at no-hope Renault.
     
    #91
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  12. BrightLampShade

    BrightLampShade Well-Known Member
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    If Hamilton packed his bags I'd put Ricciardo and Russel at Mercedes.
     
    #92
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  13. Justjazz

    Justjazz Well-Known Member

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    I think George has yet to prove himself. He was in a rubbish car up against a driver that I don't believe was able to come back. George has a good history but needs to be able to prove himself with some outstanding performances in the midfield this year and hope Williams provides the car to enable this.
     
    #93
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  14. Justjazz

    Justjazz Well-Known Member

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    Rumours that Dad Stroll is going to take over Aston Martin are now intense. I am assuming there is a contractual obligation at Red Bull or does he want Red Bull too? Linking Aston Martin to Racing Point doesn't seem great.
     
    #94
  15. ched999uk

    ched999uk Well-Known Member

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    I think Aston are 'just' RB title sponsor + Adrians projects. Force India/Racing Point were quite good before their financial difficulties and Stroll came along. I am hoping FI/RP will be back on form for 2020. If they do come back turning them into Aston Martin F1 might be a good move especially with new 2021 budget cap.
     
    #95
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  16. DHCanary

    DHCanary Very Well-Known Member
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    Missed Apex podcast had a section on this in the last episode.

    I think the theory is that Daddy Stroll buys Aston Martin with the help of a Chinese electric car manufacturer, and between the 3 entities they take over the Mercedes F1 team, when they look to step back their involvement to being just an engine manufacturer around 2021/22.

    The Aston Martin RB partnership is dead. It was only sponsorship, and the only reason Red Bulls will run with AM branding this year is because the contract was paid in full at the start of the term. Aston Martin wouldn't have had the money otherwise. Honda will prefer to not have AM branding on the car too.

    Presume in that case Force Point Racing India become a more closely tied B-team.
     
    #96
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  17. Julius Caesar

    Julius Caesar Well-Known Member
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    Rumours circulating that Mercedes are having a crunch meeting to decide if they want to withdraw the works team after 2020 and continue soley as an engine manufacturer.

    Would definitely shake up the sport, but I would hate to see Mercedes leave unbeaten. Ferrari or Red Bull winning in 2021 would have an air "only won because Merc couldn't be bothered" about it, like Toyota winning Le Mans without Audi or Porsche.
     
    #97
  18. ched999uk

    ched999uk Well-Known Member

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    Rumor has it it's on 12 Feb! I wonder if Lewis is pricing himself out of a job!!!!
     
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  19. Number 1 Jasper

    Number 1 Jasper Well-Known Member

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    Being reported on Autosport as well .
     
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  20. Number 1 Jasper

    Number 1 Jasper Well-Known Member

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    And from the BBC .




    Lewis Hamilton yet to begin contract talks
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    By Andrew Benson

    Chief F1 writer

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    Wolff has overseen all of Hamilton's titles at Mercedes
    Lewis Hamilton says he is yet to start talks with Mercedes over a new contract with the team beyond 2020.

    The six-time world champion's deal with Mercedes runs out at the end of this season and Ferrari have admitted they have held talks with the Briton.

    Hamilton said on Instagram that he and Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff "have not even spoken about contract yet. Nothing is being negotiated currently."

    He was responding to reports that negotiations had broken down.

    Hamilton, referring to a report in Italy that talks had stalled over his demands, added: "Papers making up stories."

    The 36-year-old is still on his winter break and has been posting videos on his social media in recent days of him training and enjoying time with his father, Anthony, on what looks like a tropical island.

    Hamilton has previously given equivocal statements about his future, saying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of last season: "I love where I am, so it is definitely not a quick decision to go and do something else.

    "But it is only smart and wise to sit and think about what I want if it is the last phase of my career. Naturally I want to keep winning, I can't tell you what will happen going forwards."

    In Abu Dhabi, Wolff put the chances of Hamilton staying at Mercedes at 75%, saying: "From the rational side everything speaks for continuation of the relationship from both sides. But equally there is a 25% chance we are not in control of. So we see how the next months pan out."

    Report
    Negotiations over a new contract have to be done face to face and, in the past, Hamilton has only started talks with Wolff once he returned from his pre-season training regime ahead of winter testing, which starts in Spain on 19 February. The season begins with the Australian Grand Prix on 13-15 March.

    That is expected to be the case again this year, with the timing for any meetings dependent on their collective responsibility to ensure the team are as well prepared for the new season as possible.

    Hamilton has the chance to equal Michael Schumacher's all-time record of seven drivers' titles this year.

    Both are understood to have the intention to continue working together and it should be a question of refining the details of the contract until both are happy.

    But it is inevitable that the situation will drag on for some months as Hamilton and Wolff navigate the busy schedule of an F1 season and their commitments.

    If Hamilton had any thoughts of potentially leaving Mercedes, his views may be affected by the decisions by Ferrari and Red Bull to sign Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen on to long-term contracts over the winter.

    Leclerc is committed to Ferrari until 2024 and Verstappen to Red Bull until 2023, suggesting both teams see the drivers - the two biggest young starts in the sport - as their future.

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    Hamilton has won five of his six world championships at the German manufacturer
    Meanwhile, Ola Kallenius, the chairman of Mercedes' parent company Daimler, has dismissed reports that its board is poised to discuss pulling out of F1.

    Reuters asked Kallenius at a Germany Auto Industry reception in Berlin on Wednesday if Mercedes were planning to leave F1. He replied: "Not true."

    The report was by the British car-industry magazine Autocar and the racefans.net website, who said the issue would be discussed at a board meeting which it said would be on 12 March.

    BBC Sport understands there is no board meeting scheduled for that date.

    Mercedes, like nearly all F1 teams, has a contract with the sport that lasts only until the end of 2020.

    The teams and F1 have been in negotiations for more than two years over the future shape of the sport.

    New technical, sporting and financial regulations for 2021 were finalised last year but the terms of a new revenue distribution and governance system have yet to be agreed.

    Mercedes have won the last six drivers' and constructors' titles in F1.

    The car company said this month that its earnings halved in 2019 and that it faced charges of up to €1.5bn (£1.269bn) related to the diesel emissions scandal.

    The company this year made its official debut in the all-electric Formula E series.

    However, Kallenius said in an investor call last November that F1 was good value for the brand.

    "F1 has been an activity in terms of our marketing and branding strategy that has paid off handsomely in the last few years," he said.

    "You have to look at these investments in a rational way.

    "We weigh all our marketing and media investment in terms of reach, impact and cost.

    "If you use the Nielsen method to measure the media value of our F1 activities, they are north of €1bn a year, so an extreme reach and impact from this activity and the costs that we would not like to disclose publicly are surprising low because there is a cost and revenue side in F1. We are committed."
     
    #100

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