F1 silly season

[EauRouge]

It's getting very silly now with these rumours of Alonso going to Red Bull- can't see it happening. I hope it won't be Kimi either. Seb needs a good number 2 behind him, someone that won't challenge him for the championship. I reckon Ricciardo is Red Bull's best bet.

[HilariousLotus]

The only rumors i have heard about the Ferrari seat is that Alonso will stay but Massa's seat is going to be up for grabs possibly by Nico Hulkenberg or Jules Bianchi up for that seat

There have been some rumblings about Mclaren not keeping hold of Perez next season because of his inability to get along with Jenson and out of the two of them they want to keep Jenson unless of course Jenson moves up the grid to Lotus with that spare seat when Kimi goes?

[grimbletart]

Only just found this thread....I bet Vettel would prefer Ricciardo (even though he says he doesn't mind) because he would be a definite No 2.

I'd love to see Kimi in a Red Bull and how it panned out between him and Vettel.....

[juneau]

I'd love to see the fireworks at RBR if either Kimi or Alonso joins Vettel. Vettel is an incredible driver, but he's like a spoilt child and he loves being the golden boy while poor old Webber always gets to play second fiddle. I'd put a bet on how many races it would take Vettel to throw all his toys out of the pram if he didn't get preferential treatment!

I'd love to go to Spa. Actually, it's my dream to win the lottery and be able to go to every race one season [wistful look]

[EauRouge]

His temper tantrums are his major flaw- if he learnt to keep his cool a bit better he'd be even more difficult to beat. I expect it'll improve with age and we'll be able to look forward to years of him winning every single chuffing race

[EauRouge]

Flavio reckons Alonso is staying put.

[Frettchen]

I reckon Seb'll be tolerable in a few years. Lewis had some silly moments of being arrogant/argumentative, and seems to have grown out of them. Surely Seb'll grow up a bit too...?

For that reason I would rather Kimi join RBR than Ricciardo. I like Ricciardo, but I think Kimi would be better for Seb (by which I mean no-nonsense and a challenge performance-wise)

di Resta in Ferrari with Alonso would be awesome, both for advancing di Resta's chances, and for getting rid of Massa. (I may have a bit of a soft spot for Rob Smedley though - more of him on screen please!)

[HilariousLotus]

Apparently the Alonso going to RBR rumors are not being squashed by Christian Horner because they are being used to lower the wage demands of Kimi but if they are not lower they are going to go with Riccardo for a year

I still think Mercedes should've got a harsher penalty for the not so secret tyre test because look at the teams form since then, the tyres have held up so they got a lot of data and knowledge from it or they have found a magic genie

Also there have been rumblings about RBR not keeping hold of Adrian Newey for much longer which would be a bad bad thing and something they should avoid if they want to keep winning the man is a genuis

[EauRouge]

Ooh, they'll want to keep hold of Newey. I wonder why he would leave? Early retirement?

[HilariousLotus]

There is apparently rumblings that he has had some issues with the owners and may be looking to change teams which would not end well for RBR but would be very welcome for any team he joined

In my opinion RBR should throw all the money they have at Newey to keep him they would be very very lost otherwise

[OliviaIsOffTheGinMumsnet]

[EauRouge]

I am so bored of the mid-season break already and there's still 2 weeks to go until Spa.

[EauRouge]

Finally, some gossip.

"Right now, we're really not giving any thought to the driver-market situation," said a Ferrari spokesman. Yeah, if you say so

[Frettchen]

I like that they followed that quote up with;
"Drivers are not a problem for us even if we were to change Felipe."

Which says to me that they very much are giving it some thought. Especially as it's probably true - Ferrari no doubt have a queue of drivers more than willing to work for them.

[DameDeepRedBetty]

So far the only opportunity any of us have ever had to see what might happen if Sebastian Vettel had a real run for his money has been Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. And he wasn't the fastest was he?

[Frettchen]

I was at Silverstone this year and got to talking to one of the Crowd Marshals, and she was saying how for the last couple of years the anti-Vettel feeling has been very noticeable; the cheers when he's passed and just generally the cheers for anyone except him.

I would feel bad for the guy were he not such an arse!

[sunshinemeg]

Loving the thread, although I did get a little distracted with the t-shirt link.

Personally I am hugely disappointed for Jenson at the moment, really hope to see him achieving more. I am or rather was a huge mclaren fan, and personally would love to see Di Resta join them!

[HilariousLotus]

Daniel Riccardo will be announced as Vettels team mate at the Belgium gp according to Sport Bild

So looks like Kimi is staying at lotus

[EauRouge]

Do you think he will stay? They'll have to cough up a bit more cash. I can't see where else he would go though, unless he really does go back to Ferrari.

I wouldn't be surprised about Ricciardo, I really think he's RB's best option.

[HilariousLotus]

I really thought Kimi would go to RBR especially with Lotus's financial troubles and him not getting paid ... Plus I don't see how Lotus will be competitive next year especially with the rule change and James Allison at Ferarri it is a strange decision for him not to go unless he wanted to and they picked Daniel anyway

I really couldn't see him at Ferarri especially because they like to have a number two driver and Kimi is defiantly not that plus they would have to accept they were wrong to buy Kimi out of his contract and to bring Alonso in the last time and Ferarri are many things but they very rarely accept they are wrong and would Alonso want him as a team mate especially given his experience as part of a battling twosome whilst be was at Mclaren there is too many negatives for Kimi to end up at Ferarri again I think

Your right though there is no where else for him to go but I don't think he will get more money mainly just because I don't think lotus have anymore to give him

[HilariousLotus]

Pressed the post button too soon but apologies of my rather long ramblings as they still continue

I agree wholeheartedly with Sunshinemeg Jenson is such a nice guy you can't help but wish him the best and an all British team with him and Di Resta would be amazing especially becuse I feel like Paul deserves to move up the grid so he can win the championship but apparently Mclaren are keeping the same lineup for next year so no spare seat unless Massa loses his at Ferarris but that's Nico H.'S or Biancis so Paul is staying put as far as I have read

[EauRouge]

Ramble away, my DH glazes over a bit if I try talking to him about it.

Interesting column from Peter Windsor in F1 Racing this month about the effect of sponsorship on the driver market. Maybe Kimi could get backing from Finlandia

[HilariousLotus]

So Kimi is defiantly not going to Red Bull according to Steve Robertson (Kimi's Manager) the talks broke down a while ago and it's clear Kimi will not be driving for Red Bull next year (:( I would link but its in Finnish but it will apparently be up on the by website soon

[HilariousLotus]

I meant Bbc stupid phone autocorrect

[EauRouge]

EJ reckons Kimi wants to go back to Ferrari. Seems like a given Ricciardo is going to RB. I'm sure we'll see a few more announcements this weekend.

I wonder if Ferrari ditch Massa, will he go to another team or just retire? I don't think he's ever really recovered from his accident.

[HilariousLotus]

I said last week i would eat my hat if Kimi went back to Ferrari as i was so sure he wouldn't but i don't know now there seems to be a lot of rumors and speculation that Kimi wants out of Lotus and there is no where else for him to go now, unless Sergio leaves Mclaren but they have such a horrific car it doesn't seem possible and Sergio is bringing in that sponsorship money i doubt they are letting him go ... so i may end up eating my hat

Unless the rumors that Pastor is going to Ferrari are true because they do like to have a South American on the team and he comes with all that sponsorship money as well .... Oh i do love the rumors of silly season and only a couple days till Spa