Page 2 of 182 FirstFirst 12341252102 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 1812

Thread: F1 2022 Season - "Big Wheels"

  1. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    1,813
    Russell will be in the Mercedes next season, Bottas to Alfa in Kimi’s place. Sauber head Vasseur has said that Ferrari’s pick for a seat expires at the end of this season and I believe they’ll want to dump Gio. I’d love Ilott to be given a chance.

    Williams may keep Latifi despite their insistence that they no longer need pay drivers. He’s done well enough I think to deserve the seat and the money he brings does make things easier. The other seat seems to be Albon’s if he can get out of the Red Bull link although some have said Nyck DeVries is a possibility.

  2. #12
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    ox.mx
    Posts
    8,233
    If Toto is demanding that RB sever ties with Alex in order to have him race in a Williams, then I say fuck it, give Peter Sauber a ring, wasn't he the first to receive Red Bull advertising in F1?

    Make Sauber the F1 rejects team!!
    acket.

  3. #13
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Cambridge, UK
    Posts
    843
    I hope Alex gets on the grid in 2022. I don't know how good he really is, but I think he deserves another chance to find out. The further away from Red Bull the better perhaps? But either Williams or Alfa would be a good match IMHO.

    I heard Sauber fell out with Red Bull a while back, they wanted him to run one of their juniors but he stubbornly insisted on taking an unknown and inexperienced Finnish driver instead. Some Kimi guy... wonder what happened to him?

  4. #14
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    12,805
    Why is Toto not focusing on his own team and stay out of RB business?

  5. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    2,102
    Quote Originally Posted by Crazed_Insanity View Post
    Why is Toto not focusing on his own team and stay out of RB business?
    Because this is F1 and anything must be made to win and boicott others.
    It's like the norm in F1 since 1950.

    EDIT: Mercedes next season is not only supplying engines to Williams but also the drivetrain.
    Nicky De Vries (2019 F2 and 2021 Formula E champion) is Mercedes' protegè and Williams is Mercedes junior team (differently from Mclaren and Aston Martin which are partners).
    It is only natural to behave in this way.
    Toto Wolff about Albon "He deserves a place in F1 but it is difficult to think about a 100% Red Bull driver driving a car with a Mercedes engine.
    We will be happy to work with him IF Red Bull will release him out of their contract" (from italian motorsport.com site)

    That's the way Mercedes thinks of Williams: WE.
    The rest of the equation is easy to solve.

    Also, AR has nothing to do with Ferrari anymore.
    The red team is once again laughably bad at organizing long term ties with other teams in F1.
    Last edited by Blerpa; September 6th, 2021 at 06:44 AM.

  6. #16
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    12,805
    Ah, Toto doesn’t want a RB spy to get a taste of Mercedes engine and report back. Got it. I guess that makes sense.

    However if I were Albon, not sure if I want to be the next George Russell and be stuck at Williams forever… and throw away all my RB ties… if I were Gasly, then maybe, but not sure what I’d do if I were Albon. I think I’d only leave if I know that 2nd seat won’t be available for a long long time…

  7. #17
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    ox.mx
    Posts
    8,233
    Doesn't Toto or Sussie own share in Williams as well?

    I mean, he is first and foremost a Frankfurt speculator, right?
    acket.

  8. #18
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Cambridge, UK
    Posts
    843
    Bottas announces he's driving for Alfa for 2022 and 23 (possibly longer, just said a 'multi year contract').

    No surprise, but I like the way that Kimi was allowed to announce his own retirement, then Valtteri allowed to announce his move to Alfa, before Merc announce that George will be driving for them from next year.

    This is good for Alfa, hope they manage to make a good car next year.

    I think Bottas was the best wingman Merc could've hoped for, hard to think of many drivers as quick as that who are also prepared to keep playing second fiddle and not playing politics. Merc team management's job has been so much easier since Christmas 2016.

    IMHO Williams looks a better bet than Alfa, but I can understand Valtteri not wanting to return whence he came, seeing all the same faces again to remind him that his career has peaked.

  9. #19
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    12,805
    If I were him, I'd just retire. If I'm gonna keep going after my prime like Kimi has done... I thought it was nice of him for Kimi to return 'home' to Sauber and help make the team a bit better. Probably helped the team attract some sponsorship money as well?

    For Bottas, he should've went home where he started his career. Unless there are actually some face at Williams that he doesn't want to see again?

    Anyway, for sure a short career in F-1, veteran drivers really should just move out of the way to make room for youngsters if it becomes clear that you're never going to come close to a championship fight...

  10. #20
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    1,813
    Quote Originally Posted by Crazed_Insanity View Post
    Ah, Toto doesn’t want a RB spy to get a taste of Mercedes engine and report back. Got it. I guess that makes sense.

    However if I were Albon, not sure if I want to be the next George Russell and be stuck at Williams forever… and throw away all my RB ties… if I were Gasly, then maybe, but not sure what I’d do if I were Albon. I think I’d only leave if I know that 2nd seat won’t be available for a long long time…
    So Williams are in a much better position now than they were when they first signed George, that's for sure, to the extent that Dorilton Capital, the teams owners have said they don't need a pay driver and will be looking to hire on talent, hence why Albon seems to be their preferred option. I suspect Latifi will stay/be kept on, I believe he has a contract and while he brings sponsorship, somewhere even around £5-£10m per season I believe, Williams would be crazy to turn that away. If Albon isn't released from his Red Bull ties then it may be De Vries alongside Latifi, likely with a sweetener from Mercedes in some way.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •