Alonso to return to F1 in 2021

[Mr Jack]

Possibly. Sporting rules never trump an actual court of the land though. It would be a bit like the Sauber situation a few years ago. Nothing came of the court case in the end.

Van de Garde walked away with $16m, pretty good for a nobody driver no-one cared about. Dani Ric is on a totally different league.

edit Woah! I looked up F1 driver salaries for 2013: Van de Garde was on €150k, now he may have got more in 2014 in theory, but he probably got a payout equal to at least twice what he'd expect for twice his career.

 

[Steampunk]

The more time passes since that season, the more I think Rosberg deserved it. He gave everything, concentrated on his strengths, raced for the championship, and beat the best driver of the last fifteen years as a result. He knew he'd reached his high point, and he bowed out. I have a lot of respect for that.

What annoyed me was how he pretended it was all his skill when a lot of bad luck on Hamilton's side was necessary. It wasn't skill vs skill, and Rosberg used a lot of behind the scenes destabalising tactics he got from Schumacher. I also didn't like the way he did the dirty on the team by bailing with almost no notice. In the end, he got his championship and realised he was never going to be able to pull that off again, and bowed out. Basically it broke him, and he wasn't willing to put himself or his family through that again.

 

[adam cool dude]

What annoyed me was how he pretended it was all his skill when a lot of bad luck on Hamilton's side was necessary. It wasn't skill vs skill, and Rosberg used a lot of behind the scenes destabalising tactics he got from Schumacher. I also didn't like the way he did the dirty on the team by bailing with almost no notice. In the end, he got his championship and realised he was never going to be able to pull that off again, and bowed out. Basically it broke him, and he wasn't willing to put himself or his family through that again.

Just like his father really.

 

[JBeck]

Possibly. Sporting rules never trump an actual court of the land though. It would be a bit like the Sauber situation a few years ago. Nothing came of the court case in the end.



Unless he's a Kimi type character that just loves to race drive anything, I can't see what the point of joining Williams would be. After driving for Mercedes a title winning car, what would your motivation be for joining Williams unless you thought you would be instrumental in rebuilding the team and were given/bought shares in it.

Because he would have nowhere else to go.

 

[Mr Jack]

Because he would have nowhere else to go.

Only in F1. Bottas would walk into a top seat in a dozen formulas from Formula-E to Touring Cars.

 

[MissChief]

What annoyed me was how he pretended it was all his skill when a lot of bad luck on Hamilton's side was necessary. It wasn't skill vs skill, and Rosberg used a lot of behind the scenes destabalising tactics he got from Schumacher. I also didn't like the way he did the dirty on the team by bailing with almost no notice. In the end, he got his championship and realised he was never going to be able to pull that off again, and bowed out. Basically it broke him, and he wasn't willing to put himself or his family through that again.

I always think he screwed over a fair few other drivers too. Hulkenberg would probably have been a shoe-in at Mercedes before he signed his three year deal with Renault. A proper German in a German team would have been publicity gold in Germany for Mercedes.

 

[Mr Jack]

I always think he screwed over a fair few other drivers too. Hulkenberg would probably have been a shoe-in at Mercedes before he signed his three year deal with Renault. A proper German in a German team would have been publicity gold in Germany for Mercedes.

If that was the case, then you could equally argue he created opportunities for drivers like Bottas.

In reality, there was no way that Mercedes were going to give the seat to Hülkenberg. If they wanted German that badly they'd have given the seat to Wehrlein.

 

[mmj_uk]

I don't know about the behind the scenes stuff but Rosberg retiring was definitely a case of knowing he fluked it and the only way from there was down, it reminded me of when Marion Bartoli won Wimbledon and then quickly retired, after her opponent knocked out all of the best players and then totally choked the final.

 

[Steampunk]

I always think he screwed over a fair few other drivers too. Hulkenberg would probably have been a shoe-in at Mercedes before he signed his three year deal with Renault. A proper German in a German team would have been publicity gold in Germany for Mercedes.

Bottas must be the luckiest driver out there to be the only person that Mercedes could get at the last minute thanks to Williams always selling their drivers and having Mercedes engines. There were probably half a dozen better drivers that would have jumped at that chance if they hadn't just been locked into new contracts. Even Mercedes was ****** for being put in the position where Bottas was the only driver they could get.

I think it ended up being better for the team to have a good-but-not-good-enough driver to back Hamilton up, but that would have happened without Rosberg actively trying to destabilise the team to try and keep up with Hamilton.

 

[Mr Jack]

Bottas must be the luckiest driver out there to be the only person that Mercedes could get at the last minute thanks to Williams always selling their drivers and having Mercedes engines. There were probably half a dozen better drivers that would have jumped at that chance if they hadn't just been locked into new contracts. Even Mercedes was ****** for being put in the position where Bottas was the only driver they could get.

This being the internet, I'm not really sure whether you're being sarcastic here.

 

[englishpremier]

I don't know about the behind the scenes stuff but Rosberg retiring was definitely a case of knowing he fluked it and the only way from there was down, it reminded me of when Marion Bartoli won Wimbledon and then quickly retired, after her opponent knocked out all of the best players and then totally choked the final.

I recently read about the stuff he thought Schumacher was getting up to to destabilise him, so I guess he learned a trick or two.

I don't think he fluked a championship though, he was genuinely quick. Both drivers got up to no good. Nico using banned engine modes in Bahrain. Lewis using same banned modes in Spain. The incident in Monaco that Nico was cleared of. Lewis refusing the team order in Hungary (we've seen that before). 2014 was very close. The double points race skews how close it was due to Nico's ERS problem at that race.

Overall it was 2-1 to Lewis. Strange, I always remember Nico having car issues. There were jokes on here that got Schumachers car, but Lewis had the most retirements. The car issues tended to punt them down the grid rather than force retirements.

I think if Alonso was in the Merc car it might still be 2-1 to Lewis, but probably only a few points in it over the 3 seasons.

 

[JBeck]

I recently read about the stuff he thought Schumacher was getting up to to destabilise him, so I guess he learned a trick or two.

I don't think he fluked a championship though, he was genuinely quick. Both drivers got up to no good. Nico using banned engine modes in Bahrain. Lewis using same banned modes in Spain. The incident in Monaco that Nico was cleared of. Lewis refusing the team order in Hungary (we've seen that before). 2014 was very close. The double points race skews how close it was due to Nico's ERS problem at that race.

Overall it was 2-1 to Lewis. Strange, I always remember Nico having car issues. There were jokes on here that got Schumachers car, but Lewis had the most retirements. The car issues tended to punt them down the grid rather than force retirements.

I think if Alonso was in the Merc car it might still be 2-1 to Lewis, but probably only a few points in it over the 3 seasons.

What about all the mechanical failures that Lewis had that year?

 

[JBeck]

Bottas must be the luckiest driver out there to be the only person that Mercedes could get at the last minute thanks to Williams always selling their drivers and having Mercedes engines. There were probably half a dozen better drivers that would have jumped at that chance if they hadn't just been locked into new contracts. Even Mercedes was ****** for being put in the position where Bottas was the only driver they could get.

I think it ended up being better for the team to have a good-but-not-good-enough driver to back Hamilton up, but that would have happened without Rosberg actively trying to destabilise the team to try and keep up with Hamilton.

Well if Russell gets that Merc drive next year which I firmly believe he will, Bottas will have nowhere to go but back to Williams as all other seats are taken.

Bottas has had a good run, he was in the right place at the right time and has had 4 years in a top car, but his time must be done surely. I know give him a hard time and like I said in the other thread he's a nice guy, but he's just not quick enough.

 

[Mr Jack]

Well if Russell gets that Merc drive next year which I firmly believe he will, Bottas will have nowhere to go but back to Williams as all other seats are taken.

It's s shame. I think Ferrari or Renault should have tried to get him. Maybe Haas could be an option, or Alfa?

 

[Andr3w]

It's s shame. I think Ferrari or Renault should have tried to get him. Maybe Haas could be an option, or Alfa?

Bottas is way too good for all of those teams, such a shame.

The ideal for me would be to keep George in a Williams and see them actually competing for points. Regularly getting P4-P8. Never going to happen though.

 

[JBeck]

Bottas is way too good for all of those teams, such a shame.

The ideal for me would be to keep George in a Williams and see them actually competing for points. Regularly getting P4-P8. Never going to happen though.

No it's not which I agree is a shame, but they have made progress which is nice to see.

 

[MissChief]

I'm not convinced Bottas is any better than most of the other drivers on the grid. Lets face it the Mercedes has been so good unless you're Giovanazzi or Grosjean most drivers would be taking the car to first or second every race. Russell has been right on the pace of the race drivers any time he's tested in the Mercedes, He's be just as good or even slightly better than Bottas. Also I doubt George will wait beyond the end of next season. Come 2022 if it's not looking like he's getting a seat at Mercedes and someone else comes knocking on his door, like McLaren, Red Bull or even Ferrari, he'll be off.

 

[413x]

I'm not convinced Bottas is any better than most of the other drivers on the grid. Lets face it the Mercedes has been so good unless you're Giovanazzi or Grosjean most drivers would be taking the car to first or second every race. Russell has been right on the pace of the race drivers any time he's tested in the Mercedes, He's be just as good or even slightly better than Bottas. Also I doubt George will wait beyond the end of next season. Come 2022 if it's not looking like he's getting a seat at Mercedes and someone else comes knocking on his door, like McLaren, Red Bull or even Ferrari, he'll be off.

Agree worry you'd. Bottas it's just average.
Likes albon really.

 

[chrismscotland]

Bottas is way too good for all of those teams, such a shame.

The ideal for me would be to keep George in a Williams and see them actually competing for points. Regularly getting P4-P8. Never going to happen though.

I have to agree, personally I think Russell has yet to really prove himself; if not Williams he could do with a couple of seasons in a mid-field team to properly test his mettle; I’ve yet to see anything that suggests he should be going straight into a Mercedes seat, its a shame that Racing Point (as the B Team basically) don’t have space for him, at least they’re competitive.

 

[413x]

Bottas serves Mercedes perfectly really

Good enough for 2nd.and sometimes 1st when stars align.
No real threat to Hamilton, safe pair of hands.
Probably cheap too.

If I was merc. I'd keep the drivers I had.
Anyone else is either a risk, or a threat to Hamilton (verstappen) and you don't want that.

Apart from Hamilton and verstappen, is there anyone else exceptional? Norris could be getting that if he carries on improving.
Never sure how good Riccardo is. Hard to quantify