Formula 1 2020 - General Discussion Thread (See MOD warning on first post)

Harika

T-Maxx wrote: »

I'm a big Alonso fan but there's zero chance of him getting a seat in F1 again.

He is stirring the rumour pot on twitter right now

vectra

Harika wrote: »

He is stirring the rumour pot 5hite on twitter right now

FYP

El_Duderino 09

T-Maxx wrote: »

I'm a big Alonso fan but there's zero chance of him getting a seat in F1 again.

I think everyone is a fan of the idea of Alonso being in F1 again. It's highly unlikely though. The biggest appeal to it is as a PR stunt. But he's burned his bridges.

ELM327

T-Maxx wrote: »

I'm a big Alonso fan but there's zero chance of him getting a seat in F1 again.

I agree but it's good to dream.
Renault would make sense too if he was to come back.

Sheeps

Alonso is confirmed for Renault in 2021





























































































allegedly

Sheeps

The rumour mills are actually hilarious at the moment on twitter. I had absolutely no idea there were so many female simps for the drivers either. They're absolutely losing their minds.

ELM327

https://www.gpfans.com/en/articles/52458/vettel-f1-exit-could-open-the-door-to-an-alonso-return/

vectra

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I think everyone is a fan of the idea of Alonso being in F1 again. It's highly unlikely though. The biggest appeal to it is as a PR stunt. But he's burned his bridges.

No,
Not me, was never a fan of Alonso.

Infoanon

Infoanon wrote: »

The Italian press have it that Sainz will be confirmed possibly as early as this week.

Harsh reality is Leclerc is Ferraris future ,Vettel was yesterday's man at Ferrari.

Before this story broke there where stories of Renault struggling to convince DR to stay - maybe DR could be McLaren bound ?

Multiple normally reliable sources are now reporting that DR on his way to McLaren.

Renault are also commenting on the need for salary controls in F1.

Early in the week it was suggested that Vettel might go to Renault but as the week has progressed retirement seems more likely.

supremenovice

All this love for Sainz reminds me of the nonsense when Bottas replaced Rosberg "a like for like swap" some said. For the love and lamb of jaysus!
Sainz was comprehensively beaten by Hulkenburg at Renault in 2018 and in turn, Nico was well beaten by Ricciardo. Leclerc is at least 0.4sec a lap faster on average than him. Ferrari are reverting back to the tried and trusted formula of a clear No1 a la Schu/Barrichello & Schu/Irvine.

Harika

supremenovice wrote: »

All this love for Sainz reminds me of the nonsense when Bottas replaced Rosberg "a like for like swap" some said. For the love and lamb of jaysus!
Sainz was comprehensively beaten by Hulkenburg at Renault in 2018 and in turn, Nico was well beaten by Ricciardo. Leclerc is at least 0.4sec a lap faster on average than him. Ferrari are reverting back to the tried and trusted formula of a clear No1 a la Schu/Barrichello & Schu/Irvine.

Sainz was on par with verstappen when together. Those driver a beats b then c bigger than d comparison are useless. Rosberg beat Schumacher, who would say he is better?

DR might have to take a pay cut at McLaren as Renault paid him obscene money. He also had a clause in that triggered when Renault could not provide a race winning car.

bmc58

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I think everyone is a fan of the idea of Alonso being in F1 again. It's highly unlikely though. The biggest appeal to it is as a PR stunt. But he's burned his bridges.

Has become too much of a drama queen.All me,me,me.Teams don't want his disruptive influence.

bmc58

supremenovice wrote: »

All this love for Sainz reminds me of the nonsense when Bottas replaced Rosberg "a like for like swap" some said. For the love and lamb of jaysus!
Sainz was comprehensively beaten by Hulkenburg at Renault in 2018 and in turn, Nico was well beaten by Ricciardo. Leclerc is at least 0.4sec a lap faster on average than him. Ferrari are reverting back to the tried and trusted formula of a clear No1 a la Schu/Barrichello & Schu/Irvine.

Saintz has matured into a really solid driver.Hulkenberg has gone the other way bordering on reckless.

Harika

Provisional race calendar

1. 05/07 - Austria 1
2. 12/07 Austria 2
3. 26/07 Britain 1
4. 02/08 Britain 2
5. 09/08 Germany/Spain
6. 23/08 Hungary
7. 30/08 Belgium
8. 06/09 Italy
9. 20/09 Azerbaijan
10. 27/09 Russia
? 06/12 Bahrain
? 13/12 Abu Dhabi

Not complete and set in stone

pjohnson

Harika wrote: »

Provisional race calendar

1. 05/07 - Austria 1
2. 12/07 Austria 2
3. 26/07 Britain 1
4. 02/08 Britain 2
5. 09/08 Germany/Spain
6. 23/08 Hungary
7. 30/08 Belgium
8. 06/09 Italy
9. 20/09 Azerbaijan
10. 27/09 Russia
? 06/12 Bahrain
? 13/12 Abu Dhabi

Not complete and set in stone

Is that the F2 calendar leak or is there a separate F1 leak.?

Harika

pjohnson wrote: »

Is that the F2 calendar leak or is there a separate F1 leak.?

F2 leak, the gap between is obvious

Charlie-Bravo

I could very much see Hulk being resigned to Renault to keep some experience and steer the team while Icon needs in. Possible one year contract?!

pjohnson

Harika wrote: »

F2 leak, the gap between is obvious

Impossible to know with how things are. Every race will be provisional until they get on the start grid.

AMKC

pjohnson wrote: »

Is that the F2 calendar leak or is there a separate F1 leak.?

Maybe its both with 3 or 4 hours in between each race.

El_Duderino 09

astrofluff wrote: »

I could very much see Hulk being resigned to Renault to keep some experience and steer the team while Icon needs in. Possible one year contract?!

That's possible. Hulk didn't have an other offers. The places for Seb would all be gone if that happened. He would be most likely to leave the sport.

I wouldn't begrudge Seb his retirement. He's a x4 WDC and his best days are a few years behind him. No shame in leaving and enjoying his retirement.

recyclebin

I would not be surprised if one or two of the manufacturer teams pulled out next year or year after if we have a long global recession after coronavirus. Renault could easily pull out at very short notice.

Corben Dallas

AMKC wrote: »

Maybe its both with 3 or 4 hours in between each race.

F2 runs on *most* of same weekends as F1 so could in effect be F1 schedule for 2020.

---

So if its Sainz to Ferrari and Danny Ric going to McLaren? Then Renault should sign Alonso. I just cant see Vettel going to Renault.

Also Renault is still on good terms with Alonso? so might make sense, has ties going back to Benetton days and was contracted to Flavio Briatore when starting out.

H3llR4iser

I don't really get all the Alonso rumors...does anyone realise Fernando is gonna be 40 years old in 2021? How comes that people comment about 32 or 35 years old getting "old" (read, Vettel and Hamilton), but good 'ol Nando should be ok to come back to F1 at 40 after a couple of years of absence? Didn't exactly work magnificently for a certain Michael Schumacher, nor for Mansell in 1994 (although he did get that Adelaide win after that little elimination game at the front).

Top Dog

I could be in a minority here, but I think its a terrible move for Sainz. Given the Ferrari history of having a clear number 1 driver, he's destined for a number 2 role behind LeClerc. Any potential progress and success he might now have will only be allowed when it doesn't impact on LeClerc's position (the crimson Bottas in reality). After watching Drive to Survive, it looked as if he had a fantastic relationship with Lando & McLaren, so I'm somewhere between thinking its a ballsy or a stupid move. Time will tell.

Danny to McLaren could be great fun with himself & Lando. Renault failed to deliver on their promise so I certainly don't blame him for leaving if the seat is offered to him. Maybe with the Mercedes engine behind him he might have a better chance, and to be fair, McLaren were looking much stronger and on a good path last year.

Alonso returning? Can't see it, and don't want to. He was kryptonite in his later years in F1, and while he was a fantastic driver once upon a time, I can't say I miss him, nor the drama that followed him.

Hulk back for a year in Renault also seems more likely than Vettel taking up the seat.

flazio

Depending on how Renault are doing for money, we may well see Kubica in the seat.

Another factor to consider here in this merry-go-round is how much longer do we reckon Kimi will stay at Alfa Romeo?

pjohnson

flazio wrote: »

Depending on how Renault are doing for money, we may well see Kubica in the seat.

Another factor to consider here in this merry-go-round is how much longer do we reckon Kimi will stay at Alfa Romeo?

Oh christ dont set off Duderino again.


Zhou was probably wanted for the Renault seat but it depends on his F2 season now. He needs superlicense points. He would bring a large wodge of money.


I also think Kimi's Alfa seat was set for whichever had the best F2 season from Shwartzman/Armstrong/Schumacher but again thats now up in the air.

El_Duderino 09

H3llR4iser wrote: »

I don't really get all the Alonso rumors...does anyone realise Fernando is gonna be 40 years old in 2021? How comes that people comment about 32 or 35 years old getting "old" (read, Vettel and Hamilton), but good 'ol Nando should be ok to come back to F1 at 40 after a couple of years of absence? Didn't exactly work magnificently for a certain Michael Schumacher, nor for Mansell in 1994 (although he did get that Adelaide win after that little elimination game at the front).

I mean, you're right. Nobody really wants a 40 year old on the grid. He wouldn't be the old Fernando from his prime.

I think people have spent ages willing him I to a good car that we've probably all lost sight of the fact that he's almost certainly past it by now. Out with the old and in with the new.

I'd actually be more interested in looking for the next Alonso rather than pinning any hopes on a 40 year old. Alonso ballsed up his career and has nobody to blame but himself. It's a real shame.

El_Duderino 09

pjohnson wrote: »

Oh christ dont set off Duderino again....

I really think you get more worried about this than I do.

But sure, if a team really needs money, they might stuck it up and take Kubica. That's how pay drivers work. It's really doubtful though because of his lack of pace. But, if needs must...

The amount of time spent fantasising about getting a spent driver back in f1...

Harika

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I'd actually be more interested in looking for the next Alonso rather than pinning any hopes on a 40 year old. Alonso ballsed up his career and has nobody to blame but himself. It's a real shame.

Yeah its a generation break now with Alonso, Kimi, Hamilton and Vettel being replaced by Russell, Norris, Giovanazzi. Also sainz and verstappen stepping up to become world champion, Ric trying to make it happen and maybe in GP2 the next best driver is waiting.

El_Duderino 09

Harika wrote: »

Yeah its a generation break now with Alonso, Kimi, Hamilton and Vettel being replaced by Russell, Norris, Giovanazzi. Also sainz and verstappen stepping up to become world champion, Ric trying to make it happen and maybe in GP2 the next best driver is waiting.

Plus LeClerc

And they won't all be world champions or even top drivers. But the future is with them, not a 40 year old Alonso or Kimi.