Official F1 Silly Season 2012 thread
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I'd say that's pretty standard because his money would have been increased straight away on signing the new deal and the 3 years would run from that time. Just the same as footballers I imagine.
As for Button being cut I imagine Mclaren are not so stupid they don't have performance clauses where he can be shown the door for much less that his salary. Likewise I expect Buttons agent would want a performance clause the other way as well.
Not that it will happen anyway, the intention when signing Button in the first place was to sign a better back up driver to Lewis than HK. They got that and more to boot, he's still won a race this year and done better than most no2's for his first two years. They already knew they had a driver that thought saturday afternoons was a day of rest.
I don't think they are fretting about a replacement just yet.
Thought he went up to 10 with his new deal, still even at 10 million a year wage that's 45 million from bonuses and sponsors? a lot! mind you he will be not be getting much bonuses this season
I'd like to see Pastor Maldonado lose his seat, but it's not going to happen is it ? His daddy's money is keeping him at Williams, which is a shame as I know there are lots of other drivers waiting on the sidelines.
The website where I found the above contract says : "Maldonado seems to have a performance contract, which only the Williams team can terminate, when and if they see fit. In fact, PDVSA is merely a money tool, paying £29,4 million for 2012. This amount increases over the next three years to a total of £40 million by the end of 2015"
With this kind of wonga floating around, Williams will just turn a blind eye to Pastor ramming people off the track won't they ?
The website where I found the above contract says : "Maldonado seems to have a performance contract, which only the Williams team can terminate, when and if they see fit. In fact, PDVSA is merely a money tool, paying £29,4 million for 2012. This amount increases over the next three years to a total of £40 million by the end of 2015"
With this kind of wonga floating around, Williams will just turn a blind eye to Pastor ramming people off the track won't they ?
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Regarding Maldonado: do you think the only reason we now care about his pay seat is because Williams are doing well? Would we all be this vocal if they were fighting with Marussia with no points like last year?
That said though, my issues haven't been with pay drivers as a whole (Schumacher paid for his first drive after all...), but more with the way the Venezuelan government are trying to buy their way into motor sport. It's great that a country gets behind its sportsman, but spending public money on buying F1 seats, or in the case of GP2, buying whole teams because your driver isn't good enough to earn a seat elsewhere, is just wrong.
There are a lot of pay drivers on the grid, and there have always been, its more the attempt by his government to buy positive PR that I don't like about Maldonado.
That and the fact he keeps driving into people...
That said though, my issues haven't been with pay drivers as a whole (Schumacher paid for his first drive after all...), but more with the way the Venezuelan government are trying to buy their way into motor sport. It's great that a country gets behind its sportsman, but spending public money on buying F1 seats, or in the case of GP2, buying whole teams because your driver isn't good enough to earn a seat elsewhere, is just wrong.
There are a lot of pay drivers on the grid, and there have always been, its more the attempt by his government to buy positive PR that I don't like about Maldonado.
That and the fact he keeps driving into people...
I know what you're saying and that might be true for some people. For me though, he first popped up on my "nobhead radar" when he apparently rammed Lewis Hamilton in free practice last year. He then rammed him again in the Valencia grand Prix this year. He almost took Perez out in Monaco and then did take him out in Silverstone. To make matters worse, the stewards penalties are laughable and Pastor refuses point blank to accept any responsibilty for his actions. Combine all of this with the fact that the guy "Pays to Play" and it just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
And yes I am biased because i'm a LH fan !
I know what you're saying and that might be true for some people. For me though, he first popped up on my "nobhead radar" when he apparently rammed Lewis Hamilton in free practice last year. He then rammed him again in the Valencia grand Prix this year. He almost took Perez out in Monaco and then did take him out in Silverstone. To make matters worse, the stewards penalties are laughable and Pastor refuses point blank to accept any responsibilty for his actions. Combine all of this with the fact that the guy "Pays to Play" and it just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
And yes I am biased because i'm a LH fan !
that makes LH a nobhead for ramming so many last season (if not more so for the fact that he is pretty experienced).
I know what you're saying and that might be true for some people. For me though, he first popped up on my "nobhead radar" when he apparently rammed Lewis Hamilton in free practice last year. He then rammed him again in the Valencia grand Prix this year. He almost took Perez out in Monaco and then did take him out in Silverstone. To make matters worse, the stewards penalties are laughable and Pastor refuses point blank to accept any responsibilty for his actions. Combine all of this with the fact that the guy "Pays to Play" and it just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
And yes I am biased because i'm a LH fan !
Lol, but I meant the pay driver thing more than the red mist thing.
People (me included) are pulling the "he's only in that seat because of his money, there are other better skilled drivers who deserve the seat more" line now, but only because the Williams seat is a seat people might actually want.
I'm fairly sure that both HRT and both Marussia drivers are paying for their seat, but you don't hear people claiming they don't deserve them and there are other drivers who do.
I have issues with people with money blocking people with talent. In something like a HRT its the rubbish car blocking the talent, regardless of skill. With the Williams suddenly back up the sharp(er) end, Maldonado is suddenly buying his way into a decent seat.
that makes LH a nobhead for ramming so many last season (if not more so for the fact that he is pretty experienced).
LoL. Bit of a straw man fallacy you've made there, but I see your point.
Not his fault, and maybe he has talent anyway just because he pays does not mean he is hopeless, and he gave Williams their first win since what 97?
Wow. I do hope you're not serious. I mean, with this forum and certain members not knowing their backsides from their elbows, your post could almost be thought of as serious. And no serious F1 fan would think that the last win for Williams was in '97. Right?
You're only out by about 7 years...
Man of Honour
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Too many of the drivers are controlled by their team these days - I miss the drivers that had huge personalities on and off the track. Brings back memories of Montoya and the cameraman