Poll: who will replace "Nico the Brave" @ Mercedes, Poll Added
- Thread starter lunarwolf
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Not going to happen. Doesn't matter if Mercedes offer them free engines, with Wehrlein and Stroll next year Williams would be utterly screwed and lose more money through the ensuing constructors championship drop than they'd saved on the engines, especially if Martini jump ship too.
Would love to see Button get in there, but that isn't likely to happen, so voted Wehrlein.
I hadn't seen the Bottas info when I voted, but I can see that happening, which would leave Wehrlein out in the cold, especially if the Bottas thing takes a while to go through, Wehrlein could be well kippered.
I hadn't seen the Bottas info when I voted, but I can see that happening, which would leave Wehrlein out in the cold, especially if the Bottas thing takes a while to go through, Wehrlein could be well kippered.
Caporegime
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They are going to drop anyway next year. They were only 5th this year and with multiple teams with issues.
Williams had it tough this year losing by a large gap in the end to FI and that is with Mclaren, TR, Renault and Haas all hamstrung by one thing or another, a lot of those teams problems will either improve or go away next year.
I think Williams are on for 7-8th next year regardless of the drivers they have. Stronger than Manor/Sauber and probably for another year or two Haas, but weaker than most other teams with similar budgets.
Haas had new team-itis, bad setup, incredibly inconsistent car and lots of stupid reliability issues with brakes and other things. A year of learning and moving to new parts/different brands of brake disc next year will improve them hugely but likely not enough. But they are now building a 2017 car with dramatically more knowledge than they had building the 2016 car.
TR will have a huge engine upgrade, Renault inherited a pretty bad, unreliable and not fast car, then had to stick a new engine in it and the whole package was bad. The renault engine itself improved hugely as evident from RBR's performance over the year. Renault should have been focusing on 2017 car rather than dumping big cash into 2016's dead end car. I see a huge jump but not necessarily big enough for next year.
Williams have been stagnant for 3 years, Symmonds is just a joke, he built the single most basic and non-complex car possible and had no clue how to genuinely improve it. Strategy guys and decisions made throughout races were terrible, tire testing and lack of a tire specialist till late this season, all terrible management. Even if they get Lowe (afaik only a guess/rumour right now) it won't be late enough to have a huge effect on the 2017 car nor the budget available to make huge changes in the team quickly.
They don't have a good aero design team, they did well enough with the no aero concept in a engine limited period of regulations where all the competitors screwed up their engines and other Merc engine teams had their own issues. Moving into an aero period of F1 where aero changes will be biggest.. I can't see that the current team and designers are going to come up with something good.
It's also why William's won't be an attractive seat to many, Button come back to be in a team probably behind Mclaren next year, doesn't sound likely does it, Massa to come back for another year... in a steadily less competitive car?
Williams is an upgrade for guys at the back of the grid or not driving, but not an attractive drive for people looking to come back to F1.
Soldato
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The young german fellow, purely because I dont want to see Williams get screwed by loosing their no1, plus it would be stupid for merc to have a young driver program if they just ignore it.
Think it will be bottas but would rather perez (very unlikely) or new blood line pascal.
But bottas is safe bet and that is all they need if they are like this year.. But they may well not be.
As for Williams.. I also think they will slide down the ranks. With maybe mclaren and Renault overtaking.
But bottas is safe bet and that is all they need if they are like this year.. But they may well not be.
As for Williams.. I also think they will slide down the ranks. With maybe mclaren and Renault overtaking.
In 2009 Williams finished 7th with consistent points scoring from Rosberg alone, if their second driver actually scored points at a similar rate the best they could have achieved would be 6th. Yes they started off the season with the same diffuser idea but they were still behind their engine supplier Toyota. I can't see them pulling a whopper out of the bag next season and need experienced drivers to make the most of what they enter with. I hope Stroll's cash will help the team develop but I think the best we can hope for with Williams is a strong midfield.
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Bottas will prob go on a short term contract.
Mercedes will give Williams some kind of incentive.
JB will go to Williams or maybe Massa will re-think his retirement plan with the appeal of an extra couple of million to his pay cheque.
So I chose Bottas.
Mercedes will give Williams some kind of incentive.
JB will go to Williams or maybe Massa will re-think his retirement plan with the appeal of an extra couple of million to his pay cheque.
So I chose Bottas.
Williams admits it may allow Mercedes to sign Bottas
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-admits-it-may-allow-mercedes-to-sign-bottas-859640/?s=1
maybe Massa can get a chance to have a decent last season before bowing out
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-admits-it-may-allow-mercedes-to-sign-bottas-859640/?s=1
maybe Massa can get a chance to have a decent last season before bowing out
Don
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I was absolutely nailed on for Wehrlein, but seeing this Massa news i am forced to re-evaluate. I really did not see that coming. I think it was right for Massa to go, and to bring him back now is a mistake.
However, they have little choice, Merc are upping the pressure, they have to keep decent relationship over the engine deal (Williams will not want to take a Honda unit if merc kick off). Williams will take £17million off the engine deal, and take on Massa to keep martini's 25 year old + driver stipulation.
Williams to give him the boot after 1 year.
However, they have little choice, Merc are upping the pressure, they have to keep decent relationship over the engine deal (Williams will not want to take a Honda unit if merc kick off). Williams will take £17million off the engine deal, and take on Massa to keep martini's 25 year old + driver stipulation.
Williams to give him the boot after 1 year.
But they've signed Lance Stroll who's 18 IIRC, so it can't be that much of a stipulation. Wehrlein is the obvious choice for whichever seat is free.
Don
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They have to have one driver over 25, Bottas was/is that driver once Massa left.
Unless they change terms (unlikely, it is there for a reason) or they change title sponsor (LOL) then its hard and fast. That's why Massa is so solidly back in the frame. Not only that he knows the car.
Somebody is scared of competition
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...edes-valtteri-bottas-fernando-alonso-williams
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...edes-valtteri-bottas-fernando-alonso-williams
Doesn't sound like he's scared. I honestly think Lewis is not scared by anyone. It's more about what works best for the team as a whole.
Caporegime
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man read the article properly
He clearly has an anti Hamilton agenda. Hence he posts fabrications trying to place Hamilton in a bad light, but what he doesn't realise is that we all can see through it.