FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

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[myownalias]

I would love to see Alonso / Hamilton Rd 2; however, I don't see it happening, I think it will be Pascal Wehrlein as all the top drivers are contracted for 2017.

Oh, how ironix would it be for Wehrlein to come in as a second year rookie and beat Hamilton.

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[darwin dali]

[gdh]

Maldy would definitely liven things up on the track for Merc, and anyone else within ramming speed.

[benjibaby555]

Looking at it realistically I think JB would be the ideal last minute stop gap, and his ambassadorial contract with McLaren surely can't be hard to get out of. Would surely mimimise inter team drama with a tried and tested pairing.

Other than that Pascal Wehrlein looks a front runner with no contractual issues. Plug and Play driver already familiar with the basic package.

I think the idea of Alonso, Vettel, or either Red Bull drivers is just too complicated to arrange and their employers will not wish to let them go.

The Hulk theory is interesting, but with the ink only just dried on his Renault contract, the vacancy may have come at just the wrong time for him. I can't see Renault accepting Wehrlein as a replacement...

The other name heavily touted being Bottas. I think he's solid but would be a number 2 as probably not on the same level as Hamilton. Toto said they wouldn't go for this publically, but just like the JB option, it would be less volatile than other options.

Then again wit all the hype, with the regulations overahaul there's always a chance that Mercedes may not be the out and out grid leader they've been since 2014.

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You could be right on the Merc dominance waning. It was interesting as Mercedes fought the 2017 rules very hard. They lost the token restriction battle so now the other manufacturers can finally fix their engines. The one thing they were successful in keeping though was the fuel restriction it only went up to 105L from 100L to account for the bigger wheels meaning that the lift and coast 'racing' is still in. So is keeping the lift and coast aspect of F1 enough for Merc to have an advantage in 2017? They have lost one of the best lift and coast drivers in Rosberg however they still have Hamilton who is probably the best lift and coast style of driver. If they can somehow keep him happily motivated and develop another driver as the season progresses can they win the wcc? Also another question - is their aero dept equal to Newey's at Red Bull?

Also I would think that if everything was looking great at Merc for 2017 that Rosberg and especially Lowe wouldn't be so anxious to leave!

[benjibaby555]

Unfortunately the lift and coast aspect is still a potential major advantage for Mercedes going into next year.

I think Red Bull are ahead of Mercedes by some way in the aero department, and if Renault take a decent step forwards they could be right on par with Mercedes.

We can but hope. I have to admit after Red Bull dominated for several years it was good to have the hybrid shake-up, however the new overhaul makes the sport exciting again (if we can have at least two teams in the fight at the front).

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Merc looking to go for the safest and most boring option, Bottas.

"Mercedes want Williams' Valtteri Bottas as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate


By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
47 minutes ago From the section Formula 1 4

Mercedes see Valtteri Bottas as a safe pair of hands alongside Lewis Hamilton -

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas is Mercedes' first choice to replace Nico Rosberg as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate, BBC Sport has learned.

But Williams have rejected an initial offer to release Finn Bottas from his 2017 contract.

In a separate development, Mercedes technical boss Paddy Lowe is close to finalising a deal to join Williams.

Lowe is set to be replaced at the world champions by former Ferrari technical director James Allison.

The Mercedes driver conundrum -

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has zeroed in on Bottas as his favoured option as a replacement for Rosberg, who retired five days after winning his first world title last month despite having two further years on his Mercedes contract.

Wolff has approached Williams with a proposal that he gives them a major reduction in their engine bill - said to be in the region of €10m euros (£8.4m); more than half the total fee - in return for releasing Bottas.

Williams also have the option to run Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein in Bottas' place.

Wolff, who is part of Bottas' management team, sees the 27-year-old as a close like-for-like replacement for Rosberg - quick, a reliable and consistent points scorer, and relatively easy to manage alongside the more mercurial Hamilton.

Williams have said no to Wolff's first offer but negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days.

Williams' problem with losing Bottas -

Williams feel they need an experienced contender in one of their cars next season because their other driver is Canadian rookie Lance Stroll.

The 18-year-old, who won the Formula Three Euroseries in 2016 and comes with a budget reputed to be at least £20m, has been on an extensive test programme intended to prepare him comprehensively for his F1 debut.

But Williams are concerned that partnering him with 22-year-old Wehrlein, who has only one year's experience with the back-of-the-grid Manor team, would be a significant risk to their chances of maximising their championship position.

Each place in the constructors' table is worth millions of pounds.

There is also a complication with Williams' sponsors, among them the drinks giant Martini, for which having two drivers under 25 does not sit well in promotional terms.

German Wehrlein is also in talks with the Swiss Sauber team, which is yet to name a team-mate for Swede Marcus Ericsson.

Another option for Williams would be to replace Bottas with Brazilian Felipe Nasr, who drove for Sauber in 2015 and 2016.

Mercedes are believed to be reluctant to promote Wehrlein to a race seat because they believe he lacks the necessary experience to be a guaranteed performer who can help them retain the constructors' title.

But Mercedes' other choices are limited - every other driver with experience is contracted to a rival.

One outside possibility if a deal cannot be done with Williams is Carlos Sainz.

The 22-year-old Spaniard is under contract to Red Bull next season to continue with their junior team Toro Rosso for a third season, but sources say the drinks company would release him if Mercedes came in for him.

This has not yet been discussed extensively within Mercedes and would not be a preferred option, not least because of their difficult relationship with Red Bull."

[sagi58]

Looking at it realistically I think JB would be the ideal last minute stop gap, and his ambassadorial contract with McLaren surely can't be hard to get out of. Would surely mimimise inter team drama with a tried and tested pairing...

Hiya, benjibaby!! Welcome...

So... I like your idea of Button at Mercedes, as he definitely didn't have a problem handling all the hoopla around Hamilton, when they were at McLaren. Also, Button is such a mild-mannered, likeable guy, I'm sure we won't have to put up with any drama on (or off) the track!!

[sagi58]

...Also I would think that if everything was looking great at Merc for 2017 that Rosberg and especially Lowe wouldn't be so anxious to leave!

Was wondering the same thing meself!!

[sagi58]

...I have to admit after Red Bull dominated for several years it was good to have the hybrid shake-up...

I don't think it was the hybrid engine so much as it was the engine development freeze!
If not for the rules/regulations (i.e. token system), I'm sure it wouldn't have been three
years of Mercedes owning the joint, so to speak!!

[gdh]

Would like to see Merc bring in a young driver. They already have an old fart lets see a young guy in there run each race like there's no tomorrow. Why would F1 still keep the fuel restriction that continues the lift and coast style of (almost) racing. Saw some tv numbers for N Am, not great. Hopefully the new ownership purchase will go through and we'll see the rtn of F1 to the pinnacle of start to finish racing. Typing this while sitting on the beach at Daytona Beach reminiscing over some of the great races at the Daytona 500 both sand and track. Maybe too much sun is causing me to be hopeful for the rtn of exciting F1 races.

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20cm of snow right now back here in Canada .... and my snowblower blows a headgasket.

[sagi58]

Come on!! The snow is be-a-u-ti-ful!
Great to see everything sparkling in
the sunlight and even at night!!