- 28 Jul 09, 11:46#137369
We all are asking and wondering. Now here are the views of the pro's
F1-Live
With Felipe Massa recovering from last Saturday's Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying crash – and doubts regarding his eventual return to the F60's cockpit this season - Ferrari must now make use of the summer break to name the driver who will temporarily occupy the injured Brazilian's seat.
The Formula One world is quick to start up rumours and several names are already floating as possible candidates - names which have appeared out of logic, out of possibility, and also out of wishful thinking.
One name to quickly appear was that of Michael Schumacher, closely tied to Ferrari and still serving as a consultant. While his long-time agent Willi Weber doesn't believe the seven-time champion will race, Schumacher himself has not commented and some sources believe he might actually be thinking about it.
Fernando Alonso is also being pointed out as a possibility since there already exist persistent rumours regarding a switch to the red-clad team next year. That implies of course that Renault boss Flavio Briatore would be willing to 'lease' his star driver to Ferrari, at a time when all the signs indicate he is on the verge of replacing Nelson Piquet. The odds of seeing Renault fielding two rookies are slim, and Briatore owes Ferrari no favours.
Since Renault has been suspended by the FIA for the next race following the Hungarian GP's loose-wheel incident - a sanction the team has appealed - rumours see a one-shot Ferrari deal for Alonso in time for the European Grand Prix in Valencia, a situation which would satisfy many local fans and boost ticket sales for the Spaniard's second home race of the season.
F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone seems quite thrilled by the idea, but such a scenario would be a surprise.
Sebastien Bourdais was recently sacked by the Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso team and is evidently available for a drive. His agent happens to be Nicolas Todt, who also watches over Felipe Massa. A few races aboard the F60 would be a golden opportunity for four-time Champ Car titleholder Bourdais, who needs to prove his worth as he seeks to continue his F1 career next year.
The situation also allows for a hypothetical return of the Villeneuve name to Ferrari: 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve is energetically working on his comeback, and securing a temporary contract with the Maranello-based team is surely on his mind. Whether connected to that possibility or not, Villeneuve cancelled a Bucharest appearance at the last minute on Monday.
Williams test driver Nico Hulkenberg, rumoured to be a 2010 replacement for the much-in-demand Nico Rosberg, has also been mentioned in certain circles given that he is managed by Schumacher's agent Willi Weber.
Of course, all these rumours regarding Massa's temporary replacement do not seem to address the fact that Ferrari has two test drivers contracted to get behind the wheel if the need arises: Marc Gene and Luca Badoer. Logically, both should be first choices, although that does not rule out hiring a guest driver.
Team Principal Stefano Domenicali said options will be looked at in the coming days, while Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo stated: "We'll make a decision when the time is right."
---
The former world champion Niki Lauda called for Michael Schumacher to make an unexpected return to Formula One racing as a replacement for the injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.
Schumacher, the seven-times world champion, retired in 2006, but Lauda said he is the best candidate to take Massa's seat after the Brazilian suffered a freak accident in qualifying for the Hungarian grand prix.
"Who is available? There is nobody available anywhere near Michael's performance," said Lauda before today's race at the Hungaroring.
Ferrari are almost certain to need a replacement for Massa after the 28-year-old suffered a serious head injury when struck on the head by debris yesterday. Massa was in a stable condition after emergency surgery to multiple skull fractures, but will be kept under sedation for the next 48 hours.
Lauda, who in 1976 returned to racing after a near-fatal crash, believes it will be two to three months before Massa can consider racing again.
"He needs to take a decision, and for the whole business of Formula One, he [Schumacher] would improve it by 20 to 30 per cent interest," added the Austrian. "But this is a question nobody can answer because nobody knows what Schumacher is doing."
Lauda, who won two world titles with Ferrari, questioned whether the Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo had any more favourable options. "Who else is he going to ring? The test drivers are useless, and there is nobody else here if you think about it," said the 60-year-old.
"But this is a principal decision of him [Schumacher], for him to consider this. If he doesn't want to, the idea is finished in the same second."
Schumacher's manager Willi Weber told Germany's SID news agency that he doubted the champion would consider coming back. "I don't see it," he said. "Ferrari have two good test drivers who are keen to sit in the car if it is available."
The 38-year-old Italian Luca Badoer, who failed to score a point in 49 races for Scuderia Italia, Minardi and Forti between 1993 and 1999, and 35-year-old Spaniard Marc Gené are Ferrari's official reserve drivers.
---
The Ferrari driver Felipe Massa is out of danger but surgeons at the hospital in Budapest where he was taken after his accident in last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix fear he may never regain full vision in his left eye.
Whether he will be able to race ever again is questionable, but it is certain he will not be able to take part in the second half of the F1 season.
As result, there are reports today that Ferrari could ask their former champion driver Michael Schumacher (pictured right, with Massa) to come out of retirement.
The team has three reserve drivers on its books to back up Massa and his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. They are Luca Badoer, Marc Gené and Schumacher, the seven-times world champion. According to a report in the Independent, neither Badoer nor Gene are thought likely to be given the seat - hence the speculation that Schumacher might make a comeback
This was initially ruled out by his manager, but Ferrari sources say all options are open.
Reports from the AEK military hospital in Budapest last night said Massa was groggy but breathing unassisted and moving his limbs. He suffered his injuries when a metal suspension spring fell off the car ahead of him - the Brawn of Rubens Barrichello - and flew through the air and hit him on the helmet. Such was the force that it punctured his helmet and fractured his skull as well as damaging his eye.
Ferrari's president, Luca Di Montezemolo, flew to Budapest to visit Massa. He said his main concern was the driver's recovery and that the team would consider his replacement later. By chance, the accident happened on the final race before the Formula One four-week summer break. But he will have to make his mind soon if Ferrari are to race two cars at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23.
---
There is a long time to Valencia so hopefully he will be able to race. Ferrari's test drivers are very capable and I'm sure they would love to race. However, last time Ferrari needed a replacement mid-season (1999), they did not use a test driver. Since Renault are banned from Valencia due to the wheel coming off, perhaps Alonso could race for Ferrari, ready for him possibly driving for them full time next year. If not, there are many recent F1 drivers currently not racing (Liuzzi, Sato, Davidson, Bourdais, Klien) who want to be back racing and there are also young drivers like Bruno Senna, who has raced a Ferrari F430. Also, how about Jacques Villeneuve?
Source(s):
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/7/9684.html
I Know Ferrari.
---
All i have to say is Managers do not know everything
So i am not sure about if Weber will be telling the full truth, like Schumacher would turn down the drive? What else does he have to do?
He will get paid, even though he does not need it, I think really all of you would love to see it, it would be fantastic and al the fans would go nuts, it's lie the MJ concert, i would trade in my holiday to see him race. Even though the race is happening when i am in SPAIN
So i might have to trek down there, if Schumacher was racing i would spent thousands to see it!!!
He really would show al of you and the drivers he still has it and he can do it!!!
F1-Live
With Felipe Massa recovering from last Saturday's Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying crash – and doubts regarding his eventual return to the F60's cockpit this season - Ferrari must now make use of the summer break to name the driver who will temporarily occupy the injured Brazilian's seat.
The Formula One world is quick to start up rumours and several names are already floating as possible candidates - names which have appeared out of logic, out of possibility, and also out of wishful thinking.
One name to quickly appear was that of Michael Schumacher, closely tied to Ferrari and still serving as a consultant. While his long-time agent Willi Weber doesn't believe the seven-time champion will race, Schumacher himself has not commented and some sources believe he might actually be thinking about it.
Fernando Alonso is also being pointed out as a possibility since there already exist persistent rumours regarding a switch to the red-clad team next year. That implies of course that Renault boss Flavio Briatore would be willing to 'lease' his star driver to Ferrari, at a time when all the signs indicate he is on the verge of replacing Nelson Piquet. The odds of seeing Renault fielding two rookies are slim, and Briatore owes Ferrari no favours.
Since Renault has been suspended by the FIA for the next race following the Hungarian GP's loose-wheel incident - a sanction the team has appealed - rumours see a one-shot Ferrari deal for Alonso in time for the European Grand Prix in Valencia, a situation which would satisfy many local fans and boost ticket sales for the Spaniard's second home race of the season.
F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone seems quite thrilled by the idea, but such a scenario would be a surprise.
Sebastien Bourdais was recently sacked by the Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso team and is evidently available for a drive. His agent happens to be Nicolas Todt, who also watches over Felipe Massa. A few races aboard the F60 would be a golden opportunity for four-time Champ Car titleholder Bourdais, who needs to prove his worth as he seeks to continue his F1 career next year.
The situation also allows for a hypothetical return of the Villeneuve name to Ferrari: 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve is energetically working on his comeback, and securing a temporary contract with the Maranello-based team is surely on his mind. Whether connected to that possibility or not, Villeneuve cancelled a Bucharest appearance at the last minute on Monday.
Williams test driver Nico Hulkenberg, rumoured to be a 2010 replacement for the much-in-demand Nico Rosberg, has also been mentioned in certain circles given that he is managed by Schumacher's agent Willi Weber.
Of course, all these rumours regarding Massa's temporary replacement do not seem to address the fact that Ferrari has two test drivers contracted to get behind the wheel if the need arises: Marc Gene and Luca Badoer. Logically, both should be first choices, although that does not rule out hiring a guest driver.
Team Principal Stefano Domenicali said options will be looked at in the coming days, while Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo stated: "We'll make a decision when the time is right."
---
The former world champion Niki Lauda called for Michael Schumacher to make an unexpected return to Formula One racing as a replacement for the injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.
Schumacher, the seven-times world champion, retired in 2006, but Lauda said he is the best candidate to take Massa's seat after the Brazilian suffered a freak accident in qualifying for the Hungarian grand prix.
"Who is available? There is nobody available anywhere near Michael's performance," said Lauda before today's race at the Hungaroring.
Ferrari are almost certain to need a replacement for Massa after the 28-year-old suffered a serious head injury when struck on the head by debris yesterday. Massa was in a stable condition after emergency surgery to multiple skull fractures, but will be kept under sedation for the next 48 hours.
Lauda, who in 1976 returned to racing after a near-fatal crash, believes it will be two to three months before Massa can consider racing again.
"He needs to take a decision, and for the whole business of Formula One, he [Schumacher] would improve it by 20 to 30 per cent interest," added the Austrian. "But this is a question nobody can answer because nobody knows what Schumacher is doing."
Lauda, who won two world titles with Ferrari, questioned whether the Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo had any more favourable options. "Who else is he going to ring? The test drivers are useless, and there is nobody else here if you think about it," said the 60-year-old.
"But this is a principal decision of him [Schumacher], for him to consider this. If he doesn't want to, the idea is finished in the same second."
Schumacher's manager Willi Weber told Germany's SID news agency that he doubted the champion would consider coming back. "I don't see it," he said. "Ferrari have two good test drivers who are keen to sit in the car if it is available."
The 38-year-old Italian Luca Badoer, who failed to score a point in 49 races for Scuderia Italia, Minardi and Forti between 1993 and 1999, and 35-year-old Spaniard Marc Gené are Ferrari's official reserve drivers.
---
The Ferrari driver Felipe Massa is out of danger but surgeons at the hospital in Budapest where he was taken after his accident in last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix fear he may never regain full vision in his left eye.
Whether he will be able to race ever again is questionable, but it is certain he will not be able to take part in the second half of the F1 season.
As result, there are reports today that Ferrari could ask their former champion driver Michael Schumacher (pictured right, with Massa) to come out of retirement.
The team has three reserve drivers on its books to back up Massa and his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. They are Luca Badoer, Marc Gené and Schumacher, the seven-times world champion. According to a report in the Independent, neither Badoer nor Gene are thought likely to be given the seat - hence the speculation that Schumacher might make a comeback
This was initially ruled out by his manager, but Ferrari sources say all options are open.
Reports from the AEK military hospital in Budapest last night said Massa was groggy but breathing unassisted and moving his limbs. He suffered his injuries when a metal suspension spring fell off the car ahead of him - the Brawn of Rubens Barrichello - and flew through the air and hit him on the helmet. Such was the force that it punctured his helmet and fractured his skull as well as damaging his eye.
Ferrari's president, Luca Di Montezemolo, flew to Budapest to visit Massa. He said his main concern was the driver's recovery and that the team would consider his replacement later. By chance, the accident happened on the final race before the Formula One four-week summer break. But he will have to make his mind soon if Ferrari are to race two cars at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23.
---
There is a long time to Valencia so hopefully he will be able to race. Ferrari's test drivers are very capable and I'm sure they would love to race. However, last time Ferrari needed a replacement mid-season (1999), they did not use a test driver. Since Renault are banned from Valencia due to the wheel coming off, perhaps Alonso could race for Ferrari, ready for him possibly driving for them full time next year. If not, there are many recent F1 drivers currently not racing (Liuzzi, Sato, Davidson, Bourdais, Klien) who want to be back racing and there are also young drivers like Bruno Senna, who has raced a Ferrari F430. Also, how about Jacques Villeneuve?
Source(s):
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/7/9684.html
I Know Ferrari.
---
All i have to say is Managers do not know everything
So i am not sure about if Weber will be telling the full truth, like Schumacher would turn down the drive? What else does he have to do?
He will get paid, even though he does not need it, I think really all of you would love to see it, it would be fantastic and al the fans would go nuts, it's lie the MJ concert, i would trade in my holiday to see him race. Even though the race is happening when i am in SPAIN
So i might have to trek down there, if Schumacher was racing i would spent thousands to see it!!!
He really would show al of you and the drivers he still has it and he can do it!!!
ライブ、平和のうちに生存する。 
- By darwin dali