FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[darwin dali]

The newspaper said that when it became clear that Williams was not interested in selling Mercedes' first choice of Rosberg, competition boss Norbert Haug pushed to arrange for 20-year-old Vettel to sit in the sister MP4-23 alongside Lewis Hamilton this year.

Bild claims that even when faced with promises of eight-digit contract buyouts, Red Bull's Dietrich Mateschitz, whose company owns half of the Toro Rosso team, refused to release Vettel to McLaren.

Referring to Kovalainen, the newspaper stated: "The Finn is only the third choice."

Ouch!

[scousers on tour 2008]

i though he had a great season last year and think him and lewis will complement each other and will make the other push harder.....

[racechick]

It was a well known fact that Rosberg was first choice. Kovi didnt do himself justice last year but it may have been more to do with McLaren wanting to steer clear of any more Renault rejects or hasstle with Flavio! Thats always presuming Bild is right. Anyway 3rd choice to drive for McLaren isnt so bad when most of the grid are gagging for it.

[bud]

two Germans were first choice for McMercedes ofcourse. It was well known that they wanted Rosberg first off, i hadnt heard of the Vettel rumour being so high up on preference, always thought Kovvi was second choice to Nico, not that he will care he can prove his worth this year by taking it to Lewis

[darwin dali]

As long as it's a blond, blue-eyed Aryan

[bud]

As long as it's a blond, blue-eyed Aryan

ich heil

[8-ball]

If the story is true Vettel must be crying his eyes that he may have missed a drive in a top team. But i don't think he would have been challenging for wins anyway at least with kovi you now he is going to be in the mix and beating the ferrari's

[McLaren Fan]

This seems a bit of a non-story. Of course the people at Mercedes wanted to try and get a driver in, it also happens that those two drivers are class acts, and can only get better. Kovalainen took a while to adjust, as some people do, not just in motor racing, but in other things in life, and when he did showed he could mix it with the best of them. Kovalainen probably knew he was third choice. It was well known that Vettel and Rosberg were hot property and, just like any time there's a job on offer, you have to compete with the rest of them and take the lucky break when it comes.

[7UpJordan]

I'm surprised that Sutil wasn't one of the choices, mind you I suppose Spyker/Force India came right out and slapped a big fat "no" infront of Merc's faces when Sutil may have been an inkling of a consideration.

[Denthúl]

I thought I read somewhere that they were considering Sutil. But I'm not sure he would've been the best choice. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure Kovalainen was the best choice, either, but they've already done the deal and we'll find out in a few weeks.

[Sam-KK24]

This is from Bild, it says it all!

[Denthúl]

This is from Bild, it says it all!

Haha.

Well, to be honest, if I were in charge at McLaren, I honestly would've tried to get Ralf Schumacher into that second seat, because he's an experienced driver and could win a fair few Grands Prix.

[Freddie]

Good you are not in charge of McLaren then - I don't want to see that loser in F1 anymore

[Denthúl]

Good you are not in charge of McLaren then - I don't want to see that loser in F1 anymore

Care to explain that one?

[Sam-KK24]

Ralf is past it