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[Frontrunner]

I was hearing a bit here and there at different media outlets about these rumours of having less teams and some teams running 3 cars for 2015, i'm sure some of you guys would of heard this floating around during Monza.

Paddocktalk.com
F1's 2015 'silly season' is no longer just about the drivers.

Now, it is major rumblings about the teams themselves that are making waves as the sport packs up after Lewis Hamilton's win at Monza.

Former Williams chairman Adam Parr issued an alarming 'tweet' after the Italian grand prix declaring: "This is the last year of F1 as we know it.

"In 2015 eight teams will contest the championship, with several teams entering three cars."

The 'tweet' immediately sent worried eyes around the paddock, as protagonists wondered who the departing three teams could be.

One might be Caterham, after its founder Tony Fernandes recently sold to a mysterious Swiss-Middle Eastern consortium.

"The economics of the sport is all wrong," the Malaysian entrepreneur told the Independent newspaper last week. "Bar Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren, everyone else is struggling."

The latest rumour is that the Leafield based team's newly-installed boss Christijan Albers has quit because promised funds from the new owners did not materialise.

Caterham announced on Sunday that Dutchman Albers has indeed resigned to "spend more time with my family", with Manfredi Ravetto taking over.

Also undoubtedly struggling is Marussia, who according to driver Max Chilton at Spa had resorted to trying to "sell my seat" to stay afloat.

And Lotus was strongly tipped to be moving to end its current slump by installing Mercedes power for 2015, until speculation emerged the deal has been held up because a deposit to the German marque was not paid.

"No it's not true," deputy boss Federico Gastaldi told Britain's Sky on Sunday. "We're with Renault at the moment and we're working for this year, not the next."

Yet another struggling team is Sauber, but reports are now circulating that Canadian retail billionaire and unabashed motor racing fan Lawrence Stroll is buying the Swiss team.

But could the multiple struggling teams' potential demise, and thereby the need to boost the grid next year with third car entries, explain the recent quickfire spate of bosses meetings with Bernie Ecclestone?

Mercedes' Toto Wolff said on Friday that the latest meeting, held at Monza, was "nothing very spectacular".

"It's just another meeting we had, another important meeting."

Also undoubtedly having a series of meetings at present are Ferrari and Fiat chiefs, as persistent speculation continues to strongly insist that Luca di Montezemolo's departure is imminent.

Even his likely successor, Sergio Marchionne, is now making comments that indicate a lack of harmony behind closed doors.

"Luca di Montezemolo and I are great friends," the Fiat and Chrysler chairman told reporters on Sunday, "but when I read his statements, I thought they were things I would never have said about myself.

"Everybody is useful but nobody essential," Marchionne added.

I would think everything will still remain the same in terms of teams, 2 cars each on the grid and whatever with a exception of Caterham perhaps. But in years to come I can probably see 3 car teams happening, especially with smaller teams not keeping up both financially and on track.

[akeizm]

I would guess there would not be enough time for the teams to get the infrastructure together to allow 3 cars per team for 2015. But I have no clue on the inner workings of an F1 team.

[Roth]

I can think of lots of reason why this is bad, and very few why it's good.

Makes a sham of apparent cost-cutting exercises already implemented.
Effectively gives RB six drivers, a third of the field.
If any of the big teams pulls out, it reduces serious competition, and filling that slot would be more difficult.
Smaller teams like Williams and FI are going to struggle further trying to cover three drivers.

Is it a way to mask the three teams failing financially at the back? Could they merge? If some teams are still only running two
cars there's even less chance of financial gain from WC points. The top/bottom gap would widen not be reduced.

On the upside, if Lewis had two teammates they could both gang up on him.

[Hammer278]

Oh yesss let it happen maybe I'll finally get the call from Merc after all.

*Pops another 2 LSD pills*

[What's Burning?]

It's good for the drives as we'd see more talent get a chance race. There are lots of concerns however, qualifying would have to be rethought in my opinion. I'd also want it to be that all teams field three cars, not just the ones that can afford it.

Advertisers win cause they get 50% more logo space! Drivers get more opportunity, it's something that if thought out well could be very good. Thought out well... what am I thinking?

[LRW]

It's good for the drives as we'd see more talent get a chance race. There are lots of concerns however, qualifying would have to be rethought in my opinion. I'd also want it to be that all teams field three cars, not just the ones that can afford it.

Advertisers win cause they get 50% more logo space! Drivers get more opportunity, it's something that if thought out well could be very good. Thought out well... what am I thinking?

But its less teams. I dont think the numbers of car seats available and logo space for sale will change.

[What's Burning?]

It's good for the drives as we'd see more talent get a chance race. There are lots of concerns however, qualifying would have to be rethought in my opinion. I'd also want it to be that all teams field three cars, not just the ones that can afford it.

Advertisers win cause they get 50% more logo space! Drivers get more opportunity, it's something that if thought out well could be very good. Thought out well... what am I thinking?

But its less teams. I dont think the numbers of car seats available and logo space for sale will change.

I think the number of teams will always remain at around ten. You've got a lot of interest of folks wanting in. The sport is on the rise stateside which will attract more dollars and the way Americans work, any little bit of success Haas has, will be amplified and supported and before you know it, there will be a second American team/drives. A la pro cycling kind of model.

[spankyham]

A very good thing, if this, or something close to it happens. But it needs to be hand in hand with totally liberating the rules and creativity within F1.

My dream come true ..... Naturally first thing, Ferrari takes their one chance in Feb 15 and homologates a competitive engine. Next, Nando stays, Kimi goes, Lewis and Dan come to the party. and the loons all follow some other driver

[What's Burning?]

A very good thing, if this, or something close to it happens. But it needs to be hand in hand with totally liberating the rules and creativity within F1.

My dream come true ..... Naturally first thing, Ferrari takes their one chance in Feb 15 and homologates a competitive engine. Next, Nando stays, Kimi goes, Lewis and Dan come to the party. and the loons all follow some other driver

Liberating the rules? Hasn't Ferrari's problem of late has been being too conservative, not too liberal.

[What's Burning?]

Anyway, given Ferrari's choice of Kimi, they may as well hire Sutil as their 3rd driver.

[myownalias]

Three car teams flies in the face of the new teams coming into the sport in 2016; if there were 3 car teams; that'd mean 8 teams for 24 grid spaces or 9 teams in 27 grid spots. There can not be a rule where team X is allowed to run three cars while team Y is only allowed to run two cars.

[What's Burning?]

Three car teams flies in the face of the new teams coming into the sport in 2016; if there were 3 car teams; that'd mean 8 teams for 24 grid spaces or 9 teams in 27 grid spots. There can not be a rule where team X is allowed to run three cars while team Y is only allowed to run two cars.

That was my first thought, all teams or no teams. You could also have three drivers qualify, but only the highest qualifying two race.

[spankyham]

A very good thing, if this, or something close to it happens. But it needs to be hand in hand with totally liberating the rules and creativity within F1.

My dream come true ..... Naturally first thing, Ferrari takes their one chance in Feb 15 and homologates a competitive engine. Next, Nando stays, Kimi goes, Lewis and Dan come to the party. and the loons all follow some other driver

Liberating the rules? Hasn't Ferrari's problem of late has been being too conservative, not too liberal.

Yep, that's Ferrari's problem and they have to turn that around. Doesn't change the fact that the rules have steadily become more restrictive and that has mostly prevented us from having competitive seasons.

[CookinFlat6]

A very good thing, if this, or something close to it happens. But it needs to be hand in hand with totally liberating the rules and creativity within F1.

My dream come true ..... Naturally first thing, Ferrari takes their one chance in Feb 15 and homologates a competitive engine. Next, Nando stays, Kimi goes, Lewis and Dan come to the party. and the loons all follow some other driver

Perhaps we need to have separate threads for real life F1 and dreamland or lalaland F1

could save a lot of misunderstanding

[Hammer278]

A very good thing, if this, or something close to it happens. But it needs to be hand in hand with totally liberating the rules and creativity within F1.

My dream come true ..... Naturally first thing, Ferrari takes their one chance in Feb 15 and homologates a competitive engine. Next, Nando stays, Kimi goes, Lewis and Dan come to the party. and the loons all follow some other driver

Perhaps we need to have separate threads for real life F1 and dreamland or lalaland F1

could save a lot of misunderstanding

Could lump Ted "2014 engines got no spark plugs" in there too.