Formula One in 2017

[Bacon Warrior]

Its been 10 years ?!?! Id love them to race at Le Mans but Paul Ricard will do.

I think a one off 'super festival of racing' at Le Mans would be cool. You could have the 24 hour one weekend and the French Grand Prix the next. The Bugatti Circuit would have to be redeveloped though, 'cause there's more chance of a return to the Nordschleife than F1 ever racing on the Sarthe.

I won't believe anything until they're heading out for FP1 at Paul Ricard. Ever since Magny-Cours was booted from the calendar, we've had fruitless proposals for the French GP's return at various new circuits (including one at Disneyland Paris, which would have been really cool), a street circuit in Paris and proposals from Magny-Cours and Paul Ricard. There's a few issues with Le Castellet though, the main one being the lack of spectator facilities, but that shouldn't be too hard to fix. The pit lane iirc was laughably tiny, but I'm pretty sure that was lengthened and now holds the minimum number of garages required for F1.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

There's a few issues with Le Castellet though, the main one being the lack of spectator facilities, .

Lack of spectators hasn't bothered F1 before?

 

[Magma]

well, mercedes are gonna need a new driver. rosberg has retired.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

well, mercedes are gonna need a new driver. rosberg has retired.

What the ****?

 

[Magma]

 

[juice t]

Holy crap that is the biggest bombshell in a long long time

 

[happy_eagle]

well, mercedes are gonna need a new driver. rosberg has retired.

Retire on top, I like it. Will always be remembered as a World Champion like his dad

Does Pascal get a promotion from the worst car on the grid to the best car on the grid?
Maybe this is what Hamilton was reffering to when he talked about there being more to the engineer swap than it seemed. Maybe they knew Nico was on the way out, and wanted to do all they could to give him a WDC ?

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Good on him.

Pascal would have to be the frontrunner you'd think.

 

[Bacon Warrior]

Bottas to Merc now, surely.

Managed by Wolff, proven to be quick and has experience over Wehrlein.

 

[Magma]

are mercedes hung up about having a german drive for them?

 

[Forward Press]

With Mercedes, RB and Ferrari seemingly locking away their drivers for the next two years before today, this throws a massive massive spanner in the works. A seat at a championship winning car suddenly becomes available. I bet all the top drivers are on the phone to their agents about this.

Who's favourite?

 

[little graham]

Daniel will have a get out clause in case this ever happened.

 

[happy_eagle]

Maybe Toto can call Jos Verstappen again, he obviously has his number

 

[happy_eagle]

Daniel will have a get out clause in case this ever happened.

Many are saying that the Red Bull will be the car to be in with the new regulations next year.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

With Mercedes, RB and Ferrari seemingly locking away their drivers for the next two years before today, this throws a massive massive spanner in the works. A seat at a championship winning car suddenly becomes available. I bet all the top drivers are on the phone to their agents about this.

Who's favourite?

That's the thing though, with the massive regulation changes I'm not totally convinced a driver for Ferrari or Red Bull would be willing to make the move. They'd have to have lost confidence in the team, basically, because there is a very real possibility that Mercedes isn't a dominant team next year.

Somebody like a Bottas, though...maybe.

 

[little graham]

Many are saying that the Red Bull will be the car to be in with the new regulations next year.

The drivers will know how accurate that is by the way they position themselves.

 

[Wolfs]

Pascal is the best choice. Everyone is in contracts. I don't see Ricciardo, Verstappen, Vettel or Alonso moving and Perez, Grosjean and Hulkenberg made their beds.

So I guess the most obvious answer is....

PASTOR MALDONADO WDC 2017

 

[Bacon Warrior]

With Mercedes, RB and Ferrari seemingly locking away their drivers for the next two years before today, this throws a massive massive spanner in the works. A seat at a championship winning car suddenly becomes available. I bet all the top drivers are on the phone to their agents about this.

Who's favourite?

Wehrlein seems like a natural fit, but with only one season under his belt, it may be too early for him to be in a winning car (he's not a freak talent like Verstappen). Merc may think he needs more time to develop.

Bottas is managed by Toto and has a few good years under him. Just signed a new contract though and Williams will probably have a hugely inexperienced lineup next year if he leaves. Won't be easy to pry him away.

Perez, Sainz and Alonso are the only others I can see being a chance right now.

 

[Wolfs]

All 3 are under contract. This really threw everyone a curveball.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

A lot of "what ifs" in this situation, but man, I feel for Hulkenberg. Has been close to a top drive for what seems like his entire career and just hasn't had the right opportunity...this could have been it.

I mean, I'm glad he's at Renault, but...

 

[juice t]

are mercedes hung up about having a german drive for them?

I think Sutil is available

 

[Wolfs]

I think Sutil is available

I think you mean the great Nick Heidfeld.

 

[Wolfs]

A lot of "what ifs" in this situation, but man, I feel for Hulkenberg. Has been close to a top drive for what seems like his entire career and just hasn't had the right opportunity...this could have been it.

I mean, I'm glad he's at Renault, but...

To be honest. There are other drivers that deserve it over Hulkenberg, one of them being his former teammate.

 

[Temploar]

Would love to see Alonso at Mercedes for one last shot at the title before he retires.

Can drive in Merc's #2 next year while Wehrlein is still finding his feet at Manor, and then have him succeed Alonso.

Wouldn't like to see WEH up against Hamilton at this stage, I think it'd be a bloodbath and not good for Pascal's confidence.
Or maybe he would thrive under pressure like Ricciardo did against Vettel? I don't know. I just can't see Mercedes making that decision. They've usually preferred experienced drivers.

I never expected this bombshell, I opened up my facebook feed and saw that Rosberg retired and If it didn't come from the official F1 page I wouldn't have believed it. I'm still in shock. But class decision from him, you can tell that he and his whole family worked hard to get the WDC this year and they deserve a long break and with Nico having fulfilled his childhood dream he doesn't have much else to do in F1.

It makes so much sense, but nobody saw it coming.

 

[Magma]

hamilton probably has a restraining order against alonso.

i know they're cordial these days but i would highly doubt either would want to see the other that much.