privateer Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Would I be right in saying that Alonso hasn't actually been confirmed as the other Ferrari driver yet? Massa out, announced. Kimi in, announced. The assumption being that Kimi is replacing Massa and they will be running two drivers with equal status but I can't see Alonso being remotely happy with that. As mentioned above, there are apparently whispers of him moving elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiek2 Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Would I be right in saying that Alonso hasn't actually been confirmed as the other Ferrari driver yet? Massa out, announced. Kimi in, announced. The assumption being that Kimi is replacing Massa and they will be running two drivers with equal status but I can't see Alonso being remotely happy with that. As mentioned above, there are apparently whispers of him moving elsewhere. The press release states that Kimi will join Alonso in the driver line-up for the next two racing seasons. So I presume, unless there's a change, that Alonso is staying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I think if Alonso wants a chance at winning the drivers championship, he will stay at Ferrari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 11, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted September 11, 2013 Kimi and Alonso are confirmed, privateer. But you're right that it certainly represents a departure from what Ferrari usually do. As I said earlier, perhaps they're fed up playing 2nd fiddle to Red Bull in the constructors race too. There's no way in hell that Kimi would've signed up to be Alonso's number 2. Next season will be epic. Keep an eye on McLaren too. Cuz they've got themselves a Honda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimzk5 Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I think if Alonso wants a chance at winning the drivers championship, he will stay at Ferrari. He was happy to walk from McLaren to rejoin Renault in 2008. It honestly wouldn't surprise me to see him back at lotus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 11, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted September 11, 2013 He was happy to walk from McLaren to rejoin Renault in 2008. It honestly wouldn't surprise me to see him back at lotusIt would surprise me a lot. Lotus receive customer engines so they're at the mercy of someone else's development. They're also one of the smaller teams in the paddock. History tells us that in times of massive rule changes it's the big boys with the better resources that tend to steal a march (no pun intended). It could mix up the middle of the pack and it will give Marussia & Caterham an excellent chance to close the gap but moving from a factory outfit like Ferrari to an almost privateer setup like Lotus at this point in time, from a gambling point of view would be tantamount to career suicide. I suspect Kimi knew this when he made the jump in the other direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privateer Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Ah, OK, thanks guys. It is going to be very interesting indeed. As you say, BOF, Kimi would never be Alonso's - or anybody else's - number 2 and quite rightly. It may be too much to hope for but I'd like Red Bull to be behind McLaren and and Ferrari. RBR are a team I will never take to and Vettel is a driver/person I will never like or support. I wonder whether Williams will ever get anywhere near what they once were. I have no warmth towards FW himself, I've always thought him a difficult guy to actually like but an easy one to respect for his involvement and achievements over very many years. My feelings towards the team are more to do with the great memories I have watching drivers I did like. I hope Lotus can stay on in there doing well after Kimi goes - if for no other reason than I just love seeing that wonderful black and gold livery on the grid. Absolutely beautiful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privateer Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 He was happy to walk from McLaren to rejoin Renault in 2008. It honestly wouldn't surprise me to see him back at lotus I suspect Kimi knew this when he made the jump in the other direction. Yes, I can go along with that notion alright. He may be taciturn be he certainly isn't dumb, on the contrary. Anyone who can get Ferrari to pay them £15m to take a sabbatical from F1 so they can go off and play, then come back a couple of years later and start tearing it up again so much they actually re-sign him again is one smart mofo. I'm sure he wanted the drive for competitive reasons but I'll bet he's tweaked their balls in the negotiations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I remember when Toyota (I think) tried to sign Kimi in what became his year off from F1, the boss said they made an offer which they say would ahve made him the best paid driver on the grid. He still turned it down because it was below his "take it or leave it" request. I suspect the same has happened here, Kimi is mega wealthy and seemingly happy to be racing. This seems to have been concluded quite quickly as I suspect his representitives said "here's Kimi's fee, take it or leave it". Ferrari took it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 13, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted September 13, 2013 Lotus' reaction to Kimi moving on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewiek2 Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Lotus's head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer is moving to Ferrari next year as well http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/109844 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimzk5 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Massa talking to lotus, sauber and McLaren (according to Massa anyway) id say hulk to lotus, Massa back to sauber more likely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 16, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted September 16, 2013 Massa will get a good drive I'd say. I'd be surprised if McLaren took him as a race driver. Given his F1-life of subserviency, it wouldn't surprise me if he took a developmental role with the likes of McLaren over a race drive with a lesser team. Sauber would do well to get him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meath_Villan Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 massa has the fear ...might as well give up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykeyb Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 So lots of rumours doing the rounds about Alonso going to McLaren in place of Perez......... Somethings obviously gone on between Alonso & Ferrari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 They would be a good team, Button and Alonso. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimzk5 Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Alonso back too McLaren would be more surprising than kimi back to Ferrari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 20, 2013 Author Moderator Share Posted September 20, 2013 I did mention McLaren Honda on previous page. While it would surprise me, I could certainly see why he'd do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark8691 Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 (edited) Be surprised if Alonso moved at this point. Seems the Ferrari fans worship him, and he'd lose all that. Talk of strained relationships with Ferrari recently, but a move elsewhere is not neccesarily going to mean a better working atmosphere. I think he'll see how the season goes with Raikonnen for now (probably with the hope that he can still dominate in the team). So Singapore, God this circuit is the worse on the calendar for me. Edited September 21, 2013 by Mark8691 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 (edited) Alonso has already confirmed that he is staying at Ferrari. Edited September 21, 2013 by AVFCforever1991 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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