TBK-Light.com

Dutch media is reporting van der Garde in at Sauber for 2015. And maybe even a race in 2014 because Sutil is behind on payment.

Bianchi is a Ferrari man. If something gets shaken up, don't be surprised if he's moved up. He's earned it and he's done all he can do in the Marussia.

Stoffel Vandoorne will go nowhere. Good but not good enough (sadly)

While it is plausible that Hamilton might jump ship to McLaren (in the article Scotty referenced in the main discussion thread), I think that would be a year too early, for both his career and reputation.

Unless Honda pull the rabbit out of the hat and produce a mega engine first time up (I don't see them doing that sadly despite their pedigree) McLaren will be in a transition year competitiveness wise, while I think the Merc has well and truly hit upon a good design philosophy.

It would also be a big mark on Hamilton's career/character, if he was to fall out with another team in such a small amount of time. We can still see the effects on Alonso's reputation from his falling out with McLaren (in the English speaking media I suppose), and it would basically show that he can't handle the heat, which just goes to show that Mark Webber for all his faults, was able to stick it out at a team which he had lost faith in, because it offered him the best shot at winning a world championship. Hamilton would be wise to seek his counsel and ask how he dealt/didn't deal with it.

How do you come to that conclusion?

_________________
BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

Here's my prediction, or perhaps fantasy, for 2014:

Mercedes
Rosberg
Bottas

Red Bull
Ricciardo
Vettel

Williams
Massa or Nasr
Button

Ferrari
Alonso
Raikkonen or Bianchi

McLaren
Hamilton
Magnussen or Vandoorne or Grosjean

Force India
Perez
Hulkenberg

STR
Kyvat
Verstappen

Lotus
Grosjean or Vandoorne or Magnussen
Maldonado

Sauber
Merhi or Rowland
Sirotkin or de Silvestro

Marussia
Bianchi
Marciello

Caterham
Sainz Jnr or Frijns
Kobayashi

Forza Rossa
Marciello
Rossi or Frijns

_________________
BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

I probably will look silly in the end but my prediction

Mercedes
Rosberg
Bottas

Red Bull
Ricciardo
Hamilton (better fit for the RB image than Alonso)

Williams
Massa
Button (Goodbye season at the place he started off)

Ferrari
Vettel (doing a schumi??)
Bianchi

McLaren
Alonso (Fed up with Ferrari, hoping Honda can deliver.)
Magnussen

Force India
Perez
Hulkenberg

STR
Kyvat
Verstappen

Lotus
Grosjean (nowhere better to go, sadly)
Maldonado

Sauber
v/d Garde (Dutch media thinks he's in and probably lifting on the Verstappen hype and gathers the needed cash)
de Silvestro (marketing stunt. Female driver will attract media attention. Sauber needs money)

Marussia but not under this name.
Chilton (sorry guys, here to stay because of the money)
Rossi

Caterham
Sainz Jnr
Ericsson or Frijns (Can Ericsson get the needed cash again or can Frijns also lift on the Verstappen hype?)

Forza Rossa
Not gonna happen.

Vandoorne being considered for F1 in 2015 - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115586

_________________
BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

Red Bull: Vettel/Ricciardo
Mercedes: Hamilton/Rosberg
Ferrari: Alonso/Raikkonen
Williams: Bottas/Massa
McLaren: Button/Magnussen
Force India: Hulkenberg/Perez
STR: Kvyat/Verstappen
Lotus: Grosjean/Maldonado
Sauber: Van der Garde/Sutil

Boring prediction, but it's going to be one of those years of massive change or just a couple of switches, depending on what a Spaniard decides.

_________________
Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

Knowing your record of prediction accuracy, I'm glad you've gone down the boring and predictable route! F1 2015 is now going to blow up!

_________________
BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

This is all based upon Alonso leaving Ferrari.

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton - Contracted.
Nico Rosberg - Contracted.

Williams
Felipe Massa - Contracted
Valtteri Bottas - Will continue his development at Williams.

Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen - Beginning to click at Ferrari. Both sides will want to keep it going.
Jules Bianchi - Finally gets the promotion he should have gotten last year.

Red Bull
Sebastien Vettel - Contracted.
Daniel Ricciardo - Contracted.

McLaren
Fernando Alonso - Honda's money is the clincher, both in terms of salary and team funding.
Kevin Magnussen - With Alonso secured, McLaren keep the faith with Magnussen.

Force India
Nico Hulkenberg - A slightly lacklustre year and no plethora of vacancies at the top means he stays put.
Stoffel Vandoorne - McLaren are making hints at wanting him in F1, and their warchest of Yen should outfund Perez easily.

STR
Daniil Kvyat - Contracted.
Max Verstappen - Contracted.

Lotus
Romain Grosjean - Like Hulkenberg, Grosjean has nowhere to move up to.
Pastor Maldonado - Assumedly gets one more year of PVDSA money before they cut him off.

Sauber
Giedo van der Garde - Has money, has talent, will nick Sutil's seat.
Simona de Silvestro - Hinting that she has more significant backing than before. This plus the PR boost tips her over the edge.

Marussia
Raffaele Marciello - Next highest on the FDA totem pole gets a promotion.
Alexander Rossi - Has US backers who could buy Chilton out.

Caterham
Who knows?
Who cares?

_________________
Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

Red Bull: Vettel/Ricciardo
Mercedes: Alonso/Rosberg
Ferrari: Bottas/Raikkonen
Williams: Hamilton/Massa
McLaren: Button/Magnussen
Force India: Hulkenberg/Perez
STR: Kvyat/Verstappen
Lotus: Grosjean/Maldonado
Sauber: Van der Garde/Sutil

Mercedes: Hamilton and Hulkenberg
Red Bull: Vettel and Ricciardo
Ferrari: Alonso and Raikkonen
Williams: Rosberg and Bottas
McLaren: Button and Magnussen
Force India: Perez and Bianchi
Toro Rosso: Kvyat and Verstappen
Lotus: Maldonado and Grosjean
Marussia: Marciello and Rossi
Sauber: De Silvestro and Van der Garde
Caterham: to be honest, I'd be surprised if they make the grid
Forza Whatever: ditto

Some of that's a bit gut-feelingy, but if one of the Mercedes drivers leaves it'll definitely be Rosberg - especially after the way they treated him on Sunday evening

Red Bull: Vettel/Ricciardo
Mercedes: Bottas/Rosberg
Ferrari: Alonso/Raikkonen
Williams: Button/Massa
McLaren: Hamilton/Magnussen
Force India: Hulkenberg/Perez
STR: Kvyat/Verstappen
Lotus: Grosjean/Maldonado
Sauber: Sirotkin/de Silvestro
Caterham: Sainz/Merhi
Marussia: Bianchi/Chilton
Forza Rossa: Marciello/Rossi

_________________
Motorsports trend for 2024: everything is a bad taste joke now

Red Bull: Vettel/Ricciardo
Mercedes: Vergne(?)/Rosberg
Ferrari: Alonso/Bianchi
Williams: Button/Bottas
McLaren: Hamilton/Magnussen
Force India: Hulkenberg/Perez
STR: Kvyat/Verstappen
Lotus: Grosjean/Maldonado
Sauber: Sirotkin/Sutil
Caterham: Sainz/Merhi
Marussia: Gutierrez/Chilton
Forza Rossa: Marciello/Rossi

Plugged some in just to have the seats filled. No idea who would go to the second Benz seat really.

My guess is Kimi is shit canned from Ferrari. Spa is an anomaly because he's always fast there. He's been nowhere everywhere else. Back to Rally with him.

Alonso stays at Ferrari with Bianchi getting the bump up.

Hamilton bounces back to McLaren with a young teammate he can dominate with a Honda mill behind him that will be the class of the field engine wise.

Massa gets shown the door by Sir Frank and Button is slotted in next to Bottas who gets one more year before the call up to the Benz factory squad (depending on who's keeping the seat warm.) Button gets to finish out his career at Williams and ride off into the sunset after a year or two.

well well well, sneaky little Brits

Hamilton has postponed talks of a new contract with Mercedes to after the WDC is decided. But intentions are to continue.... In normal English, Lewis is considering his options.

And at the same time...

Button's future at McLaren remains uncertain - http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115605



http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115604

_________________
BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

Button is now McLaren's backup plan if Alonso, Vettel or Hamilton aren't available next season.

Hopefully for McLaren there will be opportunities soon otherwise Button might decide to move on himself and if the other 3 decide to stay put McLaren has a small problem.

Not sure Ron and Fernando would get along. Ron holds grudges.