MUSICAL CHAIRS 2010

[<T-K>]

WHO to fill both seats at Renault ?????

Kubica

Did that big prang leave him with a split personality disorder?

I tell you he would need to be split in half to fit into the tiny cockpit Alonso leaves behind He is a short bugger...

[RE30B#16]

Here's my new take on the silly season (enjoy!):

Ferrari: F. Massa/F. Alonso
Despite his contract with the Scuderia through 2010, Kimi Râikkônen leaves F1 for international rally racing. Alonso replaces him. Massa returns.

McLaren: L. Hamilton/N. Heidfeld
Rosberg stays put for one more season at Williams earning the largest retainer in the sport. Nick Heidfeld, still popular with Mercedes' management, satisfies their jones for a quality German in the cockpit until Nico Rosberg becomes available.

Brawn: J. Button/R. Kubica
Barrichello is out. Kubica is in.

Red Bull: S. Vettel/M. Webber
No drama. No changes. Both drivers are under contract through next year.

BMW Sauber: *defunct*
Peter Sauber fails to restructure the team before his star drivers look elsewhere for employment.

Renault: H. Kovalâinen/R. Grosjean
Kovalainen follows the lead of Fernando Alonso and returns to his former team after being replaced by Nick Heidfeld at McLaren. Renault replaces the departing Nelson Piquet, Jr with reserve driver Romain Grosjean.

Williams: N. Rosberg/K. Nakajima
Frank and company throw the bank at Nico to stay. Kazumi Nakajima has performed well enough to remain.

Force India: G. Fisichella/V. Liuzzi
Fisichella, popular within the team and a solid performer, is retained. Force India introduces "Tonio" Liuzzi as its second driver.

Toro Rosso: S. Buemi/J. Alguersauri
Sebastian Bourdais returns to America and Indy Cars. Spaniard Jaime Alguersauri replaces him.

Toyota: J. Trulli/T. Glock
Not able to attract any of the top drivers, Toyota wastes no time in retaining its solid performers. Timo Glock's hopes of moving to McLaren are dashed when the team signs free agent/Mercedes friendly Nick Heidfeld.

Campos: Pedro de la Rosa/R. Barrichello
New team. No surprise here. Good luck, Pedro! Witness Barrichello, an F1 career on life-support!



Other likely possibilities:

Timo Glock replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Glock @ Toyota.

...or...

Nico Rosberg replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Rosberg @ Williams.

...or...

Nico Rosberg replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Robert Kubica replaces Rosberg @ Williams;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Barrichello @ Brawn.

...or...

Cripes, I'm goin' to bed!!!

[Julian Mayo]

Where will Williams get the dinero???

[Julian Mayo]

Where does Sutil go....aaaarrrrggghhhh my head hurts.

[<T-K>]

Here's my new take on the silly season (enjoy!):

Ferrari: F. Massa/F. Alonso
Despite his contract with the Scuderia through 2010, Kimi Râikkônen leaves F1 for international rally racing. Alonso replaces him. Massa returns.

McLaren: L. Hamilton/N. Heidfeld
Rosberg stays put for one more season at Williams earning the largest retainer in the sport. Nick Heidfeld, still popular with Mercedes' management, satisfies their jones for a quality German in the cockpit until Nico Rosberg becomes available.

Brawn: J. Button/R. Kubica
Barrichello is out. Kubica is in.

Red Bull: S. Vettel/M. Webber
No drama. No changes. Both drivers are under contract through next year.

BMW Sauber: *defunct*
Peter Sauber fails to restructure the team before his star drivers look elsewhere for employment.

Renault: H. Kovalâinen/R. Grosjean
Kovalainen follows the lead of Fernando Alonso and returns to his former team after being replaced by Nick Heidfeld at McLaren. Renault replaces the departing Nelson Piquet, Jr with reserve driver Romain Grosjean.

Williams: N. Rosberg/K. Nakajima
Frank and company throw the bank at Nico to stay. Kazumi Nakajima has performed well enough to remain.

Force India: G. Fisichella/V. Liuzzi
Fisichella, popular within the team and a solid performer, is retained. Force India introduces "Tonio" Liuzzi as its second driver.

Toro Rosso: S. Buemi/J. Alguersauri
Sebastian Bourdais returns to America and Indy Cars. Spaniard Jaime Alguersauri replaces him.

Toyota: J. Trulli/T. Glock
Not able to attract any of the top drivers, Toyota wastes no time in retaining its solid performers. Timo Glock's hopes of moving to McLaren are dashed when the team signs free agent/Mercedes friendly Nick Heidfeld.

Campos: Pedro de la Rosa/R. Barrichello
New team. No surprise here. Good luck, Pedro! Witness Barrichello, an F1 career on life-support!



Other likely possibilities:

Timo Glock replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Glock @ Toyota.

...or...

Nico Rosberg replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Rosberg @ Williams.

...or...

Nico Rosberg replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Robert Kubica replaces Rosberg @ Williams;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Barrichello @ Brawn.

...or...

Cripes, I'm goin' to bed!!!

Sutil becomes a chef in the Mclaren hospitality suite??
I'm fairly sure he will have his rear end planted in a 2010 Formula 1 car!!

[mlittle]

Here's my new take on the silly season (enjoy!):

Ferrari: F. Massa/F. Alonso
Despite his contract with the Scuderia through 2010, Kimi Râikkônen leaves F1 for international rally racing. Alonso replaces him. Massa returns.

McLaren: L. Hamilton/N. Heidfeld
Rosberg stays put for one more season at Williams earning the largest retainer in the sport. Nick Heidfeld, still popular with Mercedes' management, satisfies their jones for a quality German in the cockpit until Nico Rosberg becomes available.

Brawn: J. Button/R. Kubica
Barrichello is out. Kubica is in.

Red Bull: S. Vettel/M. Webber
No drama. No changes. Both drivers are under contract through next year.

BMW Sauber: *defunct*
Peter Sauber fails to restructure the team before his star drivers look elsewhere for employment.

Renault: H. Kovalâinen/R. Grosjean
Kovalainen follows the lead of Fernando Alonso and returns to his former team after being replaced by Nick Heidfeld at McLaren. Renault replaces the departing Nelson Piquet, Jr with reserve driver Romain Grosjean.

Williams: N. Rosberg/K. Nakajima
Frank and company throw the bank at Nico to stay. Kazumi Nakajima has performed well enough to remain.

Force India: G. Fisichella/V. Liuzzi
Fisichella, popular within the team and a solid performer, is retained. Force India introduces "Tonio" Liuzzi as its second driver.

Toro Rosso: S. Buemi/J. Alguersauri
Sebastian Bourdais returns to America and Indy Cars. Spaniard Jaime Alguersauri replaces him.

Toyota: J. Trulli/T. Glock
Not able to attract any of the top drivers, Toyota wastes no time in retaining its solid performers. Timo Glock's hopes of moving to McLaren are dashed when the team signs free agent/Mercedes friendly Nick Heidfeld.

Campos: Pedro de la Rosa/R. Barrichello
New team. No surprise here. Good luck, Pedro! Witness Barrichello, an F1 career on life-support!



Other likely possibilities:

Timo Glock replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Glock @ Toyota.

...or...

Nico Rosberg replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Rosberg @ Williams.

...or...

Nico Rosberg replaces Heikki Kovalâinen @ McLaren;
Robert Kubica replaces Rosberg @ Williams;
Nick Heidfeld replaces Barrichello @ Brawn.

...or...

Cripes, I'm goin' to bed!!!

Interesting choices............
As for SeaBass........I don't see him returning to North America and Indycar racing; what has he to prove? If anything, don't be surprised if Bourdais stays w/Peugeot and LeMans racing for the foreseeable future......

[Julian Mayo]

Kimi goes to McLaren,
Alonso goes to Ferrari,
The Barra goes to Williams,
Rosberg goes to Brawn,

Hambone is doing everything he can, along with his father, to stop Kimi joining McLaren.

[mlittle]

Silly Season......................
(if I had to guess the lineups for 2010............. )

~~Scuderia Ferrari: Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso
~~McLaren/Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen
~~Red Bull/Renault: Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber
~~Brawn GP: Jenson Button, Rubens Barichello
~~Williams: Nick Heidfeld, Nico Rosberg
~~Renault: Robert Kubica, Romain Grosjean
~~Force India: Adrian Sutil, Vitantonio Liuzzi
~~Toro Rosso: Sebastien Buemi, Jaime Alguersauri
~~Toyota: Kaz Nakajima, Timo Glock

~~USF1: Alexander Wurz, tbd*
~~Campos: Pedro de la Rosa, Bruno Senna
~~Manor: tbd**
~~Lotus: tbd**

*--according to most sources, USF1 is likely to go with one veteran F1 pilot and one rookie pilot for 2010; in addition, at least one of the two drivers is expected from the U.S.(the one name that keeps popping up is that of current Atlantic Championship competitor Jonathan Summerton)
**---likely candidates include whoever brings the biggest wallet and sponsorship package.................

[Ed]

Of course it seems the worst kept secret is Alonso moving to Ferrari (which is expected to be announced tomorrow - Thursday!). This will trigger all the drivers moves with Raikkonen going to McLaren. Kubica is expected to take Alonso's seat at Renault.

Of the other high profile moves, Nico Rosberg is reported to have signed with Brawn and one of the two Brawn drivers will leave. Barrichello could be going to Williams.

Nick Heidfeld has also been linked to the Williams seat to drive alongside Nico Hulkenburg who is strongly rumoured to have signed with them.

As for the new teams, USF1 are rumoured to be signing Alex Wurz and an American driver. The names mentioned include:
Jonathan Summerton
Marco Andretti
Graham Rahal

There is however a concern over the preparations of USF1 and whether they will actually make it to the grid. Perhaps mlittle can try to find out more on this.

Manor is rumoured to be in talks with Nelson Piquet in addition to Max Chilton and Adam Carroll.

Campos seems to be going with Pedro de la Rosa and Bruno Senna while Lotus are almost certain to have Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy

For all the latest check the 2010 F1 lineup page

[mlittle]

Of course it seems the worst kept secret is Alonso moving to Ferrari (which is expected to be announced tomorrow - Thursday!). This will trigger all the drivers moves with Raikkonen going to McLaren. Kubica is expected to take Alonso's seat at Renault.

Of the other high profile moves, Nico Rosberg is reported to have signed with Brawn and one of the two Brawn drivers will leave. Barrichello could be going to Williams.

Nick Heidfeld has also been linked to the Williams seat to drive alongside Nico Hulkenburg who is strongly rumoured to have signed with them.

As for the new teams, USF1 are rumoured to be signing Alex Wurz and an American driver. The names mentioned include:
Jonathan Summerton
Marco Andretti
Graham Rahal

There is however a concern over the preparations of USF1 and whether they will actually make it to the grid. Perhaps mlittle can try to find out more on this.

Manor is rumoured to be in talks with Nelson Piquet in addition to Max Chilton and Adam Carroll.

Campos seems to be going with Pedro de la Rosa and Bruno Senna while Lotus are almost certain to have Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy

For all the latest check the 2010 F1 lineup page

Summerton's the likeliest choice, Ed; I don't see either Rahal or Andretti getting tapped by USF1. Graham's got probably the best seat in IndyCar right now outside of being w/either Penske or Ganassi and the only thing little ole' Marco has going for him is the family name[which should tell you something about how much talent he actually has........ ]. The only other American that comes to mind that could be tapped is that of 2009 Indy Lights Champion J.R. Hildebrand, but I'll be really surprised if Summerton doesn't get one of the two USF1 rides for 2010.

As for PK, Jr., why any team in F1 would touch him after Crash-Gate is a mystery; I'd rather see him race in North America where he could at least try to redeem himself and maybe go for a second chance in F1.........

[Jim Watt]

Boy! Talk about being lost in the wilderness! Nobody has posted on this the silliest of all the silly seasons I have ever seen!

It's Friday, November 13, 2009; teams should be pretty far advanced with their designs and prepping their drivers...

BUT, except for Ferrari, nobody seems to know who to fit for their seats ... or even if they HAVE seats to fit!

What if Felipe really CAN'T come back? Would Jean Todt and Ross Braun have ever found themselves in this situation: paying one of the best active drivers seventeen mil. Euros NOT TO RACE and G-d knows how many pesos they have had to toss in Fernando's direction!!!

And I GUESS Ron Dennis is ready to sack Whitmarsh and get behind his WDC the Hambone... but why can't they find the cash to pay Kimi? By the by, who CARES where the other Finn goes?!

Ross Braun has sent Rubens packing, but he hasn't been able to close with the Jense? Will his car be silver next year sporting a three pointed star (and sending Ron Dennis round the bend!)?

Williams will be dragging Cosworth around the track next year, but without Golden Kraut, young Rosberg?

Indeed, it looks like half the field will be dragging old Cosworth V-8s around making several moving chicanes for the Mercs and Ferraris and what's that, Red Bull will in fact have Renaults pushing them even if Renault takes a powder?

Ed. Help. Can you find ANYONE who has a clue what will be unveiled and when?

Jim Watt

[Ed]

For sure there appears to be a few missing confirmations from the lineup and that is now hanging on the following:

- Will Renault stay or quit F1. If they quit will they supply engines only ?
This is holding confirmations from Red Bull on their engine supply as well as a number of drivers who are competing for the second Renault seat.
Of course if Renault quits then Kubica also becomes on the market.

Now when will Renault make this announcement remains to be seen. There is a real possibility that they are waiting on the outcome of the appeal for Briatore and if he is successful then he may purchase the Renault team. If his appeal isn't successful then I suspect that Renault will stay in the sport most likely only until 2012.

- I suspect Massa will be fit to drive, in fact I beleive he is fit to drive now so I doubt that Ferrari will have any issues on that side. I am sure they hope that is the case as they really don't want to go through what happened in the latter part of this season

- The case of Button is interesting and so is that of Raikkonen! Button for sure wants to drive Brawn as he has a much better chance of defending his title but he also feels that he needs to be rewarded. Unfortunately for him Brawn seems to follow Sir Frank's philosophy when it comes to paying their drivers. He may end up at McLaren but I am not too sure why would he want to risk going head to head with Hamilton at McLaren where he will certainly be the outsider. Also from a marketing point of view, why would McLaren hire 2 British drivers ?
As for Raikkonen, well there is probably only McLaren who can afford his price tag, perhaps Red Bull too. Kimi is known at McLaren and that gives him an advantage over Button and will certainly be a better combination for McLaren.

Let first hope that Renault stays and they put Glock in the other car alongside Kubica
That Massa is fit to drive and give Alonso a good fight. That Raikkonen joins McLaren and gives Hamilton a good fight and that Button stays at Brawn and Rosberg gives him a good fight.

With this and with Red Bull, we'll have at least 4 teams who have strong driver pairings making it a really interesting season. Not to mention all the new teams and what they will do!

[Jim Watt]

Thanks, Ed, for the thoughtful summary. What do you hear about the competitive status of the COSWORTH V-8? I can't remember (a) whether there actually even WAS a Cosworth V-8 before, or, if there was, where it was in the grid.

Jim Watt

[Julian Mayo]

Thanks, Ed, for the thoughtful summary. What do you hear about the competitive status of the COSWORTH V-8? I can't remember (a) whether there actually even WAS a Cosworth V-8 before, or, if there was, where it was in the grid.

Jim Watt

Cosworth WAS one of the more successful Mfctrs Jim.

[Ed]

Indeed Cosworth is only second to Ferrari in terms of World Championships won with their engines however it must be noted that their golden age was primarly in the 70's.

The had a number of V8 engines but only produced one V8 2.4 engine and that was in 2006 supplying Williams for one season before Williams switched to Toyota power (and now back to Cosworth agian!)

The engine wasn't reliable and was considered heavy. The engine will be rev limited just like the other engines and while it has the advantage of being homologated from next season, the base engine (2006) isn't as powerful and is not as fuel efficient as the other engines and with no refueling next season this will be a real issue.

Cosworth wanted to be allowed to run up to 20,000 RPM due to this but the other teams refused. Given that the FIA is the one that almost 'forced' Cosworth on the new teams (Campos, Manor, USF1 and Lotus), they will be looking for ways into 'detuning' the other engines to the level of the Cosworth. Lets hope that does not happen!

It is worth noting that with the withdrawl of BMW and Toyota, there are only 4 engine suppliers left: Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Cosworth! and if Renault do pull out (although that is unlikley), we'll be down to 3. And lets hope that does not happen either!!