F1 2024

[Baxteen]

My current view is Mic will get the seat at Merc for 2025 if Kimi isn't rushed forward. I don't see Max leaving RB nor do I see anyone else stepping into a limited 1 year contract assuming Kimi is the future.

this is a solid point. but I dont see Kimi being in a Merc in 2026. unless he steam rolls F2 and wins it with multiple races left (as he has actually done in other divisions before)
2027 Merc seat is the earliest loical. 2025 in a williams 2026 second year in a williams. 2027 in a Merc.

so Mic/Alonso/Seb/Carlos taking a 2 year contract sounds very logical to me.
Espesially with the notion that Carlos is going to Audi in 2026 it creates the gap for Kimi to move into Merc if he drives for Williams in 2025

 

[quovadis]

this is a solid point. but I dont see Kimi being in a Merc in 2026. unless he steam rolls F2 and wins it with multiple races left (as he has actually done in other divisions before)
2027 Merc seat is the earliest loical. 2025 in a williams 2026 second year in a williams. 2027 in a Merc.

Merc didn't contract both of their drivers further than the end of 2025 which is my reasoning for the Antonelli plan being he enter F1 in 2026. I don't see Williams being used as a proving ground for drivers on short term loan anymore. My gut is they'd probably want to spend their time evaluating their own driver picks if they do get rid of Sargent and it would only make sense that whoever they put in that seat they have long term options to retain.

 

[Harold_Crick]

If Mick had any other surname than Schumacher I'm not too sure he'd be rated at all. In my opinion he just wasn't as good as his dad, he reminds me more of his more mediocre (in comparison with Micheal) uncle.

OT here. I know people don't like Ralf because of his recent comments, but he was orders of magnitude better than Mick.

Japanese Formula Nippon champion as a rookie (first ever rookie champion in that series), which at the time was a highly competitive series on the same level as F3000, and he won the Macau Grand Prix, the same race his brother won and at the time the race considered to be the showground for upcoming talent.

Podium in his debut season, 2 podiums in his second season with team orders preventing him from pushing for the win at the '98 Belgian Grand Prix. Smashed Alex Zanardi to pieces in 1999 and had another win stripped from him when he suffered a puncture at the '99 European Grand Prix. Spearheaded the Williams-BMW partnership, finishing as the best non-Ferrari or McLaren driver in both 2000 and 2001, and in 2001 he became the first non-Ferrari or McLaren driver to win a race since Johnny Herbert (Stewart) in 1999. His maiden win was also Williams first win in 4-years. He was subsequently shaded by Montoya before outperforming Trulli at Toyota in his final years. Definitely in the upper mid-tier of drivers all things considered.

Mick has a long, long, LONG way to go in order to even be considered in the same bracket as Ralf and has done nothing to justify a top drive.

 

[quovadis]

so Mic/Alonso/Seb/Carlos taking a 2 year contract sounds very logical to me.
Espesially with the notion that Carlos is going to Audi in 2026 it creates the gap for Kimi to move into Merc if he drives for Williams in 2025

Seb getting back into F1 would be a long shot for me. Alonso, I doubt, would move from AM unless he feels threatened to lose his seat at AM or he's guaranteed a championship car which currently would only be considered an RB imho - so less likely. Mic I feel would only be a Merc/Williams short term driver. Carlos's only options imho are Williams, Audi/Sauber & Alpine then. He'd be an asset to any of those teams.

 

[Jean Claude Vaaldamme]

OH all the conspiracies.
Max is going nowhere.
If the situation between Max, his dad and Horner really go south and they decide to leave, this will happen.
Max will not join that useless Merc team.
There would be an agreement with Ferrari to release Leclerc to Red Bull. Then Max and Newby will join Ferrari.
Leclerc will win the Championship for Red Bull being chased hard by Verstappen in the Ferrari.
Hamilton will still be old and not competitive with Max.
Sainz and Russel will drive for Merc and compete for 6th-10th place.

 

[Craig_]

Ralf was not an average driver, he had about 6 wins. He may be average compared to Michael but I'd rate him as a Jenson Button level driver. Button mainly has a WDC to his name because he got very lucky in the first half of the 2009 season.

OT here. I know people don't like Ralf because of his recent comments, but he was orders of magnitude better than Mick.

Japanese Formula Nippon champion as a rookie (first ever rookie champion in that series), which at the time was a highly competitive series on the same level as F3000, and he won the Macau Grand Prix, the same race his brother won and at the time the race considered to be the showground for upcoming talent.

Podium in his debut season, 2 podiums in his second season with team orders preventing him from pushing for the win at the '98 Belgian Grand Prix. Smashed Alex Zanardi to pieces in 1999 and had another win stripped from him when he suffered a puncture at the '99 European Grand Prix. Spearheaded the Williams-BMW partnership, finishing as the best non-Ferrari or McLaren driver in both 2000 and 2001, and in 2001 he became the first non-Ferrari or McLaren driver to win a race since Johnny Herbert (Stewart) in 1999. His maiden win was also Williams first win in 4-years. He was subsequently shaded by Montoya before outperforming Trulli at Toyota in his final years. Definitely in the upper mid-tier of drivers all things considered.

Mick has a long, long, LONG way to go in order to even be considered in the same bracket as Ralf and has done nothing to justify a top drive.

Ralf will forever be the brother of one of the most successful drivers of all time. His current comments spree comes across as someone that are trying to get back into the lime light. Sadly Mick looks to follow this same path, he will forever be the son of a great driver and never the great driver himself. I don't see him as even being close to good enough.

 

[R4ziel]

Ralf will forever be the brother of one of the most successful drivers of all time. His current comments spree comes across as someone that are trying to get back into the lime light. Sadly Mick looks to follow this same path, he will forever be the son of a great driver and never the great driver himself. I don't see him as even being close to good enough.

Is he going to be Max's brother when he takes that title, how does that work?

 

[JuliusSeizure]

Sadly Mick looks to follow this same path, he will forever be the son of a great driver and never the great driver himself. I don't see him as even being close to good enough.

Michael probably would have been making similar comments if he was still healthy. Seb and Ralf are just Mick's mentors in the absence of Michael.

 

[JuliusSeizure]

Seb getting back into F1 would be a long shot for me.

According to reports, his hunger for F1 is still there. He probably won't take the first seat available and probably not go to a non-competitive car, but if a good offer comes up, he may well return. I think if Wolff approaches him for the Merc seat, he will at least talk. He and Toto are quite close.

 

[Craig_]

Is he going to be Max's brother when he takes that title, how does that work?

Two phrases, one of, that's quite an important part. The next is going to be, Max is not yet at the benchmarks of Sir Ham or of Schumie. Chances are that he will get there, has to happen with that rocketship of a car.

 

[Speedster]

Two phrases, one of, that's quite an important part. The next is going to be, Max is not yet at the benchmarks of Sir Ham or of Schumie. Chances are that he will get there, has to happen with that rocketship of a car.

Are you saying Max can only win in a car that's vastly superior to his rivals?

 

[quovadis]

According to reports, his hunger for F1 is still there. He probably won't take the first seat available and probably not go to a non-competitive car, but if a good offer comes up, he may well return. I think if Wolff approaches him for the Merc seat, he will at least talk. He and Toto are quite close.

Seb back in an F1 car would be awesome. I just think it's a less likely scenario than the others.

 

[JuliusSeizure]

Seb back in an F1 car would be awesome. I just think it's a less likely scenario than the others.

IMO, the no 1 choice for Merc is Max followed by Alonso/Seb. If they want the LH replacement to be in more of a support role for Russell, they may prefer Seb as Alonso wants to challenge for another title. Seb may be a bit more realistic as he is less competitive now than he was in his younger days.

 

[quovadis]

Max is not yet at the benchmarks of Sir Ham or of Schumie.

My view on Max is given the machinery he'll drive it within millimeters of the track limits and on the perfect racing line lap after lap after lap but I don't think he's nearly as capable amongst the pack or jockeying for position as LH or MS.

 

[quovadis]

IMO, the no 1 choice for Merc is Max followed by Alonso/Seb. If they want the LH replacement to be in more of a support role for Russell, they may prefer Seb as Alonso wants to challenge for another title. Seb may be a bit more realistic as he is less competitive now than he was in his younger days.

Don't think Max will leave RB while he's got a rocket. Whoever it is it will be unlikely to be a supporting role though. Russell has seniority in terms of time but not much else. And from your choices they wouldn't sign on for that - they're racers.

 

[Obieone]

If you can get past the accent well worth the watch, this guy gets it spot on.

 

[daveza]

OH all the conspiracies.
Max is going nowhere.
If the situation between Max, his dad and Horner really go south and they decide to leave, this will happen.
Max will not join that useless Merc team.
There would be an agreement with Ferrari to release Leclerc to Red Bull. Then Max and Newby will join Ferrari.
Leclerc will win the Championship for Red Bull being chased hard by Verstappen in the Ferrari.
Hamilton will still be old and not competitive with Max.
Sainz and Russel will drive for Merc and compete for 6th-10th place.

Where does Lewis going to Ferrari fit into this scenario?

 

[daveza]

If you can get past the accent well worth the watch, this guy gets it spot on.

Very interesting.

 

[quovadis]

Seb is older now and I think spending time with his family is more important to him now than the racing. They won't have another Niko vs Hamiltons situation if Seb and Russell are together.

I disagree - seb would want to go hammer and tongs - he’s not bottas or barrichello etc.

 

[Dave]

I disagree - seb would want to go hammer and tongs - he’s not bottas or barrichello etc.

Multi 21 Seb, multi 21…