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Nick_L

By Nick_L
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gone fishin

gone fishin

Posted
Posted
On the other hand, as an all-British team with two former world champions it'd probably be easier for McLaren to get lucrative sponsorship deals.

There is talk about Hamilton's contract would not be anywhere near what it is, if it were to be made now (it was signed pre-credit crunch), but after he moved to Switzerland, I'm sure a pay cut wouldn't affect him too much.

As I said in an earlier post, hopefully this means McLaren go back to their "white" car, with Brawn switching from... white.. to silver. I take it Vodafone are still sponsoring McLaren next year? If so, then that's the red replacement for Marlboro!

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DarthSquirrel

DarthSquirrel

Posted
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Glock confirmed as the lead driver at Manor.

Interesting. For some reason I thought they were the favourites to take Kovalinen so that came as a surprise to me.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport...one/8363770.stm

"It has always been my recommendation that we have at least one driver with experience of the 2009 cars to help our development programme,"
Sounds like they already have a rookie lined up as Glock's wingman so where does that leave Kovalinen?
As I said in an earlier post, hopefully this means McLaren go back to their "white" car, with Brawn switching from... white.. to silver. I take it Vodafone are still sponsoring McLaren next year? If so, then that's the red replacement for Marlboro!

James Allen says on his blog that the McLaren will be Red/Silver next season. :lol:

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marsh

marsh

Posted
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How about Button to Lotus? That's the only reason I can think of for them not to name their driver, and even then it's not a very good one.

Just thought I'd put the cat amongst the pigeons.

Hmm, I'm not sure they can afford to take a piss let alone spunk £8 million away on a world champion. Besides, they'll have one driver who's done more miles than a mid 90's transit van, and one who's still in nappies.

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dam_aks

dam_aks

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Yeah, that's basically confirmed it.

I hope Jenson doesn't get a hard time in the press over this. I think he is (apparently winky wink) making a very astute move. Long contract, solid team, great money. I also think that this Mercedes/Brawn thing has been going on for a long time this year, I also think it's played a part in his discomfort in the Brawn team. But it's just a theory.

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ahyums2

ahyums2

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I just hope if he does go to McLaren that they'll be able to provide him a car that suits him, which is frankly hard to see given how diametrically opposite his driving style is to Hamilton.

If the length of contract is indeed the reason I suppose fundamentally speaking it's not a bad reason to move but I can't help but thinking he would have been far far better off staying at Brawn/Mercedes for a whole host of reasons.

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Bruciebabie

Bruciebabie

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John Surtees, who knows a lot more about F1 than all of us put together, says that Button's problem at McLaren will be Anthony Hamilton. (Not Lewis)

And I can see that. In 2007 someone within McLaren went to war against Alonso. And we all saw what happened then.

However Button is no mug. In 2003, at BAR, Villeneuve (ex WDC) went to war against Button and lost.

The team dynamics within McLaren will be very interesting, especially as Hamilton and Button need completely different cars.

Button is at the extreme end of being light on tyres. Hamilton is at the extreme end of being heavy on tyres. So the car will, inevitably favour one driver over the other. So it is the engineers who will decide who will finish highest in the WDC.

If all things were equal I think Button would win it.

1) He is faster round a corner. This is just a matter of pure physics as he extracts more grip out of all four tyres.

2) He is the best overtaker currently in F1 and is universally recognised as such.

3) He is one of the best F1 drivers ever in the wet. And we seem to be getting lots of wet races.

4) He is very light on the machine which may be of especial importance with heavier non refuelled cars.

5) He very, very rarely makes mistakes. He brings the car home. And you need to finish in order to score points.

His main weakness is that the car really does have to be set up to work for him.

Hamilton's main strength is that he is by far the best pure racer currently in F1. In fact he may be the best we have seen for some time.

Also he has matured and developed enormously as a driver.

In 2007 he started very rough and aggressive. During the season he learned a huge amount off Alonso in how to make an F1 car work and how to manage the whole race weekend.

In 2008 F1 lost traction control, which was a major blow to Hamilton's loose driving style. However he adapted very quickly, changing his style completely.

In 2009 he became a monkey at the back and had to fight in a packed field for no reward. Just like most F1 drivers. His maturity and racecraft developed enormously as a result.

In 2010 I can see him learning a lot off Button, firstly in how to make a car go round corners fast and secondly in how to manage tyres.

Lewis's main weakness is that he makes a lot of mistakes. Which sometimes cost him points.

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marsh

marsh

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I can see where bob is comming from, however ultimately Anthony Hamilton does not run the team, and if he continues to behave in a manor which is frankly out of place in such an environment they'll turf him and his boy out. They got into an awful amount of shit over the cheating thing earlier this year, and at some point it's inevitable that these two will come to blows on and off the track. Should be fascinating to watch. Button at Mclaren is a sure fire way to secure another drivers title, they're bound to build him a car decent enough over a three year period.

Kimi off to rallying then, should be interesting to see him up against loeb with new cars and regs for the comming year. I'll be suprised if he bothers to come back.

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DarthSquirrel

DarthSquirrel

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Wow... No more Raik.... he's gone.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80187

Woah. Crazy. An interesting post appeared on James Allen's blog yesterday outlining the background to how Raikkonen got in this 'predicament' - one which he claims will earn him more money staying in bed than if he did have a drive for 2010.

The driver market and wages situation really is a fascinating one. It'll be interesting the next time F1 needs to find an excuse for its behavior when the good old quote is trotted out: "this 'sport' is about the best drivers piloting the fastest cars around the most spectacular tracks". And in fact you will have one of the best drivers sitting on his sofa munching a cornetto or throwing a Punto at a pine tree in the tundra.

I think the McLaren vs Hamilton situation is a a ticking timebomb. Perhaps it might explode if/when the pussycat doll gets bored and starts talking to the papers.

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mexos

mexos

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And in fact you will have one of the best drivers sitting on his sofa munching a cornetto or throwing a Punto at a pine tree in the tundra.

He only has himself to blame. If he'd pulled his finger out before Massa'a crash (and changed his attitude) then maybe he's still be there & Alonso would have to wait another year.

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Sidewaysbob

Sidewaysbob

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given Kimis last 2 racing years, is his going such a big loss ?

I don't think it is, he got fastest lap after fastest lap in 2007 but didn't convert many to wins. He looked bored and half asleep this year until Massa almost died. He may be fast, but only when he wants to be and can be arsed.

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