Silly Season

[Emmcee 0]

And now Ricciardo confirms his new deal to the end of 2018.

http://m.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/341301/ricciardo-confirms-red-bull-2018-deal/

[Massa 0]

So, who partners Sainz at Toro Rosso?

Sébastien Buemi's name has come up from a not-very-reliable source.

Buemi is still backed by Red Bull, and has been since his departure from STR (including being Red Bull's test driver through 2015; Verstappen took that role over, but now Verstappen races for them, and I don't think Red Bull has a test driver at the moment).  His helmets in both the World Endurance Championship and Formula E still carry Red Bull branding in 2016.

Buemi won the Formula E title yesterday, despite Lucas di Grassi's best efforts to Nico Rosberg (a verb for deliberately crashing into a championship rival)* him and was the 2014 World Endurance champion with Toyota.

As it happens, Red Bull's young drivers aren't good enough or ready enough for F1.  Their GP2 and Formula 3 drivers are all winless this year.  So, putting Buemi (who is still only 27) in to fill a year or two until some "Next Vettel/Next Verstappen" is ready makes some sense, if this rumor is true.

*Yes, I am being purposely inflammatory.  What di Grassi did yesterday is a level of dirty driving no one at Mercedes has ever reached.

[Sakae 0]

Thanks for input, however, as very common with F1 rumors, Sainz with TR in 2017 continues to be questioned. (Beats me why that would be, but it is so, despite that I thought last week RB took an option on him).

[Emmcee 0]

I've been asking this for a while now, who have they got worthy of a race seat? Sainz has also been linked with Renault.

[Sakae 0]

Dr. Marko is the only one who can tell you that; rest of us are not better than you in guessing. Based on past pattern of behaviour I dare to guess, that Kvyat is probably out, and some new kid whose name we have never heard off yet will show up on the grid as next whoever.

[Emmcee 0]

There is no one but, that's the thing, rumour is Buemi may come back to partner either kvyat or Sainz. I've heard Sainz linked with Renault and kvyat linked with Williams. What about haas? With grosjean absolutely schooling Gutierrez will he still be in f1? I don't think he is good enough tbh but that's my opinion.

[Sakae 0]

Something is not clicking right with notion of Buemi going back to RB in any shape or form. RB, like cans with their drinks is consumption oriented bunch. They use you, and spit you (toss you) out without a second look. Nah. Buemi, if he returns, then it shall be somewhere else, but not to TR (methinks).

[Emmcee 0]

Maybe so but it makes me wonder who is available, the only solution they have is to try and hold onto there current lineup.

[Sakae 0]

Isn't on the forum a RB specialist who keeps track of things there? Vettel and FiA take most of my time, and I merely skim the rest. Gastly is the only one I was aware he has some ties with them, but that's where it ends. Massa seems to know more about it.

[Sakae 0]

The guy from the "Top Gear" - Evans? - stepped down due to show poor ratings, and vacant seat might be available to Button, who said just recently, that he would consider a TV role in his next life after the F1. Will be that role offered to him and will he take it, or will he continue to struggle somewhere in F1 at the rear? We stay tuned. 

[Emmcee 0]

How good would that be? His enthusiasm would be just like clarksons I rekon, Clarkson made that show reguardless what he did.

[Sakae 0]

I used to watch that show quite regularly, until some rumors (about fixing lap times, thus helping Lewis getting higher up) put me on guard, and then also when they had Webber on, there were some borderline defamatory statements made about Vettel, thus consequently that was a point, when I've tapered off. This specific show was actually one of the reasons why I got kicked out of a racing forum, where the shows was discussed, and I've not played along with popular notion how great Webber was on that show. After 10 years membership I have become overnight undesirable, and advised not to come back. So, I have indirect personal history with that show.

[Emmcee 0]

My most memorable moment would be removing stig's helmet to find king schumi underneath.

[Sakae 0]

1 hour ago, Emmcee said:

My most memorable moment would be removing stig's helmet to find king schumi underneath.

That I didn't know.

[Sakae 0]

12 hours ago, Emmcee said:

Maybe so but it makes me wonder who is available, the only solution they have is to try and hold onto there current lineup.

Maybe this one.

[Emmcee 0]

Here you go Sakae, the stig reveals who he is lol.

 

[Sakae 0]

Thanks, well what do you know. That man never ceases to surprise me. Good stuff. I gather he must have been there on short visit, rather than regular on that show.

[Emmcee 0]

Apparently was the stig from 2007-2009, doing the driving in that time frame for hot laps and features on the show. But there is apparently up to 6 stig's at one point and they go with who I as available to what at the time, so who is driving what is up to interpretation.

[Sakae 0]

I thought that I knew just about everything about him, F1 related, but not that. 

[Emmcee 0]

Just makes the guy that much cooler lol.

 

"is it Susan Boyle" lmao

you can find the interview online aswell.

[Sakae 0]

Kimi is staying. Yay!

[Emmcee 0]

No brainer that one. Smartest decision by f1 as a whole all year.

[Sakae 0]

OK, but I can see Kimi leaving end of 2017, and who will be his replacement? List of candidates is rather fuzzy. Rosberg? 

[KoolMonkey 0]

Awesome news. Kimi rules yet again.

[Emmcee 0]

Kimi seems to have found the form he was lacking in recent seasons and now the only thing that doesn't work for him is his age, otherwise he would've signed a multi year deal.  This all but ends the rife rumours of who will replace him. Just like I said, the big moves will be 2018.