Seat Vacancies for 2005

[hollywood2003 0]

Rumours are that Schummie may give it away at the end of this season.

If so there will be one possibly two seats at Williams and one at Ferrari.That will really stir up the driver markets.

I am hoping that Webber can secure a seat with Williams as he could really show his mettle in a fast car. Button has been named as another possibility at Williams and Massa, Fisichella at Ferrari

Who else is in the frame, Alonso??

[nichosnz 0]

Alonso has said he will stay in Renault until he is champion, but the promise of a championship contending car vs. another year of building could be too tempting. Then come back to Renault after that, bringing the knowledge he has gained, to win a second championship!

[Taku 0]

how about jos verstappen?

i hear ferrari are short of cash and are looking at subsidising part of their budget through pay drivers. jos is also apparently holding out for a top-line drive, and brings considerable prsonal sponsorship from computer firm trust. he is reportedly a good friend of michael's from their benetton days, and michael like's to help his friends out.. :shock: ok end of sarcasm. :wink:

i read somewhere the kimster is well-liked by big-hitter montezemolo, and the option mclaren have on kimi could prevent ron from exercising cos it stipulates such big money.. but i think that may be 2006, not 2005.

[hollywood2003 0]

how about jos verstappen?    

i hear ferrari are short of cash and are looking at subsidising part of their budget through pay drivers.  jos is also apparently holding out for a top-line drive, and brings considerable prsonal sponsorship from computer firm trust.  he is reportedly a good friend of michael's from their benetton days, and michael like's to help his friends out..   :shock:   ok end of sarcasm.  :wink:  

i read somewhere the kimster is well-liked by big-hitter montezemolo, and the option mclaren have on kimi could prevent ron from exercising cos it stipulates such big money..  but i think that may be 2006, not 2005.

Do you really think Jos has proven himself at the top level, he didnt do much at benetton as side kick to michael from what I can remember and I think Wilson outshone him most of last season in similar under powered car

[webber 0]

webber will eather be in a jag or a renault because his contrack whith jag is until the end of 2005 and renault has an option on him 4 2005 so i think that webber is not an option williams but money can buy all contracts in F1

[juany 0]

I would love to see Webber in a Williams.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

how about jos verstappen?    

i hear ferrari are short of cash and are looking at subsidising part of their budget through pay drivers.  jos is also apparently holding out for a top-line drive, and brings considerable prsonal sponsorship from computer firm trust.  he is reportedly a good friend of michael's from their benetton days, and michael like's to help his friends out..   :shock:   ok end of sarcasm.  :wink:  

i read somewhere the kimster is well-liked by big-hitter montezemolo, and the option mclaren have on kimi could prevent ron from exercising cos it stipulates such big money..  but i think that may be 2006, not 2005.

Do you really think Jos has proven himself at the top level, he didnt do much at benetton as side kick to michael from what I can remember and I think Wilson outshone him most of last season in similar under powered car

Luckily Taku was being sarcastic Almost had me laughing there before I noticed you weren't serious

I won't even make guesses yet on the situation, but I think Schumi will keep going though. Good for him, I say Will give Mclaren another chance to beat him once more!

[webber 0]

what about R$ i heard that he might be going 2 toyota if so who will be in the 2 williams

[juany 0]

what about R$ i heard that he might be going 2 toyota if so who will be in the 2 williams

Now that is the million dollar question!

Lots of names are being thrown about and Button has been seen at Williams HQ recently.

I have no idea who will be there, but I do think Ralf will stay which will mean he will have to swallow some pride and accept the pay cut they offered him.

[Taku 0]

glad some people noticed that my tongue was firmly in cheek about the boss. :wink:

but yes, i hope the answer to that million dollar question is mark webber and fisi gets his chance in the ferrari. but that's pure sentiment talking. who knows what goes through the team bosses heads (see all the to ing and fro ing over the regulations and helping the little teams out) :evil:

[marina 0]

I haven't heard any rumour of Schummie leaving at the end of 2004. Ron Dennis is the one that has said that if he looses he will definetely leave. Ron Dennis wishes this was true, but I believe Schummie will stay until the end of 2006.

Flavio Briatori , Mark Webber's manager, has said that Williams has not contacted him or the driver, but if they do, they will be very welcomed.

[juany 0]

I thought webber had admitted he had, had some contact from Williams?

[Senna 0]

The only contact Williams will have with Webber is through Flavio’s bank manager.

[juany 0]

classic

[nojvnof1 0]

classic

and very very true.

shaun

[Senna 0]

The Williams driver line-up will be very interesting:

Webber:

1. Contract with Jaguar – requires money to nullify.

2. Managed by Flavio – who will warrant a BIG payout (Frank has never bought a driver out of a contract with another F1 team).

3. Flavio also wants a dream line-up of Alonso and Webber at Renault in 2005.

4. Webber has insisted he is flattered, but quite happy to stay at Jaguar (perhaps Flavio has mentioned options for 05!)

Likelihood = 30% - If the money is offered he will be signed but for many reasons Flavio wants to keep him and it is unlikely Frank will depart with the money – after all he wouldn’t pay a bit extra to keep Montoya!

Button:

1. Contracted at BAR and Dave Richards is determined to keep JB

2. Frank has expressed his interest.

3. Jenson recently said he wants to build a team around him and that he wants to stay at BAR anyway.

4. BAR looks competitive.

5. Jenson is now team leader at BAR

Likelihood = 60% - all depends on the performance of BAR but he is a likely target.

Fisichella:

1. No big team has ever signed him; if they didn’t think he was the best alternative or indeed a great driver before, why change now?

2. Contracted at Sauber but Peter has stressed flexibility in contrast with Dave Richards.

3. Dreams of Ferrari but I’m sure any of the top Three would suffice.

Likelihood = 65% - flexibility in his contract and some good career performances might land him the seat.

Villeneuve:

1. No Contract

2. A big name to replace Montoya – ideal for the sponsors

3. Proven winner and has worked with Williams before

4. Salary demands are likely to be very high - to reflect status as much as anything

5. I’m not so sure Frank is too keen on him now but if Ralf leaves there are two seats available at Williams and so his chances could be increased

6. Has a reputation (I believe exaggerated) of being arrogant and not easy to work with

Likelihood = 45% - would be increased if Ralf is dropped. I suspect he might find another seat though. Sauber, BAR or Toyota may provide that.

[nojvnof1 0]

The Williams driver line-up will be very interesting:

Webber: 

1. Contract with Jaguar

[Taku 0]

I know I can get too much into detail regarding Jacques but being the only JV supporter here, someone has to stand up for the guy!!!

shaun

i wouldn't go that far shaun, i think jv's an awsome driver. the committment he shows in his driving style is something im gonna miss sorely this season, as well as his upfront attitude.

it's just that i think he got a little too complacent about his place in f1 and his mangemnet could have handled it a little better. maybe all that money made him feel irreplaceable.

after pollock was pushed out, i think jv should have seen the writing on the wall and made pollock set him up in a better position. i know you think dr deceived him and i know how loyal and committed jv felt towards finishing the job at bar, but his mangement should have really known better.

that and the psychological bs with button in the preseason that only made him look bad (heavy fuel loads and reliability problems or not) started to take the shine off a once-dominant driver. i mean the only problems were political, it had nothing to do with his driving ability or talent, but f1 is a political game just as much as it is motor sport, and pollock of all people should have known this.

nevertheless, i'd be one of the first to sign up to a "bring back jv" campaign!

[nojvnof1 0]

I know I can get too much into detail regarding Jacques but being the only JV supporter here, someone has to stand up for the guy!!!

shaun

i wouldn't go that far shaun, i think jv's an awsome driver. the committment he shows in his driving style is something im gonna miss sorely this season, as well as his upfront attitude.

it's just that i think he got a little too complacent about his place in f1 and his mangemnet could have handled it a little better. maybe all that money made him feel irreplaceable.

after pollock was pushed out, i think jv should have seen the writing on the wall and made pollock set him up in a better position. i know you think dr deceived him and i know how loyal and committed jv felt towards finishing the job at bar, but his mangement should have really known better.

that and the psychological bs with button in the preseason that only made him look bad (heavy fuel loads and reliability problems or not) started to take the shine off a once-dominant driver. i mean the only problems were political, it had nothing to do with his driving ability or talent, but f1 is a political game just as much as it is motor sport, and pollock of all people should have known this.

nevertheless, i'd be one of the first to sign up to a "bring back jv" campaign!

taku,

I agree with you mostly on your analysis of the situation. When Pollock was given the boot, JV should have seen the writing on the wall, but his contract only ended this year. Now I don't know the reasons why he's out of a drive this year but as I said on another post, in Autosport at the end of '02 JV and CP said this was certainly their last year with BARf, so either they have something for '05 and wanted this year off so he can mentally recover from his ordeal, or they really shot themselves in the foot. Its funny how money messes with your mind, but JV had an offer from Renault at the end of 2000 season for exactly as much as he was getting at BARf but stayed loyal to the cause.

I agree the spat with JB was childish, but it worked both ways. JV wasn't right to start one, but JB kept giving him ammunition by responding. As for DR, he and everyone thats an F1 fan knew Sato had a contract which stated test in '03, race drive in '04. JV knew that, but he said that what got him was that DR was constantly lying to his face saying he had a chance when everyone knew he didn't. Why did he leave it so late to publically inform everyone that Sato had the drive? JV said if he told him straight out he was gone for '04 rather than play him and the media along, then he would have respected that and JV would have raced and done well at Suzuka. Why hold a driver you know won't be racing for you the next season but not confirm it until the last race? Didn't you find it funny how at around Monza time Sato said he'd race in Japan, then backed away from his comments, then ultimately got to race, even Villeneuve said at Monza that you probably won't "see him at Suzuka". People thought he was having a joke, but how prophetic those words were. The whole situation was smelly and ill handled, but life goes on!!

Oh yeah, I'm right with you on that campaign!!

shaun.

[Kirk 0]

JV deserves another shot and has plenty to prove. Some time off should be good for him. Jacque's statements about Williams not wanting him were disappointing and are probably true ... but that should change if they lose RS in 2005. Of course a seat at Ferrari would be the ultimate. With MS gone it is a possibility.

[Hot-Rod 0]

Contracts exist to be broken..... then, everything is possible.

I would bet on Alonso and Webber at Williams in 2005

[Senna 0]

“I would bet on Alonso and Webber at Williams in 2005”

Not a chance. That will be the Renault 2005 driver line-up.

[hollywood2003 0]

Contracts exist to be broken..... then, everything is possible.

I would bet on Alonso and Webber at Williams in 2005

I cant see Flavio giving away his two biggest gun drivers, I am sure either alonso and/or webber will be at renault next year

[Taku 0]

Contracts exist to be broken..... then, everything is possible.

LOL! this only applies in f1 of course!!!

[hollywood2003 0]

would love to know what the performance clauses that Jag have to achieve in Webber's contract, as if they don't he can annul the contract and move without a problem next year